Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-19
My First Gun.
BY EDMUND ABOUT.

EY EDMUND ABOUT.
In the days of my youth-whon Alsace
still belonged to Franoe-Frank Saverne
was considered the best sportsman in our
part of the country. He was Il lawyer,
and man of fifty, but no young game
keeper or forester was equal to him. No
one else was so good II walker, no one else
was so sure IL shot, no one had his presence
of mind, his accuracy of sight, his cool
ness and decision; above all, no one had
his prudence. Prudence is very great
merit in Il sportsman, and often alI-import-
ant to his success. need hardly add that
he was true sportsman, never selling his
game; he was the kindest fellow in the
world, and the most agreeable. 1t was II
privilege to us boys to share days sports
with BIN. He was always willing to let
US get the first shot at the game, and stood
ready to aim at the bird or hare when we
missed it.
But, as | said before, the most remarka
Bile thing about him was his prudence. lie
seemed to be thinking about the safety of
every body around him.
recollect the day when he took me for
my first wild boar hunt up into the hills.
l can see him now, dressed in gray from his
that his heels, except that he had on white
cravat fastened by II silver brcast-pin.
lie had his eyes everywhere; and, with
out debating to anybody, managed to
make every one in the party careful of his
gun, even the old gamekeeper, Jerome,
who was carrying his rifle too carelessly.
There could be no accident in Il hunt
where Frank Saverne was, and when he
halted for Il battue and he placed us each
behind a tree, never shall forget the firm
but very polite gesture that he made to
each of us, 1t meant, "Please to stay
here Don't move. whatever happens, till!
the sound of my whistle calls you back to
the main body"
When the days sport was over he ceas-
ed to give us any orders, but he always
used to say; al think we had better all
of us empty our barrels He set the eX-
ample, and every one either fired of his
pnn, or drew his charge. He always un-
loaded his own gun, unless he was about
to fire it, and the act became SO much
with him matter of habit that he would
do it almost by instinct without stopping.
One dav in particular | saw him jump
twenty bitches in one hour, and every time
he had unloaded and reloaded his gun,
Notwithstanding which, he bagged during
that hour six patridges and two hares.
One day when was sitting by him on
the grass, eating some luncheon, | ventur-
ed to say:
"Mr. Frank, know can never be so
GOOD shot as you are, but | should Ike TO
be as careful as you; yet | do not find ii
easy at my age to remember. get eXct-
ed and eager about the game, and then !
forget myself, and risk my own life and
the lives of other people How many
years did it take you to learn prudence
and care?"
He cave sudden start, and | saw a
changed expression in his eyes Then he
said quietly
"My dear boy, my education on those
points was made in less than II month.
went to hard school. God grant that
you may never pay so dearly for those
virtues
As he spoke he was lingering the little
silver breast pin he always wore when he
was dressed for days shooting.
| was afraid had been rude, and was
going to apologize, but he said suddenly:
" Yet the lesson ought not to be lost.
cannot transmit it to my children, for
never had any, and it may be that | owe
it to the children of others. No one IL
this neighborhood is aware that Franz
Saverne, the sportsman they are all ST
proud of-but who is noted for his absurC
precautions against accidents-when h'
was fourteen years old came near killing
his father Yes-you may well be aston
ished My first shot nearly cost my dea
father his life.
had Just finished my third year
schooling at Strasbourg, and Grandpap;
Frank--bless his Kind soul!-promsed M
muzzle-loading, single-barrel gun if
carried off prize. won the prize fo
history, and got the gun; and was AS hap
py as II king over it.
had been wild to 90 out shooting for
long time. Like every other boy of AIsace
had been accustomed since | was tel
years old to spend my holidays carryini
game bags for real sportsmen, helping tn
beaters to drive up the game, or settin
snares for rabbits or small birds. 10 b
the owner of gun now seemed to make
= man of me.
e Unluckily, the game laws of AlSac
would not permit boy of my age to tax
a out license. l was onlyallowed to shoe
in an enclosure, in our own garden, to
f example, on the banks of the Iern, wher
; there was nothing to kill but poor lfttt
, thrushes and wrcns, and the destruction {
{ such birds my father and mother held
b be sin. Besides which, might haV
| CHANGED to shoot my little brothers IN
1 sisters.
t The new gun seemed likely TO be of n
II use, till my father took compassion on M
S Some day or other" he said. "yo
e must begin to learn how to handle gul
: and you may as well begin now as later.
= am going over to Hagen, where | have
: get somebody to sign a paper. will tai
l. YOU with me, and as we come back we WI
k stop and shoot a rabbit in the Upper Wa
If rem. NJ. de Saint Far gave me permissic
L to shoot there. and key. Get the tw
n terriers out of the kennel"
y l rushed off, delighted to obey hir
t, Oh! how glad | was! What II long WI
st it was to the house we were going lilo
70 provoked l felt with the old client who i
e sisted upon having his paper read over al
i explained to him! At last he signed
ii Just as l began TO fancy it was grown
ID dusk, and our shooting would have to
d put off till the next day.
a The terriers at my feet were less eng