466 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



rJfAN. 6, 1987. 



THREE GROUSE. 



THERE were only tkree of them, but tliey were a 

 beautiful trio; and as we smoothed theii- glossy 

 plumage and gently laid them side by side on the mossy 

 stone, the Professor struck an attitude and thus apos- 

 trophized them: "Beautiful birds of royal lineage; your 

 lorious mission is accomplished, and from the innermost 

 epths of my soul I thank you for the overflowing 

 measure of transcendant happiness vouchsafed me this 

 day." 



Just then Joe drove up with oui- team, and as he caught 

 sight of the birds exclaimed, "My! won't them go good 

 roasted." 



'^Et tu Brute. said the Professor, "there is not a par- 

 ticle of sentiment under thy waistcoat, Joe." Then with 

 a wave of his hand he added, "Take the bodies, Joe; I 

 would as soon eat my own flesh and blood. Roast and 

 devour them. Then may you tnily boast that something 

 noble within thy bosom dwells." 



We had indeed been blessed with a day of most royal 

 sport. It was near the close of November, and although 

 the sky was cloudless, there was just enough of frost in 

 the air to keep us comfortable, notwithstanding our 

 vigorous exercise as we tramped over the ratlier rough 

 coimti-y. 



We had taken an early start in pm-suit of a fine bevy of 

 quail that hai'bored in the vicinity, and had beaten every 

 stubble and likely looking place " without iinding them. 

 As it was after ten o'clock, we decided to try some of the 

 adjacent covers, and made our way toward "a large patch 

 of alders at the mouth of a long, narrow run that wound 

 round among the Mils for three or four miles. AVhile yet 

 a hundred yards from the edge of the thicket, a rufl'ed 

 gTouse, with wisdom born of experience, rose and was 

 soon lost to sight up the valley. "The roar of the startled 

 grouse" was ever sweetest music to my ears, and as the 

 Professor was almost a monomaniac in this direction, we 

 — with one accord— at once entered the run, congTatulat- 

 ing ourselves upon the very favorable lay of the land and 

 anticipating the early capture of om- friend, notwithstand- 

 ing his crafty disposition. Old Rock, too, afjpeared to 

 feel confident of victory, as with head high in air and 

 gently waving stem he proudly marched just in front of 

 us. No need to explain to him any details of the cam- 

 paign, no need to give him any word of caution as to his 

 behavior, for had he not shown us many a time that his 

 knowledge of the subject was far bej^ond human ken"? 



Working up the run to where the bird had disappeared 

 we came to a wider place where the line of alders swung 

 to the right and then tm-ning back, forming a half circle. 

 Glancing at the lay of the land the Professor, with a com- 

 placent look steered straight for the upper point and took up 

 a position that completely commanded the only jjossible 

 avenue of escape in that direction. He liad no sooner taken 

 his position than Rock with stealthy stride stole along close 

 to the edge of the alders until he had passed the tm-n, 

 when he suddenly froze in his tracks. Knowing that he 

 had the bird fast," I went through the thicket and worked 

 up on the opposite edge rnitU I came to the turn, when I 

 went straight to the dog and had just got weU mto the 

 thickest of the cover, when with a roar that almost lifted 

 me from my feet the bird rose behind me and with rare 

 good judgment kept behind the only tree that was in the 

 vicinity and flew straight over tlie hiU to a small patch 

 of cover that we had entirely ignored in our calculation. 

 The Professor at once came down both mentally and 

 physically from his commanding position and came 

 toward me. He had gone about 50yds., when a second 

 gi'ouse rose within a few feet of where he had been stand- 

 ing and flew up the run. This was first-rate and keenly 

 enjoyed by me; indeed I felt as good as the Professor had 

 appeared to over the escape of my bird. "There is no 

 real sport," remarked the Professor as he joined me, "m 

 potting yoiu- birds at the first rise ; and it is only a long 

 and diflicult pm-suit that aiffords the true grouse hunter 

 any jjleasm-e. Why," said he, "I had rather follow that 

 bird half the length of the run than to bag him so easily 

 as I should have done had he risen while I stood there. " 

 Assuring him that a profoxmd respect for the principle 

 involved was alone responsible for the escape of my bird, 

 and congratulating him upon the pleasing prospect for 

 genuine sport, we started up the hdl for the bit of cover 

 that contained the first bird. 



