A hunter's LIFE. 7T 



last hour of her allotted time, which was sunset ; but when 

 the time came, we parted with great reluctance, promising 

 to take advantage of every opportunity to see each other. 



It is of little use for parents to try to keep young peo- 

 ple apart, after their affections are firmly settled on each 

 other. They will seek each other's society, as it was in 

 this case with Mary and myself. We were determined to 

 see each other ; and after all the old man could do, we 

 did meet, somehow or other, every week. 



I would advise parents to give good advice to their 

 children ; then let them take their own way, and let the 

 responsibility be on their own heads. That has been my 

 course through a long life, and under many trials ; and I 

 have never repented of it. So it was : we saw each other 

 frequently, when no one suspected us ; and so it continued 

 till I went to the West again, which was in September. 

 We then parted, with a hope of meeting again in a short 

 time ; for I had determined to endeavor to persuade my 

 step-father and mother to move to Allegany ; and I told 

 Mary that, whether they came or not, I would return and 

 stay at some place within reach of her, until we should 

 attain a sufficient age, when she should be mine. 



I again travelled to Short Creek, in the West, and joined 

 my mother; but did not find it a hard task to persuade 

 the old folks to move to Allegany, which they did in Oc- 

 tober ; and in a month's time my mother, step-father, and 

 myself, were neighbors to the McMullen family, and were 

 pleased with their new home. 



Not long after we had settled in our new home, there 

 fell a light snow, when I took my rifle, and calling a dog 

 which I had brought with me from Wheeling, which was 

 of the stock of old Mr. Caldwell's hunting-dogs, I went 

 into the woods after deer. I had not travelled far before 

 I found the tracks of four deer, which had run off; for 

 they had got wind o*" me, avd dashed into a great thicket 

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