The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1876-09-29
The Wild-F Fire Muskef.

The Wild Fire Husket.
Guns are apt to go off very unexpected
" ,at times, and hence the unpleasant
emotion oceasioned when gun is pointed
at you, even if you are assured that the
weapon is empty. But here is a gun story
in which an innocent dog figures as the
hero, and creates alarm by his affeetionate
nature:
The Challoner family lived in the woods.
There were several grown-up "boys," the
eldest Of whom was Joseph, the hero of
this tale. Another important member Of
the family was their old Newfoundland
dog, Caesar; companion and playmate of
the 'boys" from their infancy.
By some sdiekern Or another, Joe had
become possessed Of gun. And such a
gun! one Of those ancient, long -barreled,
vide bored, bell-muzzled weapons known
in pre-reyolutionary times as fking's
arms !" shaekly in the stock, uncertain IN
the lock, and very champions to "kick;"
but it was new source ofamusement,a and
Joe and Caesar secured the adjacent woods
continually-not without some success
where game was so thick and handy-but
with a large expenditure Of ammunition
averaging to each kill. One day Joe, load
ing up hastily ere he left the house, got IN
charge which, on further consideration,
he feared might kick him to Jericho, if he
discharged it. The ramrod had no screw,
he couldn't draw the charge, 50 he deter
mined to tie her to the fence, clap-on fuse
Of 'wild-fre," and let her go off herself
Deciding on this, he returned to the house,
and obtained some yards of clothes-line,
for Iashing.
"Alrs, how easily things go wrongl
Alas, how hardly things go right!'
Joseph, in the few minutes thus occu-
pied, suffered himself 10 be led astray by
the spirit of mischief; and determined to
lash the musket to poor ola Caesars ribs,
instead Of the fence, by way Of giving the
old dog "big scare"
All being ready, Joe sauntered down
among the trees, intending to observe the
fun from a safe distance, when he discoY-
cred small oversight in his preparations.
Cesar, with proper dogly instinct, was
trotting leisurely behind lis master, and
| horrid to relate Joe had thoughtlessly
mounted his antique artillery SO that the
lnuzzle looked ahead, projecting far beyond
the dogs nose; thus placing him in pre-
dicament anything but easy to get out OF,
Joe ran and roared blue murder. Natur-
ally Caesar ran too, and only kept the closer
to heel. Joe took big birch, and went
up some forty feet with the agility OF a
monkey Caesar looked up, cogitated sa-
gacionsly fo1 moment, then dropped On
his launches to await his masters descent,
which proceeding elevated Ling Tom until
the proprietor could look right into the
muzzle. Joe vacated his roost squirrel
fashion-one or two drops-and again ran
and roared. Then Bill appeared on the
scene-Joe's cries had family reached the
house. "Bill, Bill, call that darn dog off y
screamed Joe in agony. Bill called ae-
cordingly, and obedient Caesar trotted at
once in his direction. Then Joe bethought
hit self of Bills peril, and how lie was
himselfin danger Of being a second Cain ;
and screamed warningly: Run fer yer
life, Billy dear, run-the eussid old guns
on the dogs back with fuse, and a tar
nation great load o powd er an buck-shot
in" Then Bill split for the house and
roared blue murder likewise, but tripped
and fell on the grass. Then Caesar reach
ed the fence, and, in attempting to leap
it, thrust the muzzie between the poles
an 50 remained, struggling to get clear,
until Joe suddenly discovered that the
wild fire" had burnt off long ago, and
failed to ignite the charge. They tied the
gun to the fence next time, and had better
luck with the second fuse.