Just at the top of the hiU there was a ledge of rock 

 about fom' feet high, which was rather difficult to sur- 

 mount. Laying down our guns, the Professor took the 

 lead and I "boosted" him. Everything worked well and 

 he was nearly up, but just at the most critical point of 

 operations, there was again the roar of the startled grouse 

 in om- ears. When a bird rises within a reasonable dis- 

 tance, an innate sense of the fitness of things prompts me 

 to shoot; and at the first sound of the fluttermg wings, 

 unmindful of aught save the Of)portunity for a sliot, I 

 made a grab for the gun. But fate was against me and I 

 scored a lost opportunity, for the Professor literally sat 

 down on me, and before we liad got straightened out our 

 bird was far up the run. This was the best yet; and 

 although both of us were considerably astonished we 

 came up smiling for the next roimd. Even old Roclc gave 

 unmistakable signs that he was thoroughly enjoying the 

 sport, as he stood gazmg at us with a quizzical look and 

 expressively vibrating tail. The Professor, if one could 

 jndge from the curious working of his features, evidently 

 wished to make a few remarks, but aside from the thoughts 

 that his appearance suggested as he shook himself together, 

 I never learned what his sentiments were. Tliat his feel- 

 ings upon the subject, however, were dee^Dly stirred I liad 

 no doubt, for as we retraced oiu- steps he j^laintively 

 whistled a quaint old tune, and as ever and anon he 

 turned his head over his shoulder and gazed at tlie ledge, 

 his notes wandered into a minor key and the tune became 

 strangely jerky. 



As we came to the place where the Professor had taken 

 his stand to cut off the first bird, old Rock made a staunch 

 poijit near where the second bird rose. "All !" said the 

 Professor, addressing the dog, "we have at last caught 

 you making a mistake. Your attitude, although striking, 

 soul-inspiring, and all that, fails to cause the heart to 

 bound and the finger's end to tingle, as our superior in- 

 telhgence enables us to remember that the bird has 

 flown, while you with blind instinct believe her still to 

 be there." Just then he laid down his gun and was busy 

 adjusting his clothing, when a third bird with a thunder- ; 

 ous roar rose not ten feet from him. As he was right in j 

 line I coidd not shoot, but felt amply compensated for | 

 piQ loss of the shot in witnessing the ground and lofty | 



tumbling of the Professor as he frantically turned round 

 two or three times and grabbed for his gun; but he did 

 not recover it until the bird was far up the run. As in 

 the episode at the ledge, not a word was spoken; and we 

 followed on Avith not even the plaintive melody of that 

 weu-d old tune to cheer om- steps. This silence upon his 

 part was peculiarly suggestive, as the whisthng or himi- 

 rning of this tune I had come to regard as a sm-e indica- 

 tion that he was exercised in his mind upon some point, 

 and as I was quite certain that the occasion was 

 most fitting, I everj'- moment expected to hear him 

 break out, and was fully jirepared to listen to 

 some extravagant variations; but except an occasional 

 twitch of the corners of his moutli, and a frequent shift- 

 ing of the position of his gun, he made no sign. This 

 state of affairs continued until we turned an angle of the 

 mn and came to a large patch of grass, upon which the 

 frost had lain thickly, but the rays of the sun had con- 

 verted the plot into a ghttering mass of gems that 

 sparkled in the bright sunhglit with dazzling brilliancy. 

