Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 9 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

é ‘the poor soul! Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. _— oe tiele in their public museum at Amsterdam, where the exhibitor relates the whole story to each spec- tator, with such additions as he thinks proper. Some of his variations are rather extravagant; one of them is, that the lion jumped quite through the crocodile, and was evecon | his escape at the back- door, when, as soon as his head appeared, Mon- sieur the Great Baron (as he pleased to call me) cut it off, and three feet of the crocodile’s tail along with it; nay, so little attention has this fellow to the truth, that he sometimes adds, as soon as the croco- dile missed his tail, he turned about, snatched the couteau de chasse out of monsieur’s hand, and swal- lowed it with such eagerness, that it pierced his heart and killed him immediately. The little regard which this impudent knave has to veracity, makes me sometimes apprehensive that my veal facts may fall under suspicion, by being found in company with his confounded inventions. CHAPTER I. IN WHICH THE BARON PROVES HIMSELF A GOOD SHOT— HF LOSES HIS HORSE, AND FINDS A WOLF—MAKES HIM DRAW HIS SLEDGE—PROMISES TO ENTERTAIN HIS COMPANY WITH A RELATION OF SUCH FACTS AS ARE WELL DESERVING THEIR NOTICE, I ser off from Rome on a journey to Russia, in the midst of winter, from a just notion that frost and snow must of course mend the roads, which eve traveler had described as uncommonly bad throug the northern ke of Germany, Poland, Courland, and Livonia, I went on horseback, as the most con- venient manner of traveling; I was but lightly clothed, and of this I felt the inconvenience the more I advanced north-east. What must not a poor old man have suffered in that severe weather and cli- mate, whom I saw on a bleak common in Poland, dying on the road, helpless, shivering, and hardly having wherewithal to cover his nakedness! I pitied Though I felt the severity of the air myself, I threw my mantle over him, and immedi- ately I heard a voice from the heavens, blessing me for that piece of charity, saying, ‘*You will be re- warded, my son, for this in time. I went on; night and darkness overtook me. No village was to seen. The country was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with the road. : hted, and fastened my horse to some- thing, like a pointed stump of a tree, which appeared above the snow; for the sake of safety, I placed my pistols under my arm, and laid down on the snow, where I slept so soundly that I did not open my eyes till full daylight. It is not easy to conceive my as- tonishment, to find myself in the midst of a Village, lying in a churchyard; nor was my horse to be seen, but [heard him soon after ne somewhere above me. On looking upward, I beheld him me rage his bridle to the weather-cock of the steeple. Matters were now very plain to me: the village had been covered with snow over me, gt a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk down to the churchyard while asleep, gently, and in the same roportion as the snow had melted away; and what n the dark I had taken to be a stump of a little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, proved to have been the cross or weather- cock of the steeple! Without long consideration, I took one of my pis- tols, shot the bridle in two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey. [Here the Baron seems to have forgot his feelings; he should certain- ly have ordered his horse a feed of corn, after fast- we, tes song. } e carried me well: aiYpncing into the interior parts of Russia, I found traveling on horseback rather unfashionable in winter; therefore I submit- ted, as I always do, to the custom of the country took a single horse sledge, and drove briskly towar St. Petersburgh. Ido not exactly recollect whether it wasin England or Jugemaniand, but I remember that, in the midst of a dreary forest, I spied a terri- ble wolf making after me with all the speed of ra- venous winter hunger. He soon overtook me, There was no possibility of escape. Mechanically I laid myself down flat in the sledge, and let my horse run for our safety. What I wished, but hoped or expected, happened immediately after. The wolf did not mind me in the least, but took a leap over me, and falling furiously on the horse, began instantly to tear and devour the hind-part of the poor animal, which ran the faster for his pain and terror, Thus unnoticed and safe myself, I lifted my head slyly up, and with horror I beheld that the wolf had ate his way into the horse’s body; it was not long before he had fairly forced bimself into it, when I took of ad- vantage, and fell upon him with the butt-end of my whip. This unexpected attack in his rear frightened him so much that he leaped forward with all his might; the horse’s carcase dropped on the ——— but in his place the wolf was in the harness; and on my part whipping him continually, we both ar- rived in full career safe to St. Petersburgh, contrary to our respective expectations, and very much to the astonishment of the spectators. { shall not tire you, gentlemen, with the politics, a sciences, and history of this magnificent metropolis o Russia; nor trouble you with the various intrigues and migra adventures I had in the politer circles of hat country, where the lady of the house always re- ceives the visitor with a dram and a galute. I shall confine myself rather to the greater and nobler ob- ects of your attention, horses and dogs, my favor- tes in the brute creation; also to foxes, wolves, and bears, with which, and