The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-09-27


Advance the day when war shall cease,
And all the world shall be at peace.
-rtdnE DeY Carpenter, in N. =. Evenjng
MY FIRST GUN.
BY EDMUND ABOUT.
In the days Of my youth-when Alsace
was considered the best sportsman In our
part OF the country. He was lawyer,
and man of fifty, but no young game
keeper or forester was equal to him. No
one else was 80 good walker, no one
else was so sure shot, no one had his
presence of mind, his accuracy of sight
his GOODNESS and decision; above all, no
one had his prudence. Prudence is q
very great merit in sportsman, and oft
en- all Important to his success. / need
hardly add that he was always true
sportsman, never selling his game; he
was the kindest fellow in the world, and
the most agreeable. 1t was great privi-
lege to us boys to share days sport with
him: 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 had
missed it.
But as I said before the most remarka-
BILE thing about him was his prudence
He seemed always to be thinking about
the safety of everybody around him.
l recollect the day when he took me for
my first wild boar hunt up into the hills.
can see him now, dressed In gray from
his hat to his heels, except that be had on
bright cravat fastened by silver breast
pin.
He had his eyes everywhere; and, with
out debating to anybody, managed to
make everyone in the party careful with
his gun, even the old gamekeeper, Je-
rome, who was carrying his rifle too care
essly.
There could be no accident in hunt
where Frank Saverne was, and when he
halted for battue and he placed us each
behind a tree, shall not 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
10 the main BODY
When the days sport was over he ceased
to give us any orders, but he always used
to say, in his clear voice. 81 think we had
all Of US best empty our barrels" He set
the example, and every one either fired off
his gun or drew his charge. He always
unl0aded 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 day in particular saw him jump
twenty bitches in an hour, and every time
he had unloaded and reloaded his gun.
Notwithstanding which he bagged during
that hour six partridges and two hares.
One day, when was sitting by him on
the grass, eating some luncheon, ven
tured to say:
Mr.. Frank, know l can never be so
good shot as you are, but should like
to be as careful as you; yet do. not find
1t easy at my age to remember. get ex-
cited 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 gave sudden start, and I saw a
changed expression in his eyes. Then he
said, quietly:
My dear boy, my education on those
points was made in less than month. I
went to a hard school. God grant you
may never pay so dearly for the same vir-
tues"
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 own children,
for never had any, and it may be l owe
it to the children of others. No one in
this neighborhood is aware that Frank
Saverne, the sportsman they are all so
proud of-but who is noted for his absurd
precautions against accidents when he
was fourteen years old came near killing
his own father! Yes-you may well
look astonished. NV first shot nearly cost
my dear father his life.
had just finished my third years
schooling at Strasbourg, and Grandpapa
Frank-bless his kind soul-promised
me muzzle- loading, single barrel gun
if carried of a prize. I won the prize
for history, and got the gun; and was as
happy as King over it.
l had been wild to go out shooting
for long time. Like every other boy
of Alsace, had been accustomed since /
was ten years old to spend my holidays
carrying game-bags for real sportsmen,
helping the heaters to drive up the game,
OF seslng snares 1or rabbits or small birds.
40 De owner OF a gun now seemed to make
q man OF me;
Unluckliy, the game laws OF Alsace
would not permit boy OF my age to
take out q license ! was only allowed to
snoot IN an lnclcsure; IN our own garden,
Ior example, on the banks OF the Zorn,
,;.tsa Ill., ,hr,aS S re. "a do ,. ALI pSs Pool
t;"n ~ s,oh h;rd mneHs, anu .S
hsId - i hs ~ y' p by iHJ anu o :.
hsra c ~ az ~ .hoot uu wn i;.., m,sa.
~ m s;s, Ss'0 ~ '''oo' NY i''ie plo'nei
" . sl H. ;;..,.
me ~: hue gnn seemed likely 70 be OF
=" us0' WI IVY ia'ne' 'ooA colnPasslon on
.n s:.e -, ..s
,,,,,.. So.;'e 70 tS{ =. Jnc ne snlu, you
.nd IT., y ,oa. Ill, NV 49,. - nae gun
= T.u you msy e VEL Dcsln now ~ iater.
=, s ~. s St VA. ~ ~ narcn, wneIe nasg
- X 49, yoncvuy - s,sn law paper. !
~, W .ane KY WIN n aS anu - W. come
T H. W"..a o S''s AZ o S.;n. ~ - .e
= - =. 49, III a. sa'e e
IL tor-; - sn ~ - LII, ~ enu Aey 0es
U ~ $500 s ~ o4 Jai y; - nh. III;
~ how Lid IT, wssi What lorr - nsar
- ~, NV Eau wass Ma. tong way
49,, L. - -. nIS' faSt ~ W. ~ s ,s
INV paUsoaeu i Sr;r WIN ~ sle ulu
.s.s J VIZ 'ns,seI ayI !. na1s nis paPe.
bs ened s. inst = bersn to fancy II was VAS
growing dusk, and dc. our rs, shooting. would
The terpie,s ~ a. I mv fcet e we're less eager