 It was a curious sight to watch the wi-inkles fade froin 

 the countenance of the Professor as Ids eyes dwelt upon 

 the scene. Soon after we halted all three of om- bhds 

 rose some distance above us and disappeared around the 

 next turn, but the Professor was immovable, and, save a 

 sUght suspicion of a furtive roll of his eye in their direc- 

 tion, he remained as motionless as old Rock on pomt just 

 above us, with the hot scent full in his nostrils. 7 he 

 Professor is an ardent lover of the beautiful in nature, 

 and no eye is more quick than his to discern it. After 

 gazing at the sparKlmg scene a wliile, he majestically 

 waved his hand in that du-ection and pom-ed out a. 

 rhapsody in its praise that was most charming to hear; 

 but he spoiled the sublime effect of his peroration by 

 adding, with scarcely a comma between the sentences, 

 "Did you mai'k those birds?" 



In spite of my best efforts to contain myself, the 

 smiles would come, and as the professor glanced at 

 my open countenance, he exclaimed : " That's right; 

 there is nothing so conducive to a long life as a good, 

 hearty laugh, except, perhaps a well conducted grouse 

 hunt."' Then carelessly tliro wing his gun in the hollow 

 of his arm, he tm-ned and walked up the run. Pie had 

 gone but a few steps, however, before he turned toward 

 me a,nd sententiously remarked: " It is not all of hunting 

 to hunt." Then taldrig a few more steps, he again turned, 

 and from the text, in his inimitable style, he preached 

 me an eloquent discourse, replete with happy allusions to 

 the mute sermons of the stones, the music of "the laughing 

 waters, tlie .soft whisperings of tlie stately ti-ccs, th"e 

 beauty of the brilliant flowers, and the mauit'old charms 

 of natm-e in all her unadorned loveliness. Then drawing 

 a beautiful word picture of the many haps and mishaps 

 of the sportsman while in pursuit of pleasm-e, his joys 

 and sorroAvs while contending agahist some wily denizen 

 of the forest, he exclaimed: " Not for hecatombs of 

 slaughtered grouse would I relinqidsh the memory of the 

 soul-satisfying pleasm-es that I have enjoyed on many a 

 day when I had not even a feather to show." Then after 

 a few steps more, he added, in a much less assm-ed tone, 

 and with a grimace that I fully tmderstood, "Even the 

 little fun that we have had to-day wfll long outlive in 

 memory tiie recollection of the death of these three con- 

 demned groirse that we are bound to have." The last 

 words were spoken with an emphasis that could not be 

 mistaken, and with firmer, quicker step, we followed our 

 game up the run. 



Coming to a branch of the nm that led back to where 

 we had left our team, we found old Rock pointing with 

 his head up the branch. The Professor instinctively 

 chcled ahead for a knoll that commanded tlie run, while 

 I took the other side and followed up. Om- well-laid plan 

 was useless, however, as the bii-d was away before we 

 were nearly ready for it. Somewhat subdued in both 

 appearance and spirits, we returned to the main rim and 

 were soon rewarded for our ill luck by getting a stauncli 

 point at the mouth of a small ravine some tiily yards in 

 length, and entirely surroimded by a high bank that 

 placed us on a level with the alders. Here was a grand 

 opportunity for us, with no possibility for tlie doomed 

 bu-d to escape, and as we gamed the coign of vantage the 

 Professor nodded so me in a self-satisfied way that was 

 very expressive of my own thoughts. 



Near the upper end of the gully there was the fallen 

 trunk of a. large tree about twenty feet long, with one 

 end uiion the bank on the Professor's side, while the 

 other end was at the bottom of the guUy, the log lying at 

 an angle of about forty-five degrees. As ^ve came oppo- 

 site the log a magnificent cock grouse sprang from the 

 ground at the lower end, and witli many a .stately nod 

 of his head and expressive jerk of his half expanded tail 

 and mucli nrlfling of his beautiful plumes, with oc- 

 casional petulant commands to us to quit, he slowly and 

 gracefully walked up the log. Glancing at the Professor 

 I saw that his gim was properly jjoised, his feet were 

 firmly planted, and that in every sense of the term he 

 was good and ready. I was, as calmly as I might, 

 awaiting the end, and mingled with my feelings of 

 ti-iumxih came thoughts of pity for the regal bird who 

 had allowed himself to be caught in such a trap. Our 

 victim soon came to the end of the log, and turning his 

 head to one side gave the Professor a glance and then 

 quietly dropping to the ground on the opposite side from 

 him, ran like a ghost to the other end, and then rising 

 just clear of the top of tlie brush suddenly dropped to the 

 ground again just in time to escape the death-dealing 

 charges that hm-tled along the tops of the alders from both 

 our guns. There was a rusthng along the dry leaves 

 clear to the mouth of the pocket, then the sound of quick 

 beating pinions, and seventy-five yards away we caught 

 a glimpse of the brave bird as he swung over a knoll and 

 disapijeared up the branch. 



