FORTY-FOUR YEARS 



A H U N T E E^S LI F E 



CHAPTER I. 



Hirth anJ Parentage — DifBcultien of bis widowed Mother — Moves to the We»t — 

 Accident on the Road — Settles on the Flintstone — Induced by an aunt, John 

 Spurgin's wife, to leave the maternal roof — Removes to Alleghany County, aul 

 settles in a small Cabin— Great abundance of Game — Again removes with his 

 uncle to Monongahela County, Va.— Then again back to the Blooming Rose — 

 Becomes acquainted with Mary McMullen, his future wife — Goes one quarter to 

 School, being all his Education — Falls in love with Mary — Goes to see her at 

 night, and the old man, her father, sets the dog on him, supposing him to be a 

 prowling Wolf — I^udiorous scene in escaping — Aunt has an Heir, after twenty 

 years' Marriage, and treats the Author unkindly — First success in Deer Hunting 

 — Aunt in an ill-humor strikes him with a heavy wooden shovel — Leaves his 

 Uncle and Aunt — Goes hunting again, and kills a fine Buck, but his feet nearly 

 frozen — Takes leave of his Betrothed — Both much affected. 



I WAS born in Frederick County, in the State of Mary- 

 land, in the year of our Lord 1781. My father's name 

 wafj Joshua Browning, and my mother's name was Nancy. 

 He was a farmer with limited means, and, with his wife, 

 resided on a small farm ; having little to recommend theuj 

 in this world but an unsullied name, and known only as 

 oeing strictly honest, industrious, and truthful. 



They lived a happy life together until they had foui 

 children — one daughter named Dorcas, and three sons, 

 Joshua, Jeremiah, and myself, called Meshach. My 

 mother became a widow when I was an infant of two 

 weeks old ; and, after the business of the estate was settled, 

 2 (la) 



