■Tax. 24, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



811 



Sunday was spent in the camp, and Monday we started 

 liack. Two of the men were sent down to the mouth of the 

 Indian Fork by the river, Which was by fchfc time almost 

 in ;v n .in. while Joseph and William, taking their packs., 

 went with me over to Murray Brook, and leaving their loads 

 there, took it little round tdongthc brook and over to Joseph's 

 Hollow. We saw no deer, but stumbled upon a hungry 

 Lsthrador Indian, who, like ourselves, was hunting, lie 

 talked a sort of barbaric French, only a port of which was 

 intelligible. A month before, three, families had been landed 

 by a fishing vessel at Pabos, and since then had been travel- 

 ling up the river of that name, on their way to the caribou 

 grounds. In all ibis time they had killed only four deer, 

 and half a dozen porcupines. They had gone hungry many 

 limes, and ibis morning the Indian said, "pus manger." We 

 took him back with us to the camp at the mouth of the 

 Indian Fork, and loaded him up with about seventy-five 

 pounds of provisions. He was extremely polite, took off his 

 c up and said , 'i»>jrci," and (ben put his pack on his back and 

 started for the lulls. 



The next morning when we rose it was raining hard, and 

 five inches of snow covered the ground. The river was 

 rising fast and we made, a good run down, and the following 

 day reached Gaspe. Yo. 



\mn$ S ir $ 



'Thai, reminds me." 



THE VOTING. 



4tT>IGHT smart of votes, I should allow," remarked the 



-L*- Visitor. 



"Guess so," was the reply, 



"Reckon there's a bigger heap than you were counting on." 



"Calculate not," said the editor. 



"Expect they may be coming in yet?" said the Visitor, in- 

 terrogatively, 



"I fancy that your imagination is in accordance with the 

 facts in the case." 



"Any of those postmasters vote?" asked the Visitor. 



"Yes, several; and one or two who say they are postmas- 

 ter's clerks, and as their votes were mailed on the Monday 

 morning after the "scheme 1 was announced, the subscribers 

 who subsequently received (hose papers probably found the 

 Supplement pretty well thumbed." 



"The voters all settle on about, the same stories, don't 

 they?" was the next question. 



"Not by any manner of means. The first mail Friday 

 morning, December 21, brought in three lists, and no one 

 story was mentioned on any two of them; in other words, 

 thirty different stories were voted for. By the time the 

 balloting closes there will not be twenty stories of the ninety- 

 six that have not been named at least once as the best. 

 When a card conies in from some one I know, I look over 

 the stories to see which have been named; and it is quite 

 entertaining to observe how the lists are made up. For 

 example, a New England mau has picked out all the stories 

 relating to Yankeedom; a Colorado hrmter has selected 

 the 'big game' yarns, a Pennsylvania clergyman's list is 

 almost, wholly made up of angling incidents; a corres- 

 pondent whose initials are often appended to discussions 

 of rifle calibers, has picked out the anecdotes about loading 

 and shooting; and so it goes. The ladies all vote for the 

 owl stories." 



"So the women do vote, do they?" 



"Just read these notes," said the editor, handing tothe 

 Visitor several scraps of letters, and the other read: 



"Patekso.w N. J., Dee. 27.— Editor Forest and Stream: I 

 inclose two guesses at your 'Camp-Fire Flickerings.' One I 

 made by virtue of the authority in me vested as a regular 

 subscriber; the other was made by Mrs. S., my better half, 

 ■who claims a right to guess, being a part of myself and a regu- 

 lar borrower of Forest and Stream, frequently borrowing it 

 from me and reading it before I get a chance at it— a sort of 

 postmaster's game. We have a little private wager as to the 

 merits o£ our respective guesses, and shall await the result of 

 the guessing tournament with anxious anticipation." 



"LOWELU Mass., Jan. i.— Editor Forest and Stream: In- 

 closed please find four votes on the 'Camp Fire Flickerings.' 

