Gazette and sentinel., 1861-05-04
g@a5etts x Ssntinsr.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY
w. p. BRADBURN,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Alabama Rihemen.

fishes an extract from one of Mr..
Goose's letters, detailing the proficiency
of Alabama Rifemen, who will now
have an opportunity to thread the
needle" Of any Yankee that may come
before their fire
Another feat is threading the nee
die" An auger hole is pierced through
the centre of an upright board the
orifice is Just large enough to allow a
ball to pass without t, uching I; and 1t
is expected to pass without touching.
a third is still more exciting-snufhlng
the candle. 1t is performed in the night
and the darkness of the scene adds II
wildncss to the amusement that greatly
enhances its interest. A calm night IL
chosen /; half a dozen ends of tallow
candles and a box of matches are taken
out into the field, here the uproarious
party of stalwart youths repair. One
of them takes his station by the mark ;
a stick is thrust perpendicular into the
ground, on the top of which a piece oil
candle is fixed, either in a socket or by
means Of a few drops of grease. \
plank is set up behind the candle to
receive the balls, which are all careful
" picked out after the sport is over.
being much too valuable to be wasted.
The marker now lights the candle,
which glimmers like a feeble star, but
Just visible at the spot where the expec-
| tant party are standing. Each one
carefully loads his rife some mark the
barrel with a line of chalk to aid tho
| sight in the darkness ; others neglect
this and seem to know the position OF
the pea" by instinct. There is a sharp
crack, and a line of fire ; a little crowd
of smoke rises perpendicularly up
wards an unmerciful shout of derision
halls the unlucky m~arksman, for tho
candle is still twinkling dimly and read
ily as before. Another confidently suc-
cecds {; the light is suddenly extinguish-
ed +; his ball has cut it of just below
the fame. This won't do, the test is to
snuff the candle without putting it out.
A third now steps up ; it is my friend
Jones, the overseer on the plantation
where l am residing I; he is a crack shot,
and we all expect something superb
now. The marker has replaced tho
lighted candle it is allowed to burn a
few minutes until the wick has become
long. The dimDess of the light now
announces its readiness, and the mar
ker cries fire = \ moments GREATNESS
silence follows the fash and report, q
change was seen to pass upon the dis
tant CLEAN, and the dull, red light had
suddenly become white and sparkling.
Right good 2 cries the marker, the bal
has passed through the 'centre OF the
/. flame. and snuffed the candle, and
e whoops and shouts Of applause ring
through the field and echo from the sur
I rounding forest. This extraordinary
$ feat is usually performed two or three
times in every contest OF SKID.
A common exploit is barking OF"
squirrel. My worthy friend, Major Van
= ner, the other day, at my request, per
formed this. A couple of fox squirrel
n were playing far up on a towerin'
beech in the yard, little expecting wha
was coming for the benefit OF science
:. Nv friend went in and brought out h'
ii trusty rifle ; waited a woment for on
be of the little friskey gentlemen TO !
ne rightly placed, for it is needful to I'll
p feat that the squirrel should be clingin
a. to the bark of the tree. The first sh'
n was a failure the squirrel fell dead j
deed, but it was pierced with the bal
d. which was not the object. Perhaps II
craature had moved q little at the j
is slant, or perhaps the planter had bee
les a little too carclessly confident |; ho'
pm ever, his mettle was up, and he toe
ed. care that the second shot should D. .
I'VE right. The ball struck the trunk oil u
Tile tree Just beneath the belly Of the a
NAL, driving off a piece of the bark
large as ones hand, and with 1t 7
squirrel, without wound or rufied ha
but killed by the Conclusion.