Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-08
w. ID. WALLACH.
sHARPE,s THE woRn,

y
the word. Breeoh-losding. 1t lis good thing
TO have in the family, in q war time. Said
to that estimable woman, my wife, He that
careth not for his own household is worse than
an infdel, or something like it. dare say
you can find the passage If you look for it. It
Is beautiful trait, finely seen in the least
specimens OF the brute creation. Have a scar
on my hand where fifteen years ago a wood
chuck advertised the fact in three insertions.
He cared for his house, he did, and il was the
worse for me that was an infdel on that
point, and put my hand into his hole to draw
him out
My Shsrpe's rife cost me $50, Eastern cur
rency, paid for with my even check of 500, on
Messrs Sort Company, my Chicago bankers;
this OF itself thought rather q sharp rife. but
then, said l, all for country. I took the wea-
pom in my hand and admired it. II had none
OF the high fashy sheen Of FURNISHED metal
and varnished wood, seen in our common
barrel and black walnut stock was eminentiy
quietly and respectable, made fer service.
This, said /, shall be an heirloom in the fam
lily; Decidedly, 1 shall hand this down to pos
terity, as memento of these times.
Thus armed and equipped, went home to
said /, "this is Sharpe's rifle" She imme-
diately sent our girl Jane into the room over
head With the baby, movement saw she re-
gretted when observed how studiously kept
the mnzzle pointed at the ceiling. '0h, if it
should 60 off, said she. at is not loaded, -
said L: Then called her to notice that these
were times when il was q good thing to have
weapons in the family.
Said L, MY dear, this is the celebrated
Sharpe rifle" "Such as they used in Kan
sas!' she asked. l assured her il was the very
same But the piece hasn't any ramrod,
said my wife. That" said /, repressing a
CLEAN of qualification of the consciousness of
al do sA ,a
loading" "Is it," said she quietly, and was
leaving the room. I was burning to show my
newly acquired familiarity with the wonderful
weapon, and felt piqued because she had so
little curiosity. IF you will sit here, my
dear, will show you"
just go, and that thingumbob there flies back,
and II you look now your eye can follow the
tine rifle twist of the barrel" "I see." said
my wife, "but am afraid the piece is loaded"
And yet, estImsble woman, you are looking
straight through the barrel, now an open tube
from one end to the other" How do YOU
touch it OFF, asked my wife. "That, nv
dear, Is beautiful popularity of this weapon.
The percussion caps are all concerned here
under the hammer, and are automaton pri-
mers." What is that" said she "Self-
acting said l. Then slid back a spring to
show her, and out few a small shower of per-
cussion caps. 81 shall do this better in time"
said 1.
Now, my dear" said I, oracularly, 'sthis
oeautiful frearm carries a minnie ball. I can
IRE from eight to ten shots q minute at mark
from q mile to a mile and half distant. Think
what weapOn this will prove in case of an
attack" My wife was 80 charmed that she
insisted that she herself should learn how to
fire 1t. "a mile and half" said she. "Then
you could hit man somewhere in the vicinity
Of Bulls Head" / made q little estimate,
and thought it might be done.
There is one objection that strikes me-
quoth my estimable wife. "You are so very
near-Hghted, my dear. Don't you recollect
that you cannot distinguish persons across the
street, and often ask me whether it is our dear
rector that is sitting in the desk? How are
you to see to hit man a mile and half Off"
=. That is indeed an objection" said I, "but
that may be obviated by the use of glass. 1
shall procure one at once"
few days after, went home earlier than
usual and took my Sharpe's rife under my
arm for little practice. Said /, I shall 90 to
the quiet suburbs, and there get rp my target
and practice little. took my uife's opera
glass with me. selected a rectangular bit of
the held Of vision with my glass, saw nothing
to prevent my making few pretty shots.
As the piece and /, mechanically, were on
familisr terms already, loaded it without
difficulty. Shutting the minnie ball in his
chamber, "Go, little one," said I, sighting
sALVoSu tuc OpcId SlhsS ds TOOK aim AT the
bss-d. Laying down the piece, ran towards
the board. 1t was good run-quite little
distance, in fact. That board found whole
there was not the trace of a minnie ball to be
seen. "Decidedly,' said I, ''that ball has
gone astray," and again swept the aeld with
my glass. This time I was struck with the
contortions and antics of a red COW a quarter
OF q mile away. She was trying 20 get up,
with strong tendency to lie down. To my
naked eye she was invisible. With the glass
saw her lie down and roll over on her back
A suspicion flashed across me-a new light on
the subject Of long range guns.
have paid thirty dollars for that COW; my
6harpe's rife has thus cost me a sum you can
estimate from data have given you begin
to suspect that il is less an acquisition to the
family than I thought. Sure enough, one
might be called to shoot burglar, but then
the later doings Of that ball, which might ira
vel half mile after passing through the bur-
glar, are not pleasant to contemplate in city.
doubt IL am happy with my Sharpe's
rifle as q family piece, as fondly hoped
should be. On war-footing, in the tented
field you know, it would be q capital thing
said /. "If one wasn't near.sighted," ;" said
that sstimable woman my wife, "for he might
kill q cow or his own general officer" said
she. " should use an opera glass. Of course, I"
said /, nettled, confess, as I carefully rolled
up my Sharpe's rife in an old blanket I
have not disturbed II since. I am ready for
enemies at mile and half, however.