game in general, Russia abounds more than any other part of the world; and to such sports, manly exercises and feats of gallant- ry and activity, as show the gentleman better than musty Greek and Latin, or all the perfume, finery, and capers of French wits or petil-maiires. CHAPTER II. AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE BARON’S NOSE AND A DOOR-POST, WITH ITS WONDERFUL EFFECTS—FIFTY BRACE OF DUCKS AND OTHER FOWL DESTROYED BY ONE SHOT—FLOGS A FOX OUT OF HIS SKIN-—LEADS AN OLD SOW HOME IN A NEW WAY, AND VANQUISHES A WILD BOAR, Ir was some time before I could obtain a commis- sion in the army, and for several months I was per- fectly at liberty to sport away my time and money in the most gentleman-like manner, You may easil imagine that I spent much of both out of town, wit such gallant fellows as knew how to make the most of an open forest country. The very recollection of those amusements gives me fresh spirits, and cre- ates a warm wish for a repetition of them. One morning I saw through the windows of my bedroom that a large pond, not far off, was covered with wild ducks. Inan instant I took my gun from the corner, ran down-stairs and out of the house in such a hur- ry, that I imprudently struck my face against the door-post. Fire flew out of my eyes, but it did not prevent my intention; I soon came within shot, when, leveling my piece, I observed, to my sorrow, that even the flint had x gine J from the coc c, by the violence of the shock | had just received. There was no time to be lost. I a remembered the effect it had on my eyes, therefore opened the pan, leveled my piece against the wild fowls and my fist against one of my eyes. [The Baron’s eyes have re- tained fire ever since, and appear particularly illumi- nated when he relates this anecdote.| A hearty blow drew sparks again; the shot went off, and I killed fifty brace of ducks, twenty widgeons, and three couple of teals. Presence of mind is the soul of manly exercises. If soldiers and sailors owe to it many of their moet! escapes, huntsmen and sports- men are not less beholden to it for many of their suc cesses. In a noble forest in Russia I met a fine black fox, whose valuable skin it would have been a pity to tear by ball or shot. Reynard stood close a tree. In a twinkling I took out-my ball and placed a good spike-nail in its room, fired, and hit him so clev- erly that I nailed his brush fast to the tree. I now went up to him, took out my hanger, gave him a cross-cut over the face, laid hold of my whip, and fairly flogged him out of his fine skin. Chance and good luck often correct our mistakes; of this I had a r instance soon after, when, in the yt of a forest, I saw a wild pig and sow run- ning close behind each other. My ball had missed them, yet the foremost ee ran away, and the sow stood motionless, as fixed to the ground. On examining into the matter, I found the latter one to be an old sow, blind with age, which had taken hold of her pig’s tail in order to be led along by filial duty. My ball having passed between the two, had cut his leading-string, which the old sow continued to hold in her mouth, and as her former guide did not draw her on any ee she had stopped of course; I therefore laid hold of the remaining end of the pig’s tail, and led the old beast home without any further trouble on my part, and without any re- luctance or > 2 eee on the part of the help- less old animal, Terrible as these wild sows are, yet more fierce and dangerous are the boars, one of which I had once the misfortune to meet in a forest, unprepared for attack or defense. I retired behind an oak-tree just when the furious animal leveled a side-blow at me, with such force that his tusks pierced through the tree, by which means he could neither repeat the blow nor retire. Ho, ho! thought I, I shall soon have you now!—and immediately I laid hold of a stone, wherewith I hammered and bent his tusks in such a manner, that he could not retreat by = means, and must wait my return from the next vil- age, whither I went for ro and a cart, to secure ] him properly and to im off safe and alive, in which I nertectly sacpeeded. CHAPTER IV. REFLECTIONS ON ST. HUBERT’S STAG—SHOOTS A STAG WITH CHERRY-STONES; THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF IT—KILLS A BEAR BY EXTRAORDINARY DEXTERITY; HIS DANGER PATHETICALLY DESCRIBED—ATTACKED BY A WOLF, WHICH HE TURNS INSIDE OUT—IS AS- SAILED BY & MAD DOG, FROM WHICH HE ESCAPES— THE BARON’S CLOAK SEIZED WITH MADNESS, BY WHICH HIS WHOLE WARDROBE IS THROWN INTO CON- FUSION. You have heard, I dare say, of the hunter’s and inion pat saint and protector, St. Hubert; and of e noble stag, which appeared to him in the forest with the holy cross between his antlers. I have my homage to that saint By! year in good fellow- ship, and seen this stag a thousand es, either ted in churches, or embroidered in ‘the stars of knights; so that, —_ the honor and conscience of a good sportsman know whether there may not have been formerly, or whether there are not such crossed stags even at this present day. But let me rather tell what I have seen myself. Hav- ing one day spent all _ shot, I found myself unex- pe in presence of a stately stag, looking at me as unconcernedly as if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged immediately with powder, and upon it a good handful of cherry-stones, for sucked the fruit as far as the hurry would permit. Thus I let fly at him, and hit him just on the middle of the forehead, between his antlers; it stunned him—he staggered—yet he made off. A year or two after, be- ing with a party in the same forest, I beheld a