Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-05-20

Fus time you ever saryed NE quite such
a trick swan "a
And Drake loaded the piece with great
wrath and Indignation.
''People say you've lost your knack of
shooting" observed the Colonel, in cut
ting tone Of satire.
| "Who says so? it's lier thundered
Drake. [ can shoot.
GA horse at ten rods ? Ha! ha !"
Drake was hvid.
"Look here, Colonel, I can't stand
that p he began.
''Never mind, the horse can," sneered
the Colonel. "I'll risk you"
| Grinding teeth, Drake produced an
other x.
"Here," he growIed II am bound to
have another shot, any way"
"Crack away" cried the Colonel, pock-
eting the note,
Drake did crack away-witb deadly
aim, too-but the horse did not mind the
bullet in the least To the rage and un-
utterable astonishmept Of the hunter, old
roan looked him right in the face, as if
he rather liked the fun.
Drake" cried Sam, you're drunk !! A
horse at dozen rods-oh, my eye p
jus shut you mouth, or I'll shoot
you p thundered the excited Drake
1.-The bullet was hollow III swear The
man lies that says [ can't shoot Last
week cut of a goose's head at fifty rods,
and | can do il again. Colonel, you can
laugh, but III bet now thirty dollars /
can bring down old roam at one shot"
The wager was readily accepted. The
stakes were placed in Sans hands.
Elated With the idea Of swinning back his
two tens, and making an X in the bar
gain, Drake carefully selected aperfect
ball, and even put on buckskin patch
and headed the rife
1t was nearly dark-but the old hun
ter boasted Of being able to shoot a bat on
the wing by starlight, and without hesita-
ton he drew clear sight on roan's head
A minute later, Drake was driving
through the grove, the most enraged, the
most desperate of men. His rife, inno-
cent victim Of his ire, lay with broken
STOCK on the bottom Of the wagon. Sam
Barstou was too much frightened to
laugh. Meanwhile the grati6ed Colonel
was rolling on TIE ground coryulsed with
mirth, and old roam was standing undi8-
turbod under the trees.
When Drake reached home his two
sons discovered his i'll humor, and the
mutilated condition Of his rife stock, and
FASTENED to arouse his spirits with piece
Of news, which they were sure would
make him dance for joy. 2, ..~.,...-
CLEAR out /" growled the old man; II
don't want to hear any news; get away,
or II knock one Of you down ~
but father, it is such trick, played
on the Colonel"
"On the Colonel '' cried the old man.
Beginning to be interested. "Gad, if
you We played the Colonel a trick, let's
hear it,
Well, father, Jed and I this afternoon
went out for deer"
"Hang the deer, come to the trick :"
"Couldn't find any, but We thought
that we must shoot something; so Jed
banged away at the ColonePs old roam
shot him dead !"
Shot old 1oln ?" Numbered the hun
ter, jed, did you shoot the Coloneps old
boss ?"
i didn't do anything else 2"
"And thes," pursued Jed, confident
tt joke must please his father, Jim and
I proppeI the old horse up, and tied his
head back with a cord. and left him
standing under the trees, just as if he
was tied alive. Ia! ha! Fancy the Col
onel going to catch him ! Ho ho !!
Won't it be a joke ?"
Old brakes head fell on his breast
He felt Of his empty pocket-book and
looked at his rifle. Then, in rueful
tone he whispered to the boys;
ats joke But if you ever tell oft
or if you do Sam Barston-I'll skin
you alive l have been shooting at that
dead horse half an hour at ten dollars
shot
At that moment Sam fell on the floor.
Sam laughed himself to death.