Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-02-15

I the w estern term IS Tor a rowing lam
ily; and though still a young man,
had pushed on ahead of the settlement
of two territories, and had at last fol
lowed the game towards the South
and finding it abundant IN Shelby
county. had stopped here, just as he
would have stopped at the foot OF the
1 Rocky Mountains, had 1t been neces-
sary to pursue it so far He had never
I been In the habit of asking leave Of
( any power where he should settle, and
/ of course scarcely thought of the nee
/ essity of doing so now ; but quietly
set to WOrk,-built himself a nice log
cabin. as far off from every body as he
could get And the first thing was
I known Of him, be had his pretty young
/ wife and two little ones snugiy slowed
away In it, and was Staying the deer
and the bears right and left.
/ Happening to fall short of ammuni-
/ ton. he went one day to the store for
I fresh supply This cabin, together
I with the blaeksmith's shop. and one
/ or two other huts, constituted the
/ County town" and as the powder and
] liouor we're only to be obtained there,
/ 1t was the central resort of the Regu-
| lators. Jack found them all collected
for a great shooting match, IN prepar-
alton for which they were getting drunk
/ as possible to steady their nerves.
4 Hinch. the Regulator Captain had al
ways been the hero on such occasions
for. in addition to his being first
rate shot, it was known that 1t would
/ be a dangerous eXertlOn of skill for
any man to beat him-for he was fu
riOus and vindicitive bully, and would
4 not fail to make a personal affair of 1t
with auy one who should mortify his
/ vanity BY carrying off the prize from
/ him. In addition, the band of scOun-
drels he commanded was entirely at
/ his. service in any extreme, so that
/ they made fearful odds for a single
! man to contend with. Everybody else
/ in the country was aware of this state
I of things but Jack Long, and he either
didn't know or didn't care. After
/ they had fred several rounds, he went
/ lounging listlessly into the crowd
which had gathered around the target,
/ exclaiming in admiration over the
I last brilliant shot of Hinch, which was
/ triumphantly the best. The bully was
as usual ,{blustering vehemently, taunt-
| ing every one around him, and when
he saw Jack looking very cOOlly at
the famous shot, with no grain OF that
/ deferential admiration IN his express
sion which was demanded, he snatched
up the board, and thrusting 1t Insult
ingly close to his face, roared out
Here ! You Jack Long Shanks-
/ look at that Take a good look
Can you beat it?
Jack drew back with quiet laugh,
and said good humordly-
"PshaW You don't brag on such
shootiD as that, do you
/ "Brag on it! I'd like to see such
moon-eyed chap as you beat it r
II dent know as I'd be very proud
/ to beat such bunglin' work as that
YOu don't don't you!" yelled the
4 fellow, now fairly iH rage at Jacks
/ GOODNESS: You'll try it, won't your
You must try it. You shall try 1t, by
/ Heaven Well see what sort of a
swell You are r.
"Oh. well. y said Jack, interrupting
him as. he was proceeding TO rave for
Quantity just set up your board. It
YOU want to see me put a ball through
every hole you can make
Perfectly astonished at this rash
4 boarding Of the lion-for it was diff
! cult to tell whether contempt or sim
plicitv dictated Jacks manneT-the
! men set up the board, while he walked
/ back to the stand. and carelessly
\ swinging his heavy rife from his shoul-
/ der, fired, seemingly, as quick as
+ thought. cts a trick of mine, said
/ he. moving toward the mark, as he
! lowered his gun; 4 caught it from
shootin varmints in the eyes; always
! takes EN- there. It's notion I've
got.-it's my fun" They all ran eag-
erly to the target, and sure enough his
/ ball. which was larger than Hinch's
/ had passed through the same hole,
widening it
He's humbug It's all accident
! he can't do that again !" shouted the
Fufian, turning pale, till his lips look
blue, as the board was held up, III
bet the ears of buffalo calf against
/ his, that he can't do it again I
Another was set up, and after throw
ing out his gun on a level with the
rapid. careless style as before, he fir
ed; and when the eager crowd around
/ the target announced that he had
driven the centre cross clear out, he
turned upOn his heel, and with a pleas
ant nod to Hinch, started to walk of.
/ The rufiau shouted hOaTsely after
him =
Il thought you were a id coward
You've made two good shots by accl-
dent. and now you sneak off to brag
that you've beat me. Come back, sir
! You can't shoot before a muzzle half
as true u
Jack walked on, without noticing
this mortal insult and challenge, while
Hinch laughed tauntingly, long and
loud-ieering with exulting bitterness,
as long as he could make himself
heard, as "a flash In the pan, "a
dunghill cock, who had spread his
white feather" while the men who
had been surprised into profound res
pect for Long, and were still more as
tonished at what they considered his
backing out, joined clamorOusly IN
his hoOtlng retreat.
The fools Thev made a fatal mis-
take. in supposing he left the insult
unresented from any fear from HIM
self. Jack Long had a young wife al
home and his love for her was strong
} er than his resentment for his OWL
indignity. His passions were slow aud
j had never been fully roused-none o-
) them at least but his love, and thai
} presented her Instantly, forlOrn anC
: deserted, with her little ones, in this
wild country, should he throw his lllt
, away with such desperate odds anC
: seeing the turn the affair was ik ,ly tC
take, he had prudently determined t.
get away before it had gone too far
, But had any of those men seen thi
p spasm of agony which shivered across
4 his massive features, as these gibinl
voices rang upon his ears in insul
2 which no proud free hunter might en-
= dure, they would have taken the hin
! to beware of chafing the silently foam
? ing boar any longer.
Hinch never forgave the unluck
skill which had robbed him of hi
proudest boast, that of being the bes
l. marksman on the frontier; and b
: swore, in base, vindictive hate, to do
; him to the death, or make him leav
! the country. Soon after this valua
: bic horse, belonging to rich and pow
9 erful planter, disappeared He wa
> one of those men who had compro
d missed with the Regulators, paying S
n much black mail for exemption fror
e their dpnrndatiOns and DrOtpctio1