Camp’s poem, “The Fall” was originally published in the October, 1897 issue of Outing.
Now soon will come the summer’s angry strife
With winter foes; and many a gloomy day.
The sky, the battle-ground, where blue and gray
Their struggle long since dead, stirs with new life.
Already sounds the brown quail’s whistling fife,
And whirring drum of partridge by the way!
Already is October’s torch asway;
His blazing camp-fires everywhere are rife;
And crimson leaves, like fiery sparks, fall fast,
Blown by the wild wind’s swift and hurrying rush!
Fiercely they wrestle, in contention brave,
Till in the midst of some stupendous blast,
A silver silence trembles, stilling war,
And soft, a snowy flag of truce doth wave!
This fascinating anthology showcases 38 wonderful stories from those halcyon days when sporting gentlemen pursued the noble bobwhite quail with their favorite shotguns and their elegant canine companions. The 368-page book opens with compelling tales by the literary giants from quail hunting’s golden era, including Nash Buckingham, Robert Ruark, Havilah Babcock, Archibald Rutledge, and Horatio Bigelow.
The book’s second section presents reminiscences by sporting scribes of the modern era, among them Jack O’Connor, Gene Hill, Joseph Greenfield, Dave Henderson, and Mike Gaddis. The third section is comprised of unforgettable short stories on quail hunting and bird dogs by James Street, Bob Matthews, Dan O’Brien, and Caroline Gordon.
Will the sweet sound of whistling wings, the heart-stopping beauty of a sunset point, the timeless partnership of a man and a dog wise in the ways of wild birds ever return? Perhaps, but for now we can rejoice in the fact that we can, through the writings of some of the finest sporting scribes America has ever produced, experience those golden days vicariously. Buy Now
