Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-01-05
Mr.. Dallas as a Sportsman.

| The London correspondent of the New
York Times, gives the following lively ac-
count ola tate achievement of Mr.. Dallas
VOW may not know that Mr.. Dallas is q
capital shot, and wiclds the Manton as
cleverly as the pen. No accomplishment
can possibly come amiss to a diplomatist,
although our good people in general seem
to think even good manners and decent
knoWlcdge of their own language super
lIuous ornaments, unworthy the envoy of
a Republican State--and Mr.. Dallas skill
as marksman served him very prettily
the other day in an eXtemporised match
with q certain veteran ViscOunt who is
trying to console himself in the turnip
fields for his defeat upon the floor of St.
stephens, and pops away at partridges
with surer aim than at Jones. Our min
lister was the yiscount's guest at the char
ming country seat immortalized bv that
most modest Of chronclers, Mr.. Henry
Wycoil, and was enjoying the morning air.
when his host emerged frcm the man
sion, gay with that inexhaustible gavetv
which fifty years Of London life and GOV
.ernmcnt have not abated, and arrayed for.
the Held in the inevitable CATERS appro-
pirate to the murder Of birds.
lie was apolgizing for leaving his guest.
without suspicion that an American di-
pIomatist could think of meddling with
go peculiarly British sport as shooting at
partridgos in the turnip fields, involving,
as it does, six or seven hours of pretty
hard walking, with no slight pull upon
the whole system, muscular and ner-
yous, when our Envoy most politely,
insisted upon setting off, ACQUIRED as
he was rather for the drawing room
than the open country, and trying his
hand at the business. The viscount of
course assentod, no doubt with such pri-
vate chucSle over the coming misfortunes
OF his diplomatic friend as Rochefoucauld
would have delighted TO witness, and the
llIustrious gentlemen marched off togeth-
er, with the small array of dogs and game
keepers. The first American volley was
delivered from both barrels, "right and
leit,' and brought down as many birds.
FaEcy the yiscout'S amazement This.
however, might be a piece of luck. But
what could be said when every whirl and
rise in the field was followed by the same
prompt and precise results, till the hour
Of lunhoon found the unpremeditated
game bag of the Western representative
rather moro than twice as heavy as that of
his distinguished companion Only | fear
that we are often more fortunate than
wise, FOR ! have known some of our am
bassadori0l corps whom | should have
been sorry to pit, either in point of skill,
strength, endurance, good humor, good
manners, or good sense, against the veter-
an eX-leader of English liberals, | should
be glad indeed to think that the half of
our young men of education and position.
could come rs crcditably out of such
chance encounter as an actual minister
at the court Of st. James. Meanwhile YOU
may safely enroll Mr. Dallas, with Chief
Justice Marshall, Chancellor Kent. Gen.
Scotland other vigorous worthless towhom
you once appealed against the notion
that our American breed of men carries.
less weight and will stand less wear and
tear than the ancestral stock. We are
our own worst enemies, certainly, and
need only take honest thought of our
own bodies, and what they require in the
way Of play and work alike, to hold our
ownwith our cousins or with all the world.
But of this honest thought we have the
Sorest need, and trust that every Young
Yankee, who, on reading this, feels in
wardly 'convicLed' that he should have
been unequal to the silent challenge of
the British statesman, will forthwith shoul,
der his gun and hunt the fields until he
has brought himself up 10 the mark.