The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-02-07

or the leaves and skurrted away; q
chipmunk dlyed into his den; a pair
OF blue jays set up their strldent
screech; crow left the dead limb OF
an oak and went fioundering along
over the tree-tops squawking the
news that the most dangerous anil
mai In the world-a man-was loose
In the woods.
With the heavy shotgun he carried
"a present from the banker-Jack
covered the pheasant as IL glanced
away until II blended with the dull
gray OF the trees and faded from
sight He dropped the butt OF the
gun 70 the leaves and stood listening
10 the beat OF the swift wings. grow
Ing fainter, finally ending abruptly.
and he knew the bird had settled
again 10 the brush.
well. OIL drummer" he chuckled.
speaking half aloud--a habit the
woods teach men--and throwing the
shotgun lightly across his arm, 'y'u
didn't need e rush or without s.
much as sayin' good morning. / could
a stopped y'u II I'd ben a-mind to.
l had y'u right on the end of nay
trigger finger"
Though Jack Warhope was consld-
cred man OF clumsy tongue, he
could talk well enough TO himself. or
10 the creatures OF the woods. He
even had a curiously sane and sensi-
Bile philosophy sort OF romantic
idealism-that outcropped ut such
times
The woods-the true. the constant.
the steadfast woods-the first In.
stinct OF unspoiled men with a heart
ache-the vastness. the all sufil-
cheney, the immense Sheklnah OF the
solitudes. With the gun lying across
his arm he stepped cautiously TO
where the pheasant had flushed and
peered about under the brush and
bushes.
AS his straining gaze searched with
extreme minuteness every leaf, or
glimpse OF weed or bark or grass
blade. gradually a grayIsh-brown spot,
just where the bush OF a fallen limb
lay along the side OF a crumbling
log, began TO take shape. He shifted
his position for better yiew-the
gray-brown SPOT was gone.
He located II again, and as he
looked. slowly there grew out OF the
blending cOlors OF the copse the figure
OF hen pheasant on the nest, so per
fectly harm0nizing with the leaves
and brush among which she lowered
that only the very keenest eye could
have spied her out at all. A moment
he gazed, and slipped away as noise
lessly as he had come.
Let 'er alone" he muttered when
at safe distance. LET 'er think I
couldn't find 'er. She'll think IL
couldn't the fox can't. and he's her
greatest dread right now"
The trees were hardly leayed out
enough yet TO conceal man wnlking
rarelessly through them, or fully keep
back the sun from peeping down
through the thick tangle OF twlgs and
'oaxing forth flower aud grass blade
rom the quickening mold The silver
heath or the hickory buds had al
eady burst and sprung wide apart
he delicate green OF the crinkled,
Newborn leaves appearing In sharp
contrast to the purple sheen lining
he rent scales. The oaks had begun
o thrust forth the tender tips Of
heir new foliage. investing the wax.
1g forest with tint OF faint gray
sh red, as II 10 the infant leaves
ONE trace OF the birth blush still
lung. ,
Upon the floor OF the woods spring :
ad already spread carpet Of Infinite :
DIOR and design. new and bright and a
III unsoiled-here fancy spangled r
attern OF spring beauties; there a
lftern OF solid green where the may
)ples opened their umbrellas to the
sht. In readiness 10 shield the
agile flowers OF white wax that were
ION to hover beneath their shelter
q folds; and. draped over all, a
immering silver haze. the gracious |
OF the skies. .
The man stopped before a crab.
pie tree, the buds OF which were
ened just enough 10 make one curl.
D" ~ 80 hANf VI the DfAuffuI I ~
gstery folded teaslngly away within al
e protecting scales. Already some A
es. pioneers OF their tribe. fused u,
out the aromatic clusters OF peep
color. gathering statistics on the II
ison's honey crop.
A breeze stirred the trees. as n
woods we're taking a deeper
'ath. Jack lifted bis shoulders and
ed his lungs with the nectar.Iaden -
Warmed by the exubersnce OF
that rustied and quivered and q
He'd around him there gushed up
hin him the Jubilate OF a man
Ded by the genial day into almost us
NAL eioseDess to nature. He y.
pped the butt OF the gun TO tho "
yes. leaned lightly upon II and
"a listening 70 the dull dronlng OF -.
bees ~