The Nevada journal., 1852-08-14

Who said SO !? It's lie !" thundercd
Drake. i can shoot
"A horse at ten rods ha y
Drake was livid.
Look yere, Colonel, l can't stand thatll'
he began.
Never mind, the horse cam sneered
the Colonel. III risk you
Grinding his teeth, Drake produced
another ten dollar bill. Il }
Here he growled, I'm bound 10 have
another shot any how" ~
Crack away cried tho Colonel, pock-
citing the note.
Drake did crack away, with deadly
aim too, but the horse did not mind thu
bullets in the least. To tho rage and
uhutterable astonishmcnt Of the hunter
old roam looked him right in the face, as
if he rather liked the fun. Vi
Drake cried Sam, you're drunk! A
horse at dozen rods-oh, my eyen
Just you shut your mouth or l'll shoot
youb Numbered the excited Drake
The bullet was hollow, I'll swear. The
man lies that says can't shoot Last
week cut off gooses head at ffty
yards and kin do it again. By the lord
Harry YOU kin laugh, Col, but FL bet
now thirty dollars | can bring old roam
at one shot a. 2 lf ~
The wager was readily accepted-thc
stakes placed in Sans hands. 't
Elated with the idea of winning back
his two tens, and making an X into the
bargain, Drake carefully selected a per-
feet ball and even buckskin patch, and
beaded his rifle "'o az
1t was now nearly dark, but the old
hunter boosted of being able to shoot a
bat on the wing by starlight, and with
out hesitation ho drew clear sight on
old Roan's head.
A minute later, Drake was driving
through the grove. the most enraged,
the most desperate of men. His rife,
innocent victim of his ire, lay with bro
ken stock in the bottom Of tho wagon.
Sam Barston WITS too much frightened
to laugh. Meanwhile the gratifed
Colonel was rolling on the ground, con-
vulsed with mirth, and old roam was
standing undisturbed under the trees.
When Drake reached home, his two
sons, discovering his ill-humor, and the
mutilatcd condition of the rifle stock,
fastened to arouse his spirits with q
piece Of news, which they were sure
would make him dance for Joy.
Clear out, growled the angry old
man, don't want to hear any news get
away, or I'll knock one of you down.
But, father, it is such a nice trick
Blast you and your tricks
Played off on the Colonel -
'On the Colonel cried the old man,
beginning to be interested, Cad, if
you've played tho Colonel trick, less
hear it.
Well, father, Jed and |, this after
noon, went out for deer -
Hang the deer-come to the trick
Couldn't find any deer, but thought
wemust shoot something SO Jed banged
away at the Coloncrs old Roam shot
him dead r.,-- J.. ..~.
Shot old Roam =! thundered the hun
ter. BY the Lord Harry, Jed did you
shoot the Colonel's hoss p ~
: didn't do anything else.'
Devil devil = groaned the hunter
And them pursued Jed confident the
joke part of the story must please his
father, Jim and propped the boss up,
and tied his head back with cord, and
left him standing under the trees exact
ly as if he was alive. Ha ha! fancy
the Colonel going to catch him no ho !!
no! no wont it be a joke.'o .o' &c.
Old brakes head fell upon his breast.
He felt of his empty pocket book, and
looked at his broken rifle Then, in a
rueful tone, he whispered to the boys
It's a joke but if you ever tell-or
if you do, Sam Barston-rll skin you
alive! BY the Lord Harry, boys, Eve
been shooting at that dead horse half an
hour at ten dollars q shot
At that moment Sam fell into the
gutter jed dragged him out insensible.
Sam had laughed himself almost to
death