Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-07-09
Our StUrg-G GtIItr.
seth STARK,
TIE GREEN MOUNTAIN SHARP SHOOTER,

IT's no use torling 'beout i, dad I'm goin
to fte the enemy. The Unions in danger
Varmount's in danger, and am bound to go
That's wot I told the old man, Mister Officer
and that's wot tell you. IfyOu won't list
me, I'll End out another 'crutin' station darn
ed quick"
This speech of a hard listed, young Green
Mountain boy with rife in his hand, was
not long since made to the officer Of a recruit
ing station in Montpelier Vt, who had inter-
posed to the stout lads enlisting, to wit: that
bis visual organs presented a decided case oI
strabismus, that his body was slightly angu-
lar, that his style of speech and manner rath-
er shocked the eyes and ears of the gentle
manly, college cultivated lieutenant who had
thrown down Blackstone, Kent, Coke, and
other law commentators for a sword and
epaulettes and also that the applicant was in
curably left handed
How old are your" asked the lieutenant.
Twenty, last grass"
What has been your business p
"Cuttin' logs and shootin' bars in winter,
and drivin' cattle and mowin' grass in sum-
mern
"Shootin bars, eh2'
Yeas, shootin' bars"
Then I suppose you would take aim at a
tree in one direction, and hit the bear in an
OtheF said the officer, derisively. Il am
afraid, in battle you would be much less dan
gerous IN the enemy's ranks than in ours"
I know Tn a leetle bit cock-eyed, Mister
Officer, but I've fetched many bar at more'n
a hundred rods, and at turkey shoots they al
las try to caount me out"
"COunt you out; what do you mean by
that7"
WAL, I amt so preferable to the turkey
match-Hlalers as some O. the rest on 'em, for
when get this ere rife O. dads on one o the
birds, you can rek'n that he's mine"
Are you also good shot with the mus
ketY7
Don't know n0thin' bout that kind o
shootin iron"
" But ours is an ifnautry company, and we
use smooth bores" suggested the officer.
q Wall Captain, if yeou don't calkilate to
go to XIII, Tm not your man. If you dew
you'd better take me and nv bar-killer."
" Oh, its impossible that you should appear
in our ranks with dark barrelled weapon
our muskets are all bright barreIled. You
must leave that weapon behind"
Can't dew it captin.7 Whar the bar-kill-
er goes there IgOes Nerergo nOwhar With
out it You see its a sure thing"
=" / have no evidence Of it beyond your
word, said the lieutenant, beginning to bein-
terested in the uncouth individual d" But I'll
put your shooting skill to the test, and if you
can make three as good shots as three sharp
shooters in my corps, IN engage to enlist you,
bear-killer and al"
Give US your fist on that Mister Officer"
returned the raw recruit, extending his rough,
tan-brOwned, and freckled Land. "Ifyou've
got three men in your ranks that kin outshOot
Seth Stark, III 60 hum agin, and help dad
kerry on the farm
The match was forthwith got up, and three
Of the priva,es Of the Ethan Allen Rangers
were selected for the trial Each Of them were /
lamed as sharp shooters, and particularly vel
skilled in the use Of the rife.
A target representing an Indian chief was
placed at one hundred rods distant; st the ap-
lointed time, the three already recruited ran
yers and Seth Stark, took their positions in
ront ofthe company Of rangers to witness
he apparently unequal contest Two men