The Placer herald., 1856-04-19
Kentucky Rinamen.

ling the rifle, has become worldwide, and
excited the attention and wonder Of the war
riors of other nations. In battle they have
stood as cool and collected, although the
first time in action, as the Oldest veterans Of
Europe; pouring in their deadly fire with
unerring aim.
Il shot that officer" exclaimed a riheman
as he saw an officer fall at New Orleans
NO, no-l shot him. said his comrade
at his side
"IfI shot him, shot him in the right eye"
said the first.
"And I shot him in the left eye" was the
response.
After the battle, it was found that this
officer had been shot in both eyes. This un
errng precision can only be obtained by long
practice and through drilling. At the first
settlement of their State, they were compell-
ed to be constantly under arms, as it WERE
to guard against the willy Indians and escape
the murderous tomahawk. As the father, so
the children grew up, taught, in the earliest
infancy possible to poise the rife and direct
its aim. As ammunition was not aIway con-
yenient TO be had, the father would dole out
to his son a certain number OF cartridges for
his rifle. for each one ofwhich he must bring
home some sort Of game or get taste of
hickory for every missing shot.
Many years ago, / was conyersing with
my father on the wonderful skill of the Ken
tuckians. when he related to me the following
anecdote:
Il WAS out in the wds of Kentucky some
years before the war; on a surveying eXpedi-
non, and had an opportunity Of studying the
character of the earliest settlers for a con-
siderable length of time. 1t became neces-
sary for me to stop few days at log built
tavern, and to while away the time, | took
my trusty rifle and explored the woods for
game, Of which there was an abundance.
The landlord of the tavern had fine little
son, about ten years Of age, who accompa-
MED me with his rifle, and always had eXtre-
mely good luck. On one occasion. the iates
seemed to be adverse to him; for, perceiving
squirrel on very high branch of a tree, he
up rifle. bazed away. and down came the
squirrel, The look of dismay with which
he viewed his game shall never forget.
Dropping the butt Of his rifle on the ground
he burst into tears. In the utmost surprise
| inquired what the matter was lie answer
ed:
'Daddy'l lick me-
Lick YOU, What tor3"
Because didn't hit him in the head"
I soothed him all could but the days
pleasure was over. On returning to the
tavern, interceded for him all in my power
to save him from the hickory, but it was of
no use: the applicationmust be made, if only
for example.
No no stranger; if let him off, break
q standing rule of our State. was never
let off and what was good for me is good for
him. lie must shoot right or put up with
what he gels"
The hickory was applied, but no bones
were broken. Such training as that, which
wac universal in those parts, tells the secret
Of Kentucky rifle shooting.
4 Spirited as well as Merited Rebuke
Parson s., a rather eccentric character.
was GATED upon to pIeuciI tire funeral --r,.aon
of a hard case named Ram, which he did
in the following unique style:
My beloved brethren and sisters, if our
beloved brother Ram would want somebody
to come here and tell lies about him, and
make him out a better man than he was he
wouldn't have chose me to preach at his fjl-
neral. No, my brethren, he wanted to be
held up as burning and shining light to
warn you from the error of your ways. He
kept horses, and he rund 'em: he kept chick
ems and he fought EN-. Our dear departed
brother had many wanins, brethren. The
first was when he broke his leg, but still he
went on in the error OF his ways. The second
wanu' was when his son Peter hung him
self in Jail; and the last and the greatest
warniu' of all was when he died himself :"
The preacher enlarged upon these topics
until he sank Ram so low that his hearers
began to doubt whether he would ever sue
aeed in getting him up again, and as usual
in funerals landing him safe in Abrahams
bosom. This was the object of the second
part of the sermon, which started thus: "AIy
brethren, there'Il be great meracles, great
meracles in Heaven. And the first meracle
will be, that many YOU expect to find there
won't be there The people that go round
with long faces maxim long prayers, won't
be there; and the second meracle will be,
that manyy you don't expect to find there, as
perhaps some won't expect to find our de-
parted brother Rann-you'll find there; and
he last and greatest meracle will be, to find
yourselces there
"REronIs CouRrEous."-It is whispered
that suspicious characters are lurking in
Yocano and vicinity Volcano Ledger.
Yes. and there will be suspicious charac-
-ers' lurking about Volcano as long as the |
editors of the Lecturer are permitted to remain |