164 NOTES ON THE 



sibly be best accomplished by recalling the pleasant experiences 

 of a chicken hunt in the southwestern part of the State, par- 

 ticipated in by the writer, at the invitation of three others, 

 Mr. Rand, Mr. George Morrison, and Mr. Dolliver. It was 

 my first experience in western shooting, and the memory of 

 the hunt, and the thought of that pleasant company with which 

 it had been my good fortune to be united for two days, will 

 always be a source of pleasure. Two of that party we shall 

 never see again here, but I am not the only one who has been 

 made happy by their genial presence; there are many of us 

 who will never forget them. 



' 'As a rule business men can spare but a day or two from the 

 city for a 'chicken hunt,' and these were no exception. A 

 telegram August 13th to New Richland, advised a well-known 

 and well tried landlord there, that a party of four would be 

 down on the evening of the 14th; 'have good rooms ready; we 

 want you, your team and dog on the 15th.' Then, on the after- 

 noon before the auspicious 15th, the jolly company, with per- 

 haps three dogs tied in the baggage car, and a liberal supply 

 of ammunition in their carpet-bags, are transported, after two 

 hours' ride, to the little prarie town with its one street, a few gro- 

 cery stores, saloons, elevator, and one 'best' hotel. Here they find 

 everything in readiness, and after passing criticism on the dogs 

 of various other hunting parties, and a whispered, mysterious 

 conference with the landlord as to the location of the 'best 

 ground,' the party retire to beds whose hardness is rendered 

 endurable only by anticipation of the morning pleasure. Then, 

 what seemed to be an hour's rest, rudely broken by the land- 

 lord who knocks at the door, with the announcement that 'it is 

 three o'clock,' 



"A hasty donning of shooting jackets, filling of cartridges 

 bags or belts, a still more hasty breakfast, prepared by the 

 much enduring, patient wife of the landlord, a selecting of the 

 right dogs from the crowd of creatures, old and young, good 

 and bad, that are kenneled in and about the house, a packing 

 of lunch into the wagon, not ommitting a good supply of water 

 for man and dogs, and we are off at a brisk pace, while the 

 dawn is first lighting up the east. The uncomfortable feeling 

 caused by being awakened so early from a sound sleep, and be- 

 ing obliged to leave a comfortable (?) bed is soon forgotten in 

 the novelty of our situation. As the light grows brighter ob- 

 jects which looked indistinct and shadowy in the darkness, are 

 seen with more clearness and prove to be wheat stacks, or 