I was sorry that this should happen. The Professor 

 was sorry too. At least I concluded tliat this must be 

 the case, for I heard the words "bare-faced robbery" 

 coming from his direction, and, judging from the sound, 

 they came through his set teeth. He was placidly smiling, 

 however, when I joined him, and went into ecstacies over 

 the wonderful display that we had witnessed, and could 

 hardly find words to express his admiration of the beauty 

 and grace of om- charming friend. There was never a 

 word that could be constraed to contain the slightest lunt 

 that we had any reason to complain that we had been un- 

 fairly treated in the transaction. 



Returning to the nm, old Rock swung ahead toward a 

 small clump of alders that was isolated from the main 

 cover, and after caref lUly feeling of it, he made a point but 



j soon backed out, and with the tread of a cat circled the 

 thicket until nearly opposite us, when he resumed his 

 point. The Professor came out voi-y strong on this 

 occasion. With careless gTace the gun was brought to 

 position as with head erect and a martial bearing that did 

 him infinite credit he gallantlv strode to his chosen stand 

 some twenty yards beyond and to the left of the thicket. 

 His whole bearing as he calmly stood there in the bright 

 sunlight powerfully impressed me that a crisis was at 

 hand. His every appearance proclaimed "The hom- has 

 come and the man is here." 



Taking tliis all in at a glance. I calmly moved foi-ward 

 and forced a rise. The bu-d went quartering from him— 

 his favorite shot— and it was worth going a long distance 

 to see the cool, calm, entirelv confident manner in which 

 he deftly brought the death"^deahng tube to his shoulder 

 and with matchless abandon cut loose at his helpless vic- 

 tim. It was also worth going much further to witness 

 his blank look of amazement as the bird kept on, leaving 

 not even a feather. This was, indeed, hard fines. Just 

 how the Professor felt on the subject I never learned. 

 That he was in a state of mind, however, I was firmly 

 convinced, as his chop-fallen looks and dejected pose 

 pretty plainly indicated that something was amiss. 



With greatly subdued appeai-ance, upon my compan- 

 ion s part at least, we followed up the bird and Rock soon 

 scored another beautiful point in a narrow portion of the 

 run, where it was impossible for a bird to escape. As we 

 approached, the Pi-ofessor motioned for me to take the 

 lead, but wishing to give him an opportunity to retrieve 

 his fortune, I refused and he swung ahead. 'As soon as 

 he had obtained a commanding position I walked in and 

 flushed the bird, but it rose beliind me and started down 

 the run. WliMing quickly I deliberately covered him 

 and let go, and as I saw the result I was inore than ever 

 assmed that I had not misjudged the feelings of the 

 Professor a few minutes before. When he joined me 

 there was a look in his eye that I did not half like, and as 

 just then I spied the spike of a cardinal flower that some- 

 how had escaped the frost. I plucked it and launched 

 forth in extravagant praises of the lovelv flower, radiant 

 in its gorgeous beauty. This was a tliriist with his own 

 favorite weapon, or perhaps I should say shield, and that 

 it stmck home I had abundant proof in "the queer contor- 

 tions of his countenance and the merry twinkle of his eye. 



We now had om- bird headed in the right direction, and 

 with imflagging step and still buoyant spirits we followed 

 on. The wind was blowing partly down and across the 

 i-un, and old Rock, Avith intuitive knowledge, stole along 

 tlie loev.-ard side and was soon lost to sight. When we 

 found him he Avas standing at the mouth of the pocket, 

 from which our second bird escaped; and as we came up 

 he dropped his head and tail, and Avith a sheepish expres- 

 sion glanced across the pocket in the direction of the 

 branch, where the first tAvo bu-ds had gone. The tale Avas 

 AveU told and we needed no interpreter to explain its 

 meaning. AU tliree of our victims were now in the little 

 branch, and, as the nature of the ground was very favor- 

 able for us, we pushed on with renewed courage. 



