The Portland daily press., 1869-10-07

= tsoRI'LAND.
Thursday Morning, October 7, 1859.
Colonel Crickiey,s Morse

ORIGIN OF Tie uudIIcl DtlWttn the lrIcElpyS
and the brakes. They had lived within a
mile of each other for five years, and from the
first of their acquaintance there had been
mutual feeling of dislike between the Two
families. Then some misunderstanding about
the boundary of the respective farms reveal
ed the latent flame, and Col. Crickley hav-
ing followed fat buck all one afternoon, and
Wouhded him, came up to him and iOund old
Drake and his soDs cutting him up! This
incident added fuel to the fire, and from that
tllle there was nothing the two families did
not do toannOy each other.
One evening Mr.. Drake the older was re-
turning home with his 'pocket full of rocks.n
from Chicago, whittier he had been TO dis
pose of load of grain. Sam Barstow was
with HIM ON the wagon, and as they approach
ed the grove which intervened between them
and Mr.. Drake house, he observed to his COM
panion:
"What a beautiful mark Crickley,s old roam
is over yonderp
"IIang il ~ muttered Drake, $50 1t is"
The morse was standing under some trees
about twelve rods from the road.
Involuntarily Drake stopped his team-he
glanced furtiyely around, then with a queer
smile the old hunter took up his rifle from the
bottom Of his wagon, and raising it to his
shoulder, drew sight on the Colonel's horse.
"Beautifulv he muttered lowering his rifle
with the air of man resisting a powerful
temptation. Il could drop old Roam So easy"
"Shoot,' suggested Sam BaTstow, who loved
fun in any shape. H.7, ..
mo, no, 'twouldn't do" said the old hun
ter glanciug around him again.
II won't tell" said Sam,
"Wal | won't shoot this, any way, tell or
no tell The horse is too nigh. If he was
fifty rods off instead OF twelve, so there'd be
bare possibility of ofrnistak;ng him for deer,
I'd fy. AS 1t Is, Id give the Ccnonel five
dollars for a shot
AT that moment the Colonel himself step
ped from behind big oak, not halfa dozen
PAGES distant, and before Drake.
swell, why don't you shoot?'
The old hunter stanmered in some cOnfiIs-
ion-"rhat you Colonel! IL was tempted
TO, and said, I'll give "V' for one pulp
Say an *" and it's bargainr' 4. .isu
Drake felt of his rifle, and looked at old
Roam.
"How much is the hoss worth ?" he mutter-
ed in Sam's ear
"About fifty" pew
"Gad. Colonel, I'd do i'll Here's your tx !"
The Colonel poeketed the money, mutter-
| Changed ii thought you'd take me upr'
| With high glee the old hunter put fresh
cap on his rifle, aud stood up in the wagon,
close sight Oh old Roam. Sam Barstow
chuckled The Colonel put his hand before
| his face and chuckled too. .......-.... NJ. ..,
| Crack went the rifle. The hunter tore out
horrid oath which l will not repeat. Sam
YVES astonshed. The Colonel laughed. Old
Roam never stirred. I.- UI
Drake stared at his rifle with look black
| as OthellO's. What's the matter with you,
hey? Fust time you ever sarved me quite
such a trick swarr'
| And Drake loaded the piece with great
wrath and Indignation. 7dl "''
"People said you'd lost your knack of shoot
lug" observed the Colonel, in a cutting tone
| of satire.
| "Who said so ? It's lie,n thundered Drake.
Il can shoot" . n.U....4
| "A horse at ten rods! ba! hap . ....
| Drake Was lvid.
| Look yere, Colonel, can't stand thatr
| he began.
Never mind the horse can," sneered the
Colonel. " I'll risk YOU" .. -o. '.,.
Grinding his teeth Drake produced another
| ten dollar bill. ...... .,
Here, he growled, I'm bound to have
another shot, any way"
"Crack away" cried the Colonel, pocketing
| the note. @ t1
| Drake did crack away-with deadly aim
too-but the horse did not mind the bullet in
the least. 10 the rage and unutterable as
tonlshment OF the hunter, old Roam looked him
in the face as if he rather liked the fun.
| Drake, cried Sam, you are drunk! horse
a dozen rods-oh my eyesr' e f' i''
just shut your mouth or I'll shoot you
thundered the excited Drake "The bullets
was hollow I'll swear the man lies who SAYS
l can't shoot! Last week shot off a coose's
Lord HaIry, @ Colonel yoG iR can a i tIidgR, bE bE ff
bet thirty dollars that L can bring down old
| Roam at one shot," . H- Ia-
1 Tho va IL
| were placed in Sans hands. Elated with the
| idea of winning back his two tens, and max
ing an X into the bargain, Drake carefully
selected perfect bail, and buckskin patch,
and beaded his rife sn. es o." a-f'
| A minute later Drake was driving through
the Grove, the most enraged, the most des-
peIate of men. His rifle, innocent victim of
his ire, lay with broken stock ON the bottom
OF the wagon. Sam Barstow was too scared
| to laugh. Meanwhile the Colonel was rolling
| convulsed with mirth, and old Roam was stand
| ing undisturbed under the tree. W. ..l
| When Drake reached home his two sons,
discovering his Ill humor and the mutlIated
condition Of MS rifle stock, fastened 10 arouse
| his spirits with piece of news which they
were sure would make him dance with Joy
| - Clear out! srowled the angry old man.
II don't want to hear any news; get away or
| I'LL knock one OF You DOWN. 4sr, l-.l fI.. F...
| "But, father, it's such trickw ...,
| "Blast you and your trcksr'
| "Piayed off on the old Colonel"
"On the Colonel?" cried the old man. be-
ginning to be interested. ."Gad, if you've
pay ed The Colonel a trick let's hear it," l
/ We'll, father, Jed and this afternoon went
! out for deer" ...r
| 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."e .
! ''Shot old Roan? . thundered the old man.
by the Lord Harry, Jed, did you shoot the
| Coloners horse? ?"i
| Il didn't do anything else.r
Devil, deyil!" sroaned the old hunter
| "And them" pursued Jack, confident the
joke part of the story must please his father
Jim ana l propped the horse up and tied his
head back with cord, and left him standing
under the trees exactly as If he was alive Ha,
la, ftncy the Colonel going TO catch him no,
lio, ho! wan'nr it a joke?" "-
Old brakes head lell upon his breast. He
lelt his empty pocket-book and looking at his
ride. Then, in rueIul tone, he whispered to
his boys ...... ..f. - ..,-... ,'...
| "Yes, boys, its joke! But if you ever tell
OF it--or IT you do, Sam Barstow-I1l skin
you alive! BY the Lord Harry, boys I've been
shooting ut that dead hoss half an hour at ten
| dollars n shot ..... ... .... .