A Rabbit Hunt on the Prairie. 



It is a cold, dreary evening. Storm clouds are scudding 

 down from the north, shutting out the last rays of the declin- 

 ing light, as the gloomy October night closes in on the city. 

 The bright sparkle of the electric lights here and there only 

 serves to increase the gloom beyond their circle of radiance. 

 Out of the darkness comes the screech of a steam whistle, the 

 rattle of omnibus and dray, the rumble of the cable cars, 

 the bark of a dog and the gabble of human voices sounds of 

 city life that grate harshly on the ear of one who loves nature 

 and her- ways. Turning away from the window in disgust, I 

 poke the center log nearer the fire's heart and allow imagina- 

 tion to carry me away from these disagreeable surroundings. 



I see a pretty white cottage, standing on a rise of ground 

 back from the shore of a beautiful little lake in Northern Iowa. 

 The trailing morning glory that covers the cozy little porch 

 shuts out the rays of the declining sun that are reflected from 

 the glassy surface of the lake. It is the month of October. I 

 am comfortably seated in a shady corner of the porch, dreamily 

 enjoying the scene, the beautiful sunset and listening to the 

 voices of approaching night. The chirp of the cricket from 

 under the step at my feet, the cry of a night-hawk, as he darts 

 downward in his circling flight overhead, the bullfrog chorus 

 that floats up from the lake shore, the uneasy twitter of the 

 birds in the trees, the hoot of an owl over on the point all. tell 

 the tale of the day's close and the dropping of night's curtain. 



"Hello, Will! What are you hiding in there for? Don't 

 you want to go rabbit hunting tomorrow?" 



"Well. George, I guess you almost caught me building air 

 castles in Fairyland. Yes, I'm ready for anything that prom- 

 ises sport, for my time with you is getting short.'' 



"All right. Will. I will be around with the team before 

 sunrise ; be ready and have a lunch put up." 



I 45 1 



