Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-26
DAD TELLS US ANOTHER STORY.

| t'"" repaired traps and
shares. or done taxidermy work (my
brother being an cxperD. Whon dnrk.
| ness came VIC either retired early
| oleaned guns or had Dad toll us a
story. the latter being always prc
| fcrablc
IL was the latter part of Deccn.
oer. there being three days LEFT be-
iorc the New Year. AS ] sat on the
ochch situated on the sunny side of
the cabin UhIs happening to be tho
front. I saw DAD coming up tho
path with his gun. but without game
Ihere's snow coming as sure AS
| tomorrow" said dad. az he took "A
seat by me. leaning his gun against
| me cabin. That winds changed
from west TO a northeast. and that
| spells snow. Look over In the north :.
continued he. turning and pointing In
| that direction.
Low down near the horizon was a
bank OF smooth. slow moving. slate
kcolorcd clouds
on better be getting some more
wood In. Where's John?" said dad
as he arose and entered the cabin.
Said he was going TO try and get
mat 'nossum he thinks nc saw in :,
hollow this afternoon. Took lack
and Dixie with him" answered l.
We soon had supper ready, John
returning just as we began After
supper we sat around the open ire
place Will. discussing the events
Of the day, then ! retired John fol-
lowed "a few minutes later leaving
dad reading
outside the wind blew hard and
steady, making weird. ghos,ly notes
as 1t sang through the pines. Near
ny tree had fallen agains, another.
The rubbing caused by each gust of
wand an Irregular screeching, lik.
some one opening and closing a rusty
hinge.
awokc dad and John were already
| UP As rolled out Of my bunk dad
turned to me and said. shes here"
| cong To the window. l pecred out
Everything was white and the snow
was sim falling The wind had
hbated somewhat, but IL still came In
ionS gusts, carrying the snow with
It in steady sweeps. Dying down
moment as II TO gain energy. the
fak"s began To settle. but then II
would come again. sending the snow
whtTlinS In among the trees, where
II piled in deep drifts about their
trunks
We ate hurried breakfast, then
John and went out on the trap line,
leaving dad TO wash the dishes.
Returning from the inspection Of
INC traps about two hours later. we
round dad standing at the window
looking thoughtfully out through it's
now-covcred panes. We had fairly
5000 luck ina morning, having trap
ped an otter. the first we had caught
ana the first had ever seen. In adj
dition to this we got IA raccoon, two
minks and three muskra;s. so we had
plenty to occupy our time for that
day, even IL 1t had not been snow
ing.
AS We entered, dad said: Boys.
I've been standing here thinking.
This storm reminds ME OF one we had
out West when | was Il Kid. and II
I'm not mistaken. It's going TO be al
we get enough. but Judging from the
way this has started. IL looks ,.s
though II may turn out to be serious
for us. We'd bettersbe getting i'm n
large supply OF wood before You re.
move your macs because we may
not be able to find any in few more
days"
Dad was soon into his "mac" and
all OF us filed ont into the neecv cold
air. John and l each carrying a four.
pound ak.
Two hours OF cutting and dragging
we had enough wood stored in the
cabin and in tho shed at the rear OF
the cabin to last n year. 1t seemed TO
me; but discovered / had miscalcu-
lated me quantity before this weather
changed.
1t was after dinner before we be-
gan skinning our morning catch, and
by the time we had finished this.
stretched the pelts. cleaned and oiled
our OUT, guns and repaired TWO broken
traps, ii was time for supper.
rms meal finished we sat around
me cheerful fire, enjoying its warmth.
Wncn ! remembered what dad had
s s when he stood before the window
"a
one nc remembered having out West.
determined 20 get him to tell us
tne story. 1t being an ideal night for
hesitation.
lie sat for awhile gazing into the
iire. then. STRENGTHENING up, he reached
Tor his French briar on the tabjn.
rakcd II into tho tobacco Jar and then
pipe During this procedure I had
lighted n stick. it being n regular
AFFAIR for dad TO take n smoke be-
lore lore retiring. Taking the stick.
BACK In the chair and began:
Il was the age when a bov WANTS
adventure. One day, in the early fall.
an ola trapper came in our store 10
listened to his Embarrassing eyperi.
ences and my ambition to experience
some OF them got the best of mo. SO
netermined then and there to slip
oh iOuir iHu. IL possible.
with him. but the old trapper soon
left and for time the Idea left my
mind. Wy
Next day the idea again took nos.
session OF me. and don't think 7
tried very hard TO resist tho craving
desire, so. saddling my broncho.
Daisy. 7 sat out i'm the direction in
which he said he was going to try
to overtake him.
About twenty miles OF riding
brought mo TO n ranch house and. to
my JOY. 1 found Spitzy (the trap
rer's nancy getting ready to leave.
He was SO glad 20 hear of my 20
Ing with him that he never so much
as asked mo II my parents knew.
which was, of course, pleased.
After telling me many tales of tho
pelts we would get and tho big
money for the same, we started
north. -Four days OF slow travelling.
we having a pack. horse to lead,
found US on Beaver Creok, the desti.
loxx,f,I