The strip of cover AA^as narroAv and of small groA\d;h, 

 Avith the bank upon either side nearly upon a level with 

 the tops of the alders, just the right place to get the bet- 

 ter of the uxrfortunate birds that had been so foolish as to 

 imagine that escape Avas possible here. As the Professor 

 crossed the branch and gained the opposite bank, I Avas 

 pleased to note that his confidence had returned ; at least 

 I judged tliis to be the case, as his hat was cocked jatmtily 

 on one side and his gim AA^as carried in a self-possessed 

 manner that betokened a mind at ease. At the same 

 time there was a deliberate firmness in every step and 

 movement that plainly slioAved that the time for trifling 

 had passed and that no mercy would be shown. Taking 

 my position opposite liim, Avith Rock just between us, as 

 the wind Avas directly behind us, we marched on, serenely 

 confident of an easy victory. I once heard an old and 

 experienced hunter say that occasionally he had failed 

 to make connection, even when his plans were weU laid 

 and seemingly perfect. This was our case exactly. We 

 had no trouble in finding the birds. On the contrary, 

 they were continual]}^ showing theinselA'es, but the dis- 

 tance between us Avas exasperatingly provoking. We kept 

 them going for more than a mile, until we arrived at the 

 end, or rather beginning, of the branch, where there 

 was a dense thicket of alders, briers and wild vines. 

 This was cuciflar in form and about 50 or GOyds. across. 

 Rock at once stole aroimd to the far side to get the Avind 

 and the Professor, motioning for me to hold the forfc, 

 went aromid the other way and, signalling a point, laid 

 down his gun and craAvled into the tangled mass. A 

 couple of minutes later I heard the confused whirr of wings 

 and braced myself for a supreme effort. With an instinc- 

 tive perception of aH the possibilities and a grim deter- 

 mination to retricA-e the fortunes of the day I resolved to 

 give it to one of them right in the face and eyes and then 

 Avheel and grass my second victim after he had passetd 

 me. It is needless to dwell upon the brilhancy of these 

 tactics, as their excellence is apparent at a glance. There 

 was a brief moment of ecstatic suspense, then I caught a 

 glimpse of a brace of the bu-ds going the other Avay 

 across the ojien and soon the last one followed them and 

 all settled at the corner of a ten-acre .spr>»ut lot, juot be- 

 yond Avhich we had left Joe Avith our team. The sprouts 

 were about 15ft. high and so tliickly groAvn that there 

 was scarcely room to pass between them. Greatly de- 

 pressed in spirit I joined the Professor, who appeared to 

 rather enjoy my discomfitm-e, while I must confess that 

 his scratched face and dilapidated appearance were some- 

 Avhat consoling to my feelings. 



No time was lost in vain regrets or murmurings at 

 untoward fate, but ANdth a corn-age that only comes Avith a 

 long experience we gamely marched to the dread covert. 

 My companion took the outside, while I entered the 

 thicket. Rock soon struck the trail, and Avith head high 

 in air drew along diagonally tOAvard the edge. With 

 every fiber of my body tmgling and every nerve at its 

 utmost tension I followed, until suddenly he froze in his 

 tracks and a second later the bird rose; and as he crossed 

 to my left I caught a glunpse of him, and taking a quick 

 snap* at him, held my breath until with unspeakable joy 

 I heard that "soul-satisfying thud that told my aim Avas 

 true." Hearing some self-congratulatory remarks from 

 the Professor as M'ell as the vigorous snap with which he 

 closed his gun, I became aware that he also had shot, but 

 even this knowledge could not take from me the pleasure 

 I felt nor shake my belief that I had held dead on. 

 Through an opening'a fleeting gUmpse of the Professor's 

 face assured me that he, too, was not a little elated over 



