The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-10-22

on, and raising it to his shoulder, drew
sight on the Colonel's horse.
"BeIutiful!" muttered Drake, lower
ing his rifle with the air of a man re.
sisting. powerful temptation. 81 could |
drop old Roam so easy"
Shoot" suggested Sam Barston,
who loved fun in any shape.
"No, no 'twouldn't do" said the old
hunter, glancing cautiously around him
again.
81 won't tell" said Sam.
"Wal, l won't shoot this time any
way, tell or not tell. The horse is too
nigh. If he was fifty rods of, instead
of twelve, so there'd be bare possibi-
ity of mistaking him for a deer, I'd
let fly. AS it is, I'd give the Colonel
five dollars for a shot"
AT that moment the Colonel himself
stepped from behind big oak, not half
dozen PAGES distant, and stood before
Mr.. Drake.
'.Well, why don't yon shoot?"
The old man stammored in confusion:
"That you, Colonel? I-I-was Tempt
ed to, l declare! And as | said, I'll give
V for one pull"
"Say an Y, and it's bargain!'
Drake felt of his rifle, and looked at
old Roam.
"lIow much is the hoss worth!, he
mutterod in Sans ear.
about fifty"
"Gad, Colonel, I'll do it! Here's your
NJ"
The Colonel pocketed tho money,
muttering: Changed if thought you'd
take me upW
With high glee the old hunter put a
fresh cap on his rifle, and stood up in
his wagon, and drew CLOSE sight on
old Roam. Tom Balston chuckled. The
Colonel put his hand before his face
and chuckled too
"Crack," went the rifle. The hunter
tore out horrid oath, which will not
repeat. Sam was astonishcd. The Col
onel laughed. Old Roam never stirred !!
Drake stared at his rifle with face
black as Othello's.
"What's the matter with you, boy ?
l'us' time you ever sarved me quite
such trick, L sWan!"
And Drake loaded the piece with
great wrath and Indignation.
"People said you'd lost your mack a
shooting" observed the Colonel, in a
cutting tone of satire.
"Who said so? It's liew thundered
Drake. 81 can shoot"
: "a horse at ten rods? ha! hal"
Drake was livid.
, "Look here, Colonel, I can't stand
that !" he beilan.
n "Never mind, the horse can," sneereC
~ the Colonel. "I'll risk YOU"
n Grinding his teeth, Drake produce,
another ten dollar bill.
, "Ilere!' he growleI, 81 am bounC
to have another shot, any way"
4 "Crack away" cried the Colonel
= pOcketing the note.
i Drake did crack away-with deadly
aim tuo-but the horse did not minC
= the bullet in the least. TO the rage an,
unutterable astOnishment Of the hunter
old Roam looked him right in the face
{, as if he rather liked the fun.
"Drakc," cried Sam, '.you're drunk
A horse at dozen rods-oh, my eye =
I "Just you shut your mouth, or III
shoot you!" thundored the cXcitet
Y Drake. "Thc bullet was hollow, II
q swear. The man lies that says | cam
: shoot! Last week l cut off a goose
head at fifty rods, and kin do it again
!, BY the Lord Harry, Colonel, you ca
g laugh, but III bet, now, thirty dollars
= ! can bring down old Roam at one shot.
I, The wager was readily excepted. Tn
/ stakes were placed in Sans hands
Elatcd with the idea Of winning bacl
+ his two tens, and mako an "X" int
| the bargain, Drake carefully selected {
= perfect ball and even buckskin p atcl
t and beaded his rifle.
a minute later Drake was driving
through the grove, the most enragct
p, the most desperate of men. His rifle
innocent victim of his ire, lay wit
broken stOci: on the bottom of the wag
encd to laugh. Meanwhile, the gratif
ed Colonel was rolling on the grouno
cGnvulsed with laughter, and old Roa
was standing undisturbcd under tn
> trees.
When Drake reached home, his tw
p Sons, discovering his ill-hunor and tn
Z mutilatcd condition Of his riiie-stOck
; huStencd to arouse hi, spirits with
piece of news, which they were sur
, would make him dance with joy.
} "Clcar outw growlcd the angry Oh
l man.
81 don't want to hear any news; &C
F, away, or | shall knocl, one of 80
F. down.
"But, father, it's such trick!"
"Blast you and your tricks ~
"Played of on the ColonelW
4 con the Colonel !" cried the old man
G beginning TO be interested. "Gad,
4 you've played the Colonel trick let
r hear it,"
r "Well, father, Jed and l, this aftel
| | noon, went out for deer"
"Iiang the deer--comc to the trick. ."
: Couldn't find any deer, but though
9 we must shoot something; SO Jed bang
l cd away at the Colonel's old Roam; she
/ | him dcad!"
/, "Shot old Roam ," thundered the oil
@ man.
; "By the Lord Harry, Jed, did 80
] [ shoot the COlOncl'S hoss ~
e 81 didn't do anything else"
b "Devil devil" groaned the hunter
"Then," pursued Jack, confident til
=, joke part of the story must please h
t father, "Jim and propped the hoss II
r and tied his head back with cord, an
left him Standing under the trees, exae
b lV rs if he WAS alive. Ha! hal fame