Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-04-06
NV First Duck.

silently along shore, Choking sharp" thro'
the reeds. Tim constantly whispered to me
to keep my eyes open" The gun felt very
heavy, and in that peculiar light looked about
htteen feet long. On we strobe, my pulse
going like a.volunteer at Bucna Vista Sud
denly, says Tim, softly:
"Ah, there's chance, by Jove Now,
my boy, all ready?"
Eth, chance! where, at what ?"
Tim put his fingers to his lips, and, making
me crouch down, pointed through the reeds
In minute, sure enough, | saw duck grace
fully bobbing up and down, about fifty yards
off, or less. | became uwfully excited
Let me shoot him, Tim2"
Certainly; crack away"
knelt down; my fingers trcmbled like
those of a surgeon at bis first operation. The
duck looked about the size of turkey-gob-
bier to my distorted vision. 1t was a fearful
moment.
However, recovered myself by rcsoutc
effort, brought the gun up, took long muir
derous aim, my fingers pressed the trigger,
wLang! | behold sky, and fourteen hundred
thousand stars perpendicular before me. Up
on cHH, nation, found this phenomenon
was { {. stoned by my horizontal position on
my back, combined with the conclusion of the
shot.
You've hit him p cried Tim He's
wounded. Quick, quick, take my gun while
l load yours"
looked ut my weapon. l had fred both
barrels at once looked at the duck; he
was bobbing up and down violently. Consid-
crably bcwildercd, l. however, seized Tins
gun, resumed my position, took another dead
ly aim, and fred
Tothcr barrel! Quick or he's off"
cried Tim.
Bang
"By George. you've missed him Hes
no, he can't fly sec him spin round Here,
give him one more. Mind, aim careful
ly now"
Bang fz,z bang saw the sky and one
thousand more planets than before. When
arose. that diabolicol duck was still there,
spinning round more merrily than ever.
"Tim," said ], "tbat duck is remarkably
tenacious of life"
"Ies-ycs. The fact is they are, general
ly, especially canvas backs; they arc called so
on account of the thickness of their skin.
am convinced that's yass,back."
"Tim," said |, "lll take the skiF and
shove cut there and get him. You wait here
He's nearly gone now"
eyes, I'll 20 back to the house and order
breakfast Our shots have spoiled further
sport this morning. I'll have things ready by
the time you get back"
and without waiting for remonstrance Tim
walked rapidly off
got in the skili, showed out, reached the
duck, (who appeared, as advanced, to have
his head entirely shot OFF, picked it up, and
found that-it was a dccoy! My remarks to
Tim, upon rcjoining him at the hotel have
upon reflection, concluded to omit.
Nco orleans P'coyumc.
TIE PARADISE OF STRONG MINDED Wo-
MEN.-The adventurous African explorer,
DR., Livingstone, in a recent letter. states
that he has found nothing more remarkable
among the highly intelligent tribes of the
Upper Sambcsa, than the respect universally
accorded to women by them. Many of the
tribes are governed by female chief. eff
you demand any thing of IA man." remarks
the intrepid explorer, he replies, "I will
scnts, your demand is granted if she refuse,
you will receive negative reply Women
vote in all the public assemblies Among
the Bechnna, and Kailirs, the men swear by
their fathers but among the vcritablc Afri-
S"'ioj NSCuiyIIS IhC CcutTc Ol Ilc continent,
they aiw&ya swear by their mother If a
young man falls in love with maiden of
another village, he leaves bis own and t.kcs
up his dwelling in hers. He is Obliged to
provide in part for the maintenance of his
mothrrin-law, and to assume n respectful at
ti.ude, sort Of semi-knccl in her presence.
| was so much astonishcd mt all these marks
! of respect for women, that | cnquircd of the
Portuguese if such had always been the habit
of the country. They assured me that such
had always been the case.
TIE JUG WITIIoUT trorToM On the
bridge that crosses the Grand Rapids we met
a hale old man and his wife, with eleven sons,
! seven daughters, and thirty seven grand chill
drcn, with horses, calves, sheep aud furniture
OF antlquatcd appearance, among which were
to be seen cradles for babies, cradles for grain,
spinning wheels, pots and kettles, and almost
everything requisite for settlement such MS
fifty blood relations will make in Grand River
County. After the train had stopped we
made some inquiries, and asked the old gen
tIeman what use could be made with bot
tomless Jug which was carefully slowed away
among his domestic equipments, and received
the following reply:
Why, sir, am man of many years,
have worked other peoples land all my DAYS
and paid from four to nine bushels of wheat
per acre for it, and have all the time used
jug with bottom to it, by which ali my pro-
fits have been wasted, and / am sick of feed
ing both landlord and rumseIlers-so | sent
seven of my boys to Mexico to fight for their
| country. They pot back safe and bouoht