home. I told the occurrence to no one, with the excep- tion of Mary, it being so mixed with fun I could not keep it from her. This just suited her, for she was fond of having a joke of that kind, and often when I would be a little hard for her in joking, she would say: "You are fit for nothing but to chase sheep," (and this is to this day a by-word), or, "You are more fitted to chase sheep." No person but she and I, however, knew how it came into use.This familiarity continued without interruption until my brother Joshua and his wife, with a fine little son four or five months old, came in search of me, as they were tra- velling from the west back to Flintstone. They told me that mother had married her second husband; that the newly married couple, with Joshua and his wife, had moved to the West; that they were going to see her friends at Flintstone; that my mother wished me to come to her, for she had no hopes of ever seeing Jeremiah again; and that my sister had died, and left her with only Joshua and my- self. I had not seen my mother then for six years, and I had a strong desire to visit her; but being persuaded by uncle and aunt to continue still with them, I gave up the journey to my mother's home in the West.
I forgot to mention that my aunt, while living in Monongahela, unexpectedly to everybody, had become the mother of a little daughter, after being married about twenty years. This knocked my nose clear out of joint; for I was soon denounced as lazy, and everything but a good boy. But when my brother called on me to go to my mother, my aunt, to keep me with her, promised to make me as good clothes as Mr. McMullen's children had. This was as good as I wanted, and I agreed to stay and try it a while longer. I was then coming close to my sixteenth year, and Mary the same ; but in a short time after my brother left, I heard nothing more of the new
3
26 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
clothes, and aunt got still more and more cross. She had long been in the habit of flogging me very severely, and finding no preparation for my clothes, I hunted coons and wild cats, and sold the fur, which was then in brisk de- mand. I took it into my head to try the deer, and I pro- cured an old rifle that carried an ounce ball. I had been out with other hunters, but they would always do all the shooting.
This time I loaded up my old gun, and set out in great earnest. I travelled about two miles, and found the tracks of a lot of deer. After them I went, and in came another hunter before me, and took the tracks from me. I turned another way, and presently I heard him shoot. "There," said I to myself, "if that rascal had staid at home, that deer would have been mine." But on I went, looking for more deer. By and by, I saw two standing looking at me. I immediately placed my gun against a tree, took aim, and bang went my old gun with deafening sound, till my ears rang; the cause of which was, that having no charger to measure the powder, I had put in enough for at least two loads. As soon as I recovered from the shock, I looked for the deer; and there stood one, looking at the other down and kicking. With the best speed I could make, up I came, with the empty gun in my right hand, and on to the deer I sprang like a panther. But no sooner was I on than I was off again, and sprawled, heels and head, gun and all, in the snow. I drew my knife, left ray gun, and sprang at my game a second time, and succeeded in giving her a fatal cut across the neck, which severed the two large veins, and left her my meat; then looking for the other deer, there it stood, looking at me as if nothing had been going on. I ran for my gun, and found the heat of the barrel had melted the snow all over it; loading was out of the question, until it was well dried, and in the mean- time the deer trotted off.
A HUNTER'S LIFE. 27
I was in high spirits, for all the hunters had often told me that I would miss the first deer I would shoot at. Then to skinning it I went. That done, and the meat se- cured, it was time to start for home. On my way I had to pass Mr. McMullen's house, but I did not see Mary, because I only passed by the barn, where the little boys and a young man were dressing flax, and, their day's work being done, the young man went home with me. When I arrived, my uncle was away from home, and my aunt, as usual, being in a very ill humor, would not speak to me. It was after dark, and I was tired and hungry. At last she said :
"Do you think of getting your supper here to-night?"
"I hope so," I replied.
"Well you will miss it if you do," she answered.
At this time her little daughter had a low stool, one of the legs of which was loose, and often dropped out. I went to sit down on it, when, the leg coming out, I fell back and struck my head against the jam, and hurt myself. Thinking to myself that I would burn that worthless leg and put in a better one, I threw it into the fire; but when the child saw the leg in the flames, she screamed with all her strength. I then pulled it out again without being burned, and gave it to her; but as the little creature had been petted and spoiled, she came slyly to me and struck me in the face with it, when the blood flew out of my nose in an instant. I immediately slapped her on the head, and the next minute was sorry that I had done it. As aunt had seen me strike the child, she took a heavy wooden shovel and made a blow at my head; but luckily it struck me flatway and broke to splinters. I recovered from the blow, and shut my fist to knock her down; but Providence sent the young man to save me from the disgrace of strik- ing a woman—an act which I have ever since kept clear of. I then told old aunty that it would be the last blow
28 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
she would give me; and it was so; for from that time, being determined to stay no longer with them, 1 began to think of going to the West. Bat the tug was to leave my little Mary, who was then growing into womanhood very fast.
After a struggle of two or three weeks, I came to the conclusion that Mary McMullen could not leave her home to go with one who had not a dollar, and that she and I were altogether too young to marry. Yet I determined to see her, and let her know my whole intention. Accord- ingly, the old man being from home, I spent one sweet evening in social chat, and told her all I intended to do. She tried to keep a firm countenance, but I saw clearly that she felt as much at heart as I did; for when I took her hand, perhaps for a last farewell, I saw her soft, rising bosom swell with emotion, as she said, " Good-bye, Me- shach; I wish you good luck, and a safe and speedy re- turn;" for I had told her that, could I make money to keep me along right well, I would come back, some time or other, to see all my friends again. So saying, we parted for that night, with the promise to see each other again before I ook my leave of her and all my other acquaint- ances in Allegany. I staid all night, as I was assured the old gentleman would not return during that time. I slept but little, thinking of my adventurous undertaking. The next morning, at breakfast, the day of my departure was spoken of, when I named the second day after ; which was objected to by Mary, because it was Friday, and was said to be an unlucky day to commence any important business. She said she thought my leaving my native re- sidence to go into a strange country was of the highest importance; and I imagined I could see in her counte- nance strong emotions of the heart—for she very soon left the table and went into the kitchen. I made a light break- fast, too; and when Mary returned it was agreed that the
A HUNTER'S LIFE. 29
following Thursday should be the day when I would leave Allegany; which allowed me six days to bid farewell to all my friends.
I then left this much esteemed family, intending to visit some other playmates and acquaintances. A friend pro- posed a deer-hunt, there being a fine tracking snow on the ground, to which I readily agreed, and off we went with dog and gun. After traveling a long time, in the evening we found a large buck. Having but one gun, and that being mine, I took aim, let drive, and off went the buck. We went to where he had stood when I had shot at him, and, from the hair and blood he left in his tracks, we saw he was wounded, and pursued him with rapid steps; for night was coming on We soon found him, for the poor fellow had lain down from excessive pain and loss of
