, 1861-06-06

said my wife. "That," said ], reprcasing
glcam Of qualification ut tho consciousness Of
superior knowledge, "is because it is breech-
leading" *sIs IT," eaid aho quietly, and WIS
leaving the room. Iwas burning to show my
revly. a. equlred familiarity with the wonderful
WEAPON, nnd felt piqncd because she lad 80
little curiosity. "1f you will sit here, my
i. ar, will show you.''
sin Ills brcech.loeding rillc, tho 1eyor
moves Just so, and TINT thingun1bob there f1'ca
hack. and if you look now your eye can follow
the fine rifle twist Of tue barrel" II sec"
suid MY wife, !" but l am afraid tue piece i5
lLa0cd."
And yet, est;mablc woman, Jou arc look-
ing straight through the barrel, now m open
lube from one end to the other" "uoW do
,ou tcySh It OFF," a-l1ed my wife, That,
nv dear, is beautiful peculiarly Of this wea
pon. The percussion caps a:e all concealed
here under tie hammer, aud are automaton
1,rim.re." "What ID that p eaid she. "S=lt-
acting" s.Id I. Then I slid back spring to
chow her, and out flew small sho'yco Of per-
cussion caps. 81 shall do thio better in Iimc,"
said L
"Now, MY tcar," said I, otaculariy, "this
bt autiful tirearM c.rIil5 MiEic ball. cAn
lire f1cm eigLt to ten 6hcts minute, ut d
mark from a milo to milo and hal: distant.
Think what weapon llis 1ill prove in case
Of an attack.:' hiy wife was SO charmed that
she insisted that che hereclf should learn how
10 fire it. "a mile end d half" said sh:.
"Ihen you could hit q man somewhere in the
vicinity of Bulls Head" made q little csti.
mate, and thought it might be done.
"Therc is one objection that strikes mt, "
quo1h my estimnble wife. "fou arc so very
near sighted, uy dear. Don't you reco!lecf
that you cannot distinguish persons across
| the street and often as L nc whether it is ou1
| dear rector that iB sitting in TIC desk
How arc you to sec to hit man mile and
half eT:" "T1at is indeed an objection,
said I, shut that caay be obviatcd by the us'
Of glass. shall procure one at once"
Afew days after, Ecrt home earlier thar
usual and took my Sha7pe's rifle urder III,
arm for little practice. Said ], shall so tt
the quiet suburbs, and there get up my targe
p1a1t!cc little. took my wjft's opera gla:
with me. ! selected c rectangular bit q
board, and attached it to fence, and sweeping
Tie field Of vision with my glass, saw nothin!
to prevent my making few pretty shotf
As the piece and mechanically, were o.
familiar terms already, loaded it 1ithou
difficulty. Shutting the Mimic ball in hi
ctember, sGo, little one,'' said I, sightin
through the open glnss as I took sim at til
beard. Laying down The piece, ran toward
the board. II was good ruu-quite lttl
Distance, in fact. That board found whol
there was rot trace Of g A1inie ball TO t
seen. "Dccidedly," said /, "ihat ball has goI
ast.ay," and again I swept the field with II
glass. This time Was struck with the CO
tortions and antics Of red COW quarter Of
mile away. She was trying to get up, with
strong tendency to liz down. TO my rak,
eye she Was invisible. With the glass I Sd
her lie down and roll over On her back.
suspicion flashed across me-a new light {
the subject Of long range guns.
hare paid thirty do3lars for that COW; n
Shapes Rifle his. thus cost me su
you can estimate 1cm data I haye 81
en- you. / begin to suspect that
is leks IN acquisition to the family than
thought. Sure enough, one might be call
to shoot burglar, but then the later coin
Of that ball, which might travel balf nj
after passing through the burglar, are L
pleasan. to contemplate in city. I doubt
I am ne happy with my Sharpe's rifle as s f;1
i]y piece, as fondly hoped I should BE-.
q war footing, in the tented field you know,
would be capital thing, suid L "r o
wasn't near sighted" said that eslimable u
man my wife, tsfor he might kill COW or
B. own general otieer," said she. " should L
!. On opera glass, Of COURSE" said I, netslc3
confess, as carefully relied Up my Sharp
g. rifle in an old BLANKET. hsye net disturb
it since, I'm ready fur eaeuai.s ct III