noble with a fine, full-grown cherry-tree above ten feet high between his antlers. I immediately re- collected my former adventure, looked upon him as my property, and brought him to the ground by one shot, which at once gave me the haunch and cherry- sauce; for the tree was covered with the richest fruit, the like I had never tasted before. Who knows but some passionate holy sportsman, or sport- ing abbot, or bishop, may have shot, planted, and fixed the cross between the antlers of St. Hubert’s stag, in a manner similar to this? They always have been, and still are, famous for plantations of crosses and antlers; and in case of ress or dilemma which too often happens to keen sportsmen, one is apt to grasp at anything for safety, and to try an expedient, rather than miss the favorable opportu- nity. Ihave many times found myself in that try- ee ee at do you say of this, for example? Daylight and powder were spent one day in a Polish forest, When I was going home, a terrible bear made up to mein great speed, with open mouth ready to fall upon me; all my kets were searched in an in- stant for powder and ball, but in vain—I found noth- ing but two spare flints; one I flung with all my might into the monster’s open jaws, down his throat. It gave him orgy and made him turn about, so that I could level the second at his back-door, which. in- deed, I-did with wonderful success; for it flew in met the first flint in the stomach, struck fire, and blew up the bear with a terrible explosion. Though I came safe off that time, yet I should not wish to try it again, or venture against bears with no other ammunition, — There is a kind of fatality init. The fiercest and most dangerous animals generally came upon me when defenseless, as if they had a notion or an in- stinctive intimation of it. Thus, a frightful wolf rushed upon me so suddenly and so close that I could do nothing but follow mechanical instinct, and thrust my fist into his open mouth. For safety’s sake I pushed on and on, till my arm was fairly in up to the shoulder. How should I disengage myself ? I was not much pleased with my awkward situation with a wolf face to face—our ogling was not of the most pleasant kind. If I withdrew my arm then the animal would fly the more furiously upon me; that I saw in his flaming eyes. In short, I laid hold of his tail, turned him inside out like a glove, and flung va the ground be espe I oat him. e, e same Be ning ent wo not ve answere against a mad dog, which soon after came mansing against me in a narrow street at St. Petersburgh. Run who can, I thought; and to do this the better. I threw off my fur cloak, and was safe within doors in an instant. Isent my servant for the cloak, and he put it in the wardrobe with my other clothes. The day after, I was amazed and frightened b Jack’s bawling, ‘‘ For God’s sake, sir, your fur cloa is mad!” hastened up to him, and found almost all my clothes tossed about and torn to ieces. The fellow was perfectly right in his appre- iensions about the fur cloak’s madness. I saw him myself just then falling upon a fine full-dress suit- ch he shook and tossed in an unmerciful man, ner. CHAPTER V. THE EFFECTS OF GREAT ACTIVITY AND PRESENCE OF MIND—A FAVORITE HOUND DESCRIBED, WHICH PUPS WHILE PURSUING A HARE; THE HARE ALSO LITTERS WHILE PURSUED BY THE HOUND—PRESENTED WITH A FAMOUS HORSE BY COUNT PRZOBOSSKY, WITH WHICH HE PERFORMS MANY EXTRAORDINARY FEATS. ALL these narrow and lucky esca entlemen were chances turned to advantage cakes of mind and vigorous exertions, which, taken together, as everybody knows, make the fortunate sports- man, sailor, and soldier; but he would be a very blamable ~and imprudent sportsman, admiral, or diapebe who would always depend upon chance and stars, without troubling himself about those arts which are their particular pursuits, and without pro- viding the very best implements which insure suc- cess. I was not blamable either way; for L. have always been as remarkable for the ‘excellence of my horses, dogs, guns, and swords, as for the proper manner of using and managing them; so that, upon the whole, I may hope to be remembered in the forest, upon the turf, and in the field. I shall not enter here into any detail of my stables, kennel, or armory; but a favorite bitch of mine I cannot help mentioning to you—she was a grayhound, and I never had or saw a better. She grew old in my service, and was not Seg en ey for her size, but rather for her uncommon Swiftness. I always coursed with her. Had Shee seen her you must have admired her. and would not have wondered at my predilection, and at my coursing her so much. She ran so fast, so much and so long in my service, that she actually ran o her legs; so that in the latter part of her lite I was under the grsaen Ae: working and using her only as a terrier, in which quality she still served me many years. Coursing one day a hare, which appeared to me un- commonly big, I pitied my poor bitch, being bi with pups, yet she would course as fast as ever, could follow her on horseback only at a great dis- tance. At once I heard a ery, as it were, of a pack of hounds, but so weak and faint that I hardly knew what to make of it. Coming uP to them, I was tly surprised. The hare had littered in running; the same had happened to my bitch in coursing— and there were just as many leverets as pups. "by instinct the former ran, the latter coursed: and thus I found myself in ession at once of six hares and as many dogs at the end of a course which had only begun with one. _ remember this, my wonderful bitch, with the same pleasure and tenderness as a superb Lithuanian JOOKS <€om (E (E0111)