 For fear that you will th ink I am trying to vote more than 

 once (a co mm on trick here in Lowell), I will explain who my 



voters are; Mi's. is my wife. is a watchman in 



our employ who always goes a hunting with me, and is 



an errand boy here in our office. I have loaned my paper to 



several persons, who said they would vote direct. Mrs. 



and myself have of course selected different stories; neither of 

 us are willing to compromise in order to make our vote 

 stronger, but we have left it to our two-year old boy, and he 

 says mine are the best. I tell you this that you may count 



mine twice in case I should tie Mrs. . We have had 



considerable fun over the 'Flickerings' and we shall wait pa- 

 tiently for the returns." 



"Moksi.vg Sun, Iowa,— Dear Forest and Stream: Last 

 night wife and I found enjoyment in looking over the 'Flick- 

 erings,' and I inclose our vote. My boy, eight years old, 

 interested, and if he gets his vote made up in time will send 

 it, too." 



"Bridgeport, Jan. ld.—Eilito-r Forest and Stream : I inclose 

 herewith two votes on the 'Flickerings,' one for self and one 

 for mv wife, who is as great a lover of Forest and Stream 

 as myself, and who, of course, is certain of winning." 



"Bluffton, O., Dec. 88. — Editor Forest and Stream: Find 

 inclosed throe ballots on the 'Camp-Fire Flickerings,' one my 

 own, another of my little girl, who has beard me read them, 



and the other a brother sportsman here. Please, deposit them 

 in the ballot-box and give us a fair count. We confidently ex- 

 pect prizes; but if we don't get them the consequences will 

 not be serious. We have already had lots of pleasure in read- 

 ing them and laughing- fiver them."' 



"Fond du Lac, Wis., Jan 12.— Your scheme has merit in it 

 so far as it places the poor readers on equal terms with the 

 poor authors, and they ought 'some of them' to have an 

 award. The vote of the 'Bashful Hunter 1 was put up with 

 some misgivings, but as her opinions on sports of the field and 

 flood are orthodox, we have prevailed on her to record prefer- 

 ence. " 



Do husbands and wives ever vote alike?" asked the 

 Visitor. 



'Not in a single instance; and we have a score or two of 

 pairs. I might regret having provoked all these family dis- 

 sensions, but possibly the Forest and Stream may be ac- 

 complishing a great domestic, social and political mission by 

 this practical test of giving our wives and toothers and 

 sisters-in-law the privilege of voting. 1 am keeping all these 

 letters," explained the editor, "and when Congress appoints 

 a Woman's Suffrage Committee I propose to lay the docu- 

 ments before them, and show just what a sweet world of 

 domestic discoid this .great and glorious republic would be- 

 come if husbands and wives should fall to discussing politics 

 and betting on elections. Why, the system would convert 

 every family circle into a parabolic spiral, and then where 

 would you be?" 



"Yes, but politics and 'Flickerings' arc two different 

 things; and to decide the merits of Presidential candidates 

 is comparatively simple compared with the task of selecting 

 the best ten out of ninety -six good stories. It is not easy 

 for any one to do that, even though he be not only a gentle- 

 man and a scholar, but a sportsman as well." 



"You are right. Here are some comments that express 

 just that" ; 



'Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 10.— Dear Forest and Stream: En- 

 closed please find ten numbers of 'Flickerings,' which I trust 

 will knock at least one persimmon. I won't say anything 

 about their being placed in their order of merit, and I expect 

 I have missed some of the best ones, but will 'shet both eyes' 

 and turn 'em loose on you, with a tope that astray pellet may 

 reach a vital spot. I read them over twice, and after select- 

 ing about twenty n umbel's, picked out the inclosed ten, at 

 'memorandum,' same as old Dave Edwards loaded and shot at 

 the enemy, at the fight at Richmond, Ky. By the way, 'that 

 reminds me,' and at some future time, I may give you Dave's 

 experience in that little 'bresh of arms,' in the shape of a 

 'Flickering. ' —Kingfisher. " 



"Hartford City, Ind. — Editor Forest and Stream: I here- 

 with inclose you my vote on the 'Camp-Fire Flickerings.' I 

 consider them all very good, and when I select one as the best 

 I see something in another as good, so that I am in the fix of 

 the duck shooter told about in So. 22, who did not shoot the 

 bird because so many other ducks got in his way. I only hope 

 there will be as many more stories in the coming year." 



