The farmer and mechanic., 1913-10-28
In October's Gold and November's,
Gray the Hunter Is at Home
Summer Gone and Autumn is Hurrying On It's Way-The
Real Chill Has Fallen the Sweet Old Summer
Time-October Fine But November-Time For
Genuine Outdoor Exercise
fBy Sandy GriswOld. in {
World HeraId.0

eackIe in the oaks, is a reminder that
srrnrner has gone and that the au-
,umn is hurrying on the way. And
xet the sportsman is in the very midst
OF his joys, with the end nearly two
,uonths away. The wild fowl shooting,
while not as good as in former years,
is still good enough to satisfy the most
fnordinate. and the chicken, what are
left of them, readily furnish better
and truer sport than ever And that |
is because they are full grown, strong |
of wing and some chance to cope with |
the enemy, which includes man, coy
nte hawk and other booted and wing |
cd foes.
What "a boon it is, indeed, to ram |
ble over the fields and through the
coverts after this matchless bird in
che waning days Of this beautiful
month.
In the high grass the cricket is
hurrying his song to its end, and in
the first suggesting of the real chill
that has fallen upon the sweet old
summer time, and the last of our song
birds are turning their eyse wistfuily
toward the South, while many have
already winged their way in that di-
rection.
Autumn in Missouri.
With the scent of autumn flowers
out on the open prairie, the air Is
sweet, and over the bluffs along the
rolling Missouri smoke-like haze is
setting. This is a month of silence,
and we hear none Of the bird trills
that cheered us in the doubtful days
Of spring. The merry tinkle of the
meadow lark and the twittering Of
the bobolink that rippled SO contin
uously over our June pasture lands
is heard no more, and yet the
meadow lark is persistent and on
bright mornings is quite tuneful. The
crow caVs lugubriously as he wings
his way indolently over the brown
fields. and the Jay let's out an Occa-
sional strident squawk, but the note
of the bluebird only falls in frag-
ments from the skies, mOurnful as the
patter of falling leaves.
The radiant little gold finch tits in
silence on the latest blossoms and
fluffy tufts Of the dusty thistles, and
the yellowhammer squeals discOrd-
antly as he uDdulates from ant hill
10 ant HILL or from tree to tree The
lutte and bells of brown thrush and
yellowbreasted warbler have ceased to
tinkle and chime down in the Elk
horns woody bottom and only the
backbird frets and clucks in way
betting the dying days of summer.
The windbreaks and hedges are
dark and somber in their Overripe
LEAKAGE, and out of the twilight OF
shc NcOuSlOc duU dlODso ucNSA lCu SOuil'
Try roads the faded disks Of the wilC
sunf1owers glow dimly in the reful-
Sence of charming consultations o.
hardy asters. The meadOwSideS art
iaunty with the unshorn fringes OF th'
soldenrod, willow herb, wild hemp
IRON and rag weed, and in low hollow
and out-of- the way crannies drOop tn
heavy clusters Of deep purple alder
berries, in whose inky juice the robl
and the grouse are wont to dye thel
bills.
The Rawhide trails dimly away Ou
Of the weedy ripples glided with tn
inverted flame Of late cardinals tina
blaze along the sedgy shore. In
brown and frowsy muskrat prowi
siuggishly about or sits idly for hour
on bar or bank dreaming away IN
melancholy hours that should be fu
of activity for the bitter days that ar
soon to come. But he will be up an
doing betimes. When the frosts De
Gin TO tougher the tule stems, the
will the little brown clown OF IN
swamp get busy in earnest. and thel
dome-shaped castles will begin to rea
brown heads along all our low an
swailly water ways.
All too brief, however. are thes
sweet autumn days, and the chicke
hunter must soon get busy or miss n
opportunity altogether. The closlI
day comes with November 80, but
is only through October that one Cd
count upon anything like satisfactol
shooting. They will quickly pass.
ready there are many signs OF the al
preaching bleak period.
Sunset and Gold.
The black and orange of the or1o
is no longer seen as he flashes athwa
the deep green foliage, but instead,
tinge OF russet and gold has stoi.
over hill and dale. The redwing blac
bird Is cucking his sad farewe
farewell, southwark bound. overhea
the sunflower petals and make
tawny baldrick beneath dessicatll
stalks and the acidulous berries OF e
medicinal sumac are darkening amos
their fire speckled leaves along e
roadside.
Jack Frost has begun his deadly e
croachment upon all life, and yet {