SOME DEER. A BEAR AND .1 MOOSE. 



181 



the first the Marlin people ever built. The 

 barrel was but [8 inches long, with a short 

 magazine that held only 2 cartridges. 



As the moose entered the timber, I took 

 another shot. This time I knew, as soon 

 as I pulled the trigger, that the bullet would 

 go wild. Just as 1 shot, the moose swung 

 to the right. 



They left the trees on the farther side, 

 and all 3 stopped and looked back. Here 

 was an opportunity for a good shot. The 

 one I had fired at was behind, and stand- 

 ing with his side toward me. Just beyond, 

 and in line, stood the others. I was shoot- 

 ing solid point bullets; and was afraid that 

 if I hit the moose shot at, the ball might 

 pass on and wound another. I did not care 

 to risk wounding the 2 larger moose, and 

 did not fire. 



After looking a moment, all turned and 

 2 went across the marsh. The smaller one 

 made his way up the meadow toward the 

 head of the creek, and before he passed 

 from view behind a clump of trees, I gave 

 him a shot. 



I saw I would not get another shot 

 from where I was; so decided to go to 

 where he had been when I first shot at him, 

 and see if there was any evidence of a hit. 

 I thought I must have hit with one of the 

 shots, or the moose would not have sepa- 

 rated. Besides the others had stopped at 

 the edge of the burnt timber, after leaving 

 the marsh, and had looked back in the 

 direction the last had taken. 



In the windfall where I fired the second 

 shot, the moose had passed through a pool 

 of water. This was red with blood, so I 

 knew I had hit him; but how badly re- 

 mained to be seen. The first bullet sent 

 after him was a soft nose, and I knew if it 

 had struck the right spot, the moose would 

 be mine. 



At the clump of trees where I had taken 



the last shot, I looked to the upper end of 

 the marsh. There 1 saw the mi tnd- 



ing, swinging his head from side to side, 

 and apparently badly hurt. 



I crept to the right, and across the 

 marsh. The edge of the- swamp was [ringed 

 with thick brush, and in this 1 crawled. 

 Whenever the moose swung his head from 

 me, I would sneak along; all the while- 

 prepared to fire if the moose showed any 

 sign of leaving. 



Five minutes of crawling brought me 

 within 25 or 30 yards of the animal. The 

 old fellow seemed very sick. The first bul- 

 let had struck high above his flank; and 

 not far enough forward to make the shot 

 immediately fatal. 



Directly in front of the moose, and 10 or 

 15 yards from him, was a large tree. This 

 I determined to reach, and see what he 

 would do when he saw me so close to him. 

 I figured that he would charge me; and 

 that I must either drop him at the next 

 shot, or shin the tree. In a few moments 

 I reached the tree, and from behind it took 

 a good look at the moose. He was a fine 

 old fellow, and I began to repent that I 

 had shot so noble a creature: but the heart 

 of a hunter is hard, and I had now wound- 

 ed the beast, and must put him out of pain. 



Making sure that the little gun was 

 properly loaded, I stepped from behind the 

 tree. The moose did not seem, at first, to 

 understand the situation; but when he did 

 up went every hair on his back. Lowering 

 his head, he made a bound in my direction. 

 As he struck the ground, the little gun 

 spoke. The ball entered between his neck 

 and shoulder, and he died without a 

 tremor. 



In dressing him, we found he was badly 

 torn inside, showdng that the small gun 

 was equal to the task given it. I w r ant noth- 

 ing larger than a 30, even for moose. 



A SONG OF SPRING-TIME. 

 (After the German of Geible.) 



T. 



In the emerald hedges deep. 

 Through the elm trees olden. 



Wondrous whispers softly creep 

 In springtime sunlight, golden. 



Says each little leaf " God greet! " 



To its leafy neighbor; 

 Everything breathes, deep and sweet, 



Holy rest from labor. 



While on bush each leaf and flow'r 

 Rocks itself in morning glow. 



In vernal breath of magic power, 

 My soul is rocking to and fro. 



