A WINTER DAY'S SPORT. 



W. G. CHAPMAN, JK. 



" I reckon there'll be a fall o' snow ter- 

 night," said Seth, as he entered the kitchen 

 and deposited 2 brimming pails of milk on 

 the table. " It's kind o' still like an' warm 

 outside; an' I saw a shootin' star drap in 

 th' East, as I come in. It'll be a rippin' 

 day fer rabbits termorrer, if th' snow hain't 

 too deep," he continued as he removed his 

 mittens, and held his hands over the stove, 

 slowly chafing them in the grateful warmth. 

 I knew what was coming, so I held my 

 peace. When Seth had sufficiently warmed 

 his hands he turned his back to the stove 

 and spoke. " What d'yer say ter havin' a 

 crack at 'em termorrer? " 



" A crack at what? " said I, as if en- 

 grossed in something distant from rabbit 

 shooting; though in truth my mind had 

 been busy picturing the sport on the mor- 

 row, should the conditions be favorable. 



" Why, at th' rabbits of course. Over in 

 th' big woods there's a slew of 'em, an' in 

 th' side-hill faller there ought ter be plenty. 

 What d'yer say ter shootin' a few cotton- 

 tails termorrer? Thet is, if it snows, of 

 course." 



" I'm in it," I replied. " Suppose we get 

 our guns and ammunition ready." So Seth 

 took from the pegs over the mantel, a long, 

 " 3-foot-in-th'-bar'l," single, muzzle-load- 

 ing shotgun, a relic of antiquity; while I 

 brought out a double-barreled hammerless, 

 12 gauge, which I snapped together. Get- 

 ting the tools, etc., I commenced loading 

 shells. Seth simply primed his gun anew, 

 and after laying his flasks, caps and wads 

 in a convenient place, drew up to the table 

 to watch the interesting operation. 



Early the next morning I anxiously drew 

 the curtain of ly window, and saw a man- 

 tle of snow covering the ground and drap- 

 ing the trees, the green of the firs beneath 

 making a vivid contrast. I descended to 

 the warm kitchen, and after Seth had com- 

 pleted his work, we started for the big 

 woods, with expectant hearts. 



How invigorating is a walk through the 

 woods in the early morning! The silence 

 was broken only by the chirping of snow- 

 birds, the saucy chatter of defiant red squir- 

 rels, interrupted in their morning meal, and 

 the " crunch, crunch," of our boots, as we 

 walked along the old wood road. I appre- 

 ciated the surroundings, but Seth's mind 

 dwelt on the rabbits, for this early morning 

 walk was an old story to him. Soon the 

 big woods were reached. Seth being ac- 

 quainted with the locality, took the leader- 

 ship. 



' You start in right here an' go straight 

 till yer strike th' first gully yer come to," 

 he ordered; " then foller thet down till yer 

 come out of th' woods at th' South end. If 



1 haint there, wait fer me; fer I'm goin' 

 ter go down along th' woods aways an' 

 then strike in straight fer where you'll come 

 out." 



" All right," I answered; and Seth strode 

 down along the edge of the woods, while 

 1 entered at once and walked to the gully, 

 which was about half way across. Seth had 

 generously given me the best ground, and 

 I had not gone far when I came to several 

 triangular tracks, which could not be mis- 

 taken. 



Hop, hop, hop, away sailed a rabbit, as I 

 passed a heap of brush. Flop, flop, flop, 

 went his big ears, as he leaped over the snow 

 toward shelter. My gun rang out and 

 bunny rolled over and over, from the im- 

 petus of his rush. Thinking the brush-heap 

 a likely place for more of his kind, I 

 jumped on it once or twice, but he was the 

 sole occupant. Another rabbit sprang 

 away from a stump surrounded by bushes, 

 but he did not go far before my gun bade 

 him halt. 



The gully was now right below. Know- 

 ing the bushes along the sides usually 

 sheltered a few ruffed grouse, I held my 

 gun in readiness. Carefully I made my 

 way down the steep bank, until, stepping 

 on a loose stone, I fell and slid, finally 

 bringing up at the bottom, in the branches 

 of a fallen tree. Two grouse started from 

 the tree into which I slid, and swiftly flew 

 over the opposite bank. Several more rose 

 ahead. 



Just as I had about given up all hopes of 

 securing a grouse, 3 flushed almost under 

 my feet. One flew straight down the 

 gully, offering a splendid shot. Quickly 

 the gun rose to my shoulder, and on the 

 instant a glimpse of the bird was caught 

 along the rib, I fired. Hurrying along, I 

 found him under a bush, where he had flut- 

 tered; a cock grouse, full plumaged and 

 glossy. 



One more rabbit was gathered in before 

 the increasing light in front told me the 

 edge of the woods was at hand. Reaching 

 the fence that bounds the clearing, I met 

 Seth, who was awaiting me. 



" What luck? " we each inquired. Seth 

 produced 2 rabbits in answer, while I had 

 3 and a grouse. 



"Gosh! thet's a nice patridge! " and 

 Seth grinned in appreciation. " Now let's 

 go over ter th' faller," and to the fallow 

 we went. 



Each now took a different course, and 

 commenced to beat through the blackberry 

 bushes. The fallow was thickly dotted with 

 stumps, branches starting from their roots. 

 Tracks criss-crossed every foot of snow 

 and gave promise of game under the 



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