American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-12-07
How Smith Shot a Duck.

who for convenience sake, we viii call
Smith. was on a visit to Jordanville. Conn,
the special object of the visit being sport.
Fishing had been tried, with Indifferent
luck. when it was proposed TO take the
guns and 60 after ducks. The PROPOSE
ton was received with favor. and in
short time the party were equipped and on
their way to a ncighborine pond. AnO'd
mill stood at the head of the pond, and in
TO this uiie of the gentlemen crept with
the avOwed object of commanding the wa
ter from that point. The three other gun
ners were to take sheltered positions fur
Their down. AS they stealthily approach
ed the banks they discovered what they
supposed to IA fine teal swimming in the
water. Smith was all excitement now.
Lifting his hand as 4 signal for silence,
and with whispered, tremulOus hush
upon his lips. he advanced cautiously in
order to secure a better position for taking
aim. But, fearing that the duck would
fly, he fired more quickly than he would
have done in cooler moments. The fowl
dived at the flash. and the shot whistled
harmlessly over the water. Smith was
much put out at this miss, and fearing
| that one of the other gentlemen would
get well directed shot in, he stood, with
cooked gun in hands. Waiting for the duck
| to rise. Presently it came to the surface,
| and the excited New Yorker let drive
at it with the second barrel. Again the
duck dived, and no crimson trail was left
bet ind to tell that the shot had taken eft
feet. Smith loaded his gun, and. Will
| doing so, each of the other gentlemen
charmed life. Smith was now deter
mined TO do terrible execution His nerves
had become more steady, and. as the duck
came up within range, he took deliberate
aim and pulled the trigger. Imagine his
disgust as he saw the bird again go down
apparently unframed. As the duck re-
| appeared, he fred rather quickly, but
without effect. He now was mad with
disappointment. and swore roundly al
! the gun. Grittine his teeth after the fashion
| o Il thoroughly veXed man, Smith loaded
once more. But both barrels failed to
| bag the obstinate teal. The small sup
ply of ammunition was now exhausted /:
| besdes 1t was or wing dark, and the
| hunters We're obliged to retrace their
steps to the house cmpty-handed. Smith
did not bear his misfortune very race
fully: ia fact, the chatting of his three
| friends sOrely angered him. He retired
| to bed that night with confidence some
what shaken in his shooting prowess.
The next morning, while preparing to try
upon by an officer of the law, who had a
warrant for his arrest. 1t was explained
to him that the gentleman who owned the
pond was a crusty sort Of fellow. that h.
had obtained the names of the party who
invaded his premises and made such an
| Internal racket with their guns, and that
he had brought a suit for trespasss.
Smith was much cast down at this, but
then he had the sympathy of his friends.
as they also were under arrest. A con-
! s,,ltation was held, and it was decided to
send to New London for counsel. The
| hearing was to take place that evening
before the justice of the peace. jolly,
good-natnred man. The day was spent
| in preparing for the conflict. Both pr
ties secured legal advice and each. by a
singular coiE cidence, employed an attor-
ney more noted for CAB than anything else.
At six O'Clock in the evening both parties
to the suit, with their friends, met mt the
Squire's The case was promptly called
| Smith and his friends had to admit tina,
ecutOr, and that they had discharged
their guns at duck in the pond; but
they pleaded that they were not aware
| that the grounds were posted. and taa'
they had no intention of committing tres
pass. This much admitted, there was
little need of further evidence, and so the
case resolved itself into war of words
between the opposing lawyers. For some
thing like four hours the attorneys badg
cred each other, and poured streams o
eloquence into the ears of the justice
Finally they exhausted themselves, ant
both sat down. But before the Squire
rendered his decision, one of the defense
arose and asked the privilege of intro
ducing an important witness, a witnes:
that hitherto had been overlooked. Th'
prosecuting attorney Indignantly protest
ed against this, but the prosecutor yer.
generously insisted that the witness should
be heard. One of the gentlemen theI
quietly stepped into another room, and
returning with something in his hand
gravely addressed the Justice: "You
Honor, the witness l wish to introduce
and which all have co. sented shall be in
PRODUCED, is before you. This is the duel
that MIR. Smith fired at so often and which
he failed to KILL" And then he thumpet
heavily down upon the table a wooden dc
coy. Smith grew very red in the face
and all laughed except himself and tn
two lawyers, who began to see loomin:
up before them huge practical joke
The decoy was well peppered with Shot
showing that Smith had not fired as wild
" as he had imagined. When order ha,
been restored, the Squire decided that tn
costs of the suit should be divided, tina
the defendants should cook the duck il
dispute, and that they should then invit
the prosecution to eat it with them. Thi
decision was eminehtly satisfactory to al
but the attorneys, who swore roundly a
being SO victimiZed but as each was pai'
the fee agreed upon, they were somewha
Modified. The deception was then ex
planned to Smith. By means of a stake,
ring had been fastened in the center o
the pond under the water. A cord was at
tached to the decoy, and passed through
/ the ring. The operator was screened b,
the mill. Whenever any one would fir
he pulled the cord. and, as Il matter J
course, the duck dived. The Squire wa
into the secret, and he consented TO asSis
at the mock trial. The only parties soil
were the lawyers and Smith. The latte
has grown older and wiser since then
He has cut his wisdom teeth, and nov
when out shooting ducks he takes goo
look before lifting the gan to his face