Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-09-06
"Look here Colonel can't stand that

hs peBau'
"Never mind, the horse cam" sneared
the Colonel. "I'l risk you"
Grinding bis teeth, Drake produced an
other ten dollar bill.
"Here,' he growled, "I'm bound to
have another shot any way"
"Crack away" said the Colonel, pock-
citing the note.
Drake did crack away-with deadly
aim too-but the horse did not mind the
bullet in the least. TO the rage and un.
utterable astonisbmen ut Of the hunter, old
roam looked him right in the face, as If be
rather liked the fun.
"Drake," cried Sam, you're drunk A
horse at dozen rods-oh my eycl"
"Just shut your mouth, or III shoot
you, thundercd the excited Drake.
1.-The bullet was hollow, Il swear. The
man lies that says I cant shoot. Last
week | cut off gooses head at fifty rods
and can do it again. Colonel, you can
laugh, but I'll bet now, thirty dollars, 1
can bring old roam down at one shot,"
The wager was readily accepted. The
stakes were placed in Sans hand. Ella
ted with the idea of winning back his two
tens and making ten in the bargain,
Drake carefully selected perfect ball
and even buckskin patch, and headed the
rifle.
1t was now nearly dark, but the old
hunter boasted OF being able to shoot a
bat by starlight, andswithout hesitation he
drew a clear sight on old roan's head.
| A minute later, Drake was driving thro'
the grove, the most enraged, the most des
perate of men. His rife, innocent victim
of ire, lay with broken stock in the bottom
of the wagon. Sam Barston was too much
frightened to laugh. Meanwhile the graf.
iied Colonel was rolling on the ground
convulsed with mirth, and old roam was
standing undi,turbed under the trees.
When Drake reached home, his two
sons discovering his ill humor, and the
mutiated condition of bis rifle stock, hast.
ened to arouse his spirits with news, which
they were sure would make him dance
with joy.
sc ear out !" growled the old man. I
don't want to hear any news; get away or
shall knock one Of you down"
"But father, it's such a trick on the
Colonel !"
son the Colonel?' cried the old man
beginning to be interested. "Glad if you
played the Colonel a trick. Let US hear
! it,"
"Well father, Jed and I this afternoon
went out for deer -"
"Hang the deer, come to the trick!"
"Couldn't find any deer, but thought
we must shoot something; so Jed banged
away at the Colonels old roan- shot him
dead"
"shot old roam! :" thundered the old
hunter. "Jed did You shoot the Colonel S
old hoss 7"
II didn't do anything else"
"And them paused Jed, confident the
joke part must please his father, "Jin and
propped the horse up, and tied his head
back with cord, and left him standing
under the tree Just as if he was alive
ha! ha! Fancy the Colonel going to catch
him. HO ho! want it joke? -
Old brakes head fell on his breast
He felt of his empty pocket book, and
looked at his rife. Then in a rueiul tone
he whispered to the boy
"lt's a joke But if you ever tell ef it
or if you do Sam Barston-Ill skin
you alive. I've been shooting at that
dead horse half an hour for ten dollars a
shot,
At that moment Sam fell into the gut
ter, and almost laughed himself to death.