The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-07-18

jumping UPS anu tASNbii5 "
his bird 81 tell 'em to pOss-up, and
YOU see 'em dodge. Glib anoder shil-
lin, Billy, and hab anoder shot"
"No-the shot is mine" said the
Young hunter; ''yOu have my money
already. Leave the mark, and let me
try my luck"
"Ph it's but money thrown away,
lad" said Misunderstanding. "a tur-
KEYS head and neck is but a small
mark for a new hand and a lame Shout
der. You'd best let me take the fire,
and maybe we can make some sittle-
ment with the lady about the bird"
1.-The chance is mine" said the
Young hunter. 'Clear the ground,
that | may take it."
The discussions and disputes con-
corning the last shot were now abat-
ing, it having been determined, that
if the turkeys head had been any
where but just where it was at the
moment, the bird must certainly have
been killed. There was not much ex-
citement produced by the preparation
of the youth, who proceeded in hur-
ried manner to take his aim, and was
in the act of pulling the trigger when
he was stopped by Natty.
"Your hand shakes, lad" he said,
land you seem over eager. Bullet
wounds are apt to weaken the flesh,
and, to my judgment, you'll not shoot
so well as in common. IfyOu will fire,
you should shoot quick, before there
is time to shake off the aim"
"Fair play" again shouted the ne
gro; "fair play-gib Niger fair play.
What right a Nat-Bumppo tell a young
man? Let 'em shoot - clear a
ground"
The youth fired with great rapidity ;
but no motion was made by the tur-
KEY; and when the examiners for the
ball returned from the "mark," they
declared that he had missed the stump.
Elizabeth observed the change in
his countenance, and could not help
feeling surprise, that one so evidently
superior to his companions, should
feel trihing loss so sensibly. But
her own champion was now preparing
to enter the lists.
The mirth of Brom, which had been
again excited, though in much small
er degree than before, by the failure
of the second adventurer, vanished,
the instant that Natty took his stand.
His skin became mottle with large
brown spots, that sullied the lustre of
his native ebony most fearfully, while
his enormous lips gradually compress
sell .s1 "rCmnd the two rows Of ivory: that
had hitherto been shining in his visage,
like pearls set in jet. His nostrils, at
all times the most conspicuous features
of his face, dilated, until they covered
the greater part of the diameter Of his
countenance while his brown and
bony hands unconsciously grasped the
snow-crust near him, the excitement
of the moment completely overcoming
his native brad of cold.
While these indications Of apprehen-
sion were exhibited in the sable owner
Of the turkey, the man who gave rise
to this extraordinary emotion was as
calm and collected, as if there was not
be single spectator of his skill.
81 was down in the Dutch settle
ments on the Scoharie," said Natty,
carefully removing the leather guard
from the lock Of his rifle, ''jist before
the breaking out of the war, and there
was shooting-match among the boys
so 1 took a hand in it myself. think
1 opened a good many Dutch eyes
that very day, for l won the powder
horn, three bars of lead, and a pound
of as good powder as ever flashed in
the pan of a gun. Lord how they
did swear in German! They did tell
of one drunken Dutchman, who said
he'd have the life of me, before | got
back to the lake agin. But if he had
put his rifle to his shoulder with evil
intent, God would have punished him
for it and even if the Lord didn't
and he had missed his aim, | know
one that would have given him as good
as he sent, and better too, if good
shooting could come into the count.
BY this time the old hunter was
ready for his business, and throwing
his right leg far behind him, and
stretching his left arm along the bar
rel of his piece, he raised it towards
the bird. Every eye glanced rapidly
from the marksman to the mark, bu
at tho moment when each ear was ex
pecting the report of the rifle, they
were only disappointed by the ticking
sound of the flint only.
GA snap-a snap" shouted the ne
gro, springing from his COUGHING pos
ture, like mailman, before his bird
A snap as good as a fire-Natty Bump
} pc gun he snap-Natty Bumppo mis-
a turkey"
! "Natty Bumppo hit Niger" sal,
! the indignant hunter, ''if you don
t get out of the way, Brom. It's con
trary to the reason of the thing, boy
: that snap should count for a fire
when one is nothing more than fire
, stone striking steel pan, and til
e other is good lead, ay! and with
good aim; so get out of my way, boy
!. and let me show Billy Kirby how
shoot Christmas turkey.
: "Gib niger fair play !" cried tn
black, who continued resolutely t
u maintain his post. "Ebbery bod
: know dat snap as good as fire. Lea
: it to Massa Johe--leab it to lady"
e "Sartin," said the wood-chopper
sits the law of the game in this pal
n oP fho oountrv 7 oofbor ,+o oI,;n<r