"I can appreciate how difficult it is to decide on ten. By 

 the way, here is my vote. It was easy enough to write 

 down the best one, you see it is the story for whose merits I 

 have been contending all this time. But the other nine 

 bothered me. Ninety-six are a good many. It's fortunate 

 there were no more." 



' 'There might have been, " replied the editor. ' 'See these, " 

 and he handed over two notes which read: 



"Binohamton, N. Y., Dec. 29.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Below is my list. If I had only known of your intention I 

 could have written the awfulest funny 'Flickering' that ever 

 was ; would have surely taken the prize." 



"Washington.— Editor Forest and Stream: I am looking 

 forward with much curiosity for that vote on 'Flickerings. 

 That was a good and novel scheme, and will be interesting 

 and entertaining. It is a fair and impartial method of settle- 

 ment; but the stoiies are all good, and I am sorry I did not 

 have something in them of my own." 



"To use a familiar expression, those fellows 'got left.' Is 

 it too late for them ? Won't you have more 'Flickerings 1'" 



"Oh yes. No. 97 will be printed next week, and 1 have 

 several stories on hand." 



"Good!" exclaimed the visitor; "and a man told me one. 

 the other day, which he promised to write out. If he does 

 I'll betchyer it will take the first prize next winter." 



"There you go again," said the Editor. "Hold on, your 

 fish is not in the boat yet. Just wait until this voting 

 is decided, and see whether the story you have been car- 

 rying at the head of the procession squeezes into the first 

 seven." 



"If it don't I'll give it a prize myself; it's the best one of 

 the whole ninety — " 



"Here, read that, and give me your valuable advice," in- 

 terrupted the editor, handing over a letter from an Iowa 

 man, who inclosed with his ballot 'a little incident that hap- 

 pened out there.' Would you use that?" 



After the visitor had read the story he replied : 'I'd throw 

 it into the fire and burn it up; that's about what it is good 

 for." 



"You would, eh 1" retort cd the editor. "Nice editor you 

 would make, nave a little conflagration here all by your- 

 self every time a good joke came in. Might as well set fire 

 to the building and burn the whole thing up at once. That's 

 what it would amount to in the end." 



"Go on," returned the other. "You are only demonstrat- 

 iug just what I have contended all the time, that when it 

 comes right down to humor, you are as myopic as a mole. 

 My remark was figurative, jocular, and in dead earnest, I 



meant that I would put that story into the Forest and 

 Stream Camp-Fire and let 'er flicker. As to my success as 

 an editor, that, of course, is problematical; but I flatter 

 myself I would know enough to keep out of the kind of box 

 you are in now." 



"What'sthat?" asked the other. 



"Figuring up those votes. Do you propose to do it alone?" 



"Not much. I have engaged the services of a New York 

 Herald man who has had large experience in computing 

 election returns," 



"Do you expect to get a prize yourself?' 



"On what?" 



"That dismal bone joke in your 'Familiar Talk' advertise- 

 ment." 



"No, that is not a 'Flickering,' although it was intended to 

 'remind' you of something." 



"Thanks. I saw the mercenary moral of the talk, and have 

 a receipted bill for $4 in my pocket. Why don't you write 

 a report of ray call to-day aud end up by advertising a dog 

 paper as you did before?" 



The editor accepted the suggestion, and now repeats that 

 ballots must be sent in so as to reach this office on or before 

 next Friday, Feb. 1, and as the editor of the American 

 Kennel Eeyistfr so often says, "none can be received later." 



The polls are open. 



SHE HAS VOTED. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Well, now you have done it ! Of course it is hard to have 

 to find fault with an old and tried friend, particularly one 

 so valued aud necessary as the Forest and Stream"; but 

 have you not taken advantage of your position, of the fact 

 that we can't do without you, to destroy the peace of thou- 

 sands of once happy homes? 



Yes, it is the "Flickerings," and the domestic blazes they 

 have started. Certainly, 1 have read them — read each as it 

 appeared, gave the usual chuckle, and "That's good," smiled 

 the mental "That reminds me," perused that deceptive edi- 

 torial, said "Capital idea," re-read all the pleasant stories 

 without the slightest intention of voting; felt a little sorry 

 that that funny occurrence in the spring of '78 had not been 

 sent on, because you know it was just a shade better than 

 all the other "Flickerings," and would undoubtedly have 

 "led all the rest," if one had only taken the time to write it 

 up, and so on, in the usual modest strain of thought that we 

 of the non-contributing staff indulge in when entertained 

 by the bright thoughts of our more worthy contributing 

 brothers, but which I fear has its foundation in a feeling of 

 envy at their skill as raconteurs. Then a growing desire to 

 show our excellent literary taste and skill in selection, a 

 little more seductive reflection, then, "Well, I might as well 

 vote." Happy thought. "How surprised the editor will be 

 when he sees my card. He will say, 'By Jove, boys, just 

 see how this fellow has hit it; we must get him to contribute 

 to the paper.' " The fatal poison has done its work; "vanity 

 of vanities, all is vanity." 



The pipe is laid down and with knitted brow and severe 

 expression the amateur critic proceeds to consider, and in- 

 wardly digest the pleasant labors of bis more unselfish 

 friends. Behold him now, severe and judicial in his tastes; 

 no grave and spectacled faculty deciding on the merits of 

 would-be graduates could be more self-satisfied. The eye 

 that could so quickly mark the coming duck now more 

 keenly searches the list of gamy anecdotes to single out and 

 bring to bag the coveted "ten!" and one felt as if the rule 

 awarding but one prize to each was quite absurd, for never 

 was one more confident of his ability to "score a double" if 

 the right were only granted. Alasi it was thus! felt. Now 

 in my sore straits and hard afflictions I do confess my fault 

 and to atone to them for my harsh judgment of the uuse- 

 lected eighty-six, I will in my poor halting words tell the 

 story of my fall. 



Like all true sportsmen I have a wife (of my own), and, 

 (like all true sportsmen's wives) she takes a gentle yet distant 

 interest in my bunting tastes, lets my gun closet and hunt- 

 ing gear alone, does not cut up my fishing line for strings, 

 nor use my split bamboo to hold the windows up, nor my 

 landing net for a clothes bag. She once took out my oil can 

 to lubricate the sewing machine, and 1 found myself in a 

 driving rain on a pass twenty miles from home,"out for a 

 week's hunt, and no oil; hut that is past, and she is in gen- 

 eral a very estimable person. 



Well, having' made my selection, of course I could not 

 "keep down," Says I, "A very good idea this, of the Forest 

 and Stream." 



"Oh, yes, that hunting paper you are so fond of ; I don't 

 see what they can find in shooting to write so much about. 

 I am sure you don't look so well in those big boots and that 

 yellow coat, with the dogs jumping all over you, parading 

 around in the mud after a little duck. I wouldn't like to 

 have even a duck see me in such a rig; but men are so queer. 

 What is in the old paper now?" 



"Oh, nothing; only they have collected all the good stories 

 published for some time past, and the subscribers are to 

 select the best ten, and the best story gets a prize, and the 

 one that picks out the best gets a prize." 



"What, a prize just for picking out the best stories? Why 

 any one could do that; are you going to try? What's the 

 prize? Do you think they will really give it? Isn't it funny? 

 I know 1 could pick it out better than you, let mo see." 

 And away goes the paper, and Madame gravely proceeds to 

 assimilate the yachting columns; then resumes: "Why there 

 is nothing about it here; why this is all about 'lead on the 

 keel,' 'displacement,' 'yawl-riff,' 'cutters vs. sharpies,' is that 

 a new kind of sleigh? I didn't know there was anything 

 about sleighs in this paper, I thought it would be all about 

 hunting. Do they hunt in sleighs?' Was it that you were 

 talking about to Stone the other night when you said you 

 were 'slaying' the ducks last fail? Oh, dear! where is the 

 old article any way?" 



When 1 came to, I showed it to her and fled. On my re- 

 turn I found her sitting alone, a sheet of paper, pens and 

 ink before her, covered with those occult female characters 

 beside which a hieroglyph is the Roman alphabet in large 

 print, and there was the Forest and STREAM in a very 

 crushed aud crumpled condition on the floor by her side. 

 "Well, you are a nice man; why didn't yon tell me any one 

 could vote? It says so in the paper. Of course, you didn't 

 want me to see it because you knew I could beat you and 



