The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-08-15

seized him alphabetically BY the
hand.
{" which," faltered. "whichP
Who Il that coffin forP"
Comm" cried Pepton, why, my
dear fellow, that Il not . coffin. That
Il my ascham."
t" AschamP" I exclaimed. "What Is
thatp"
" Come and look at II. 1" be said, when
the men had set IL on end against the
wall; "it Il an upright closet, or re-
ceptacle for IN archer's armament.
Here Is = place 20 stand the bow; here
are supports for the arrows and quiv-
ers; here are shelves and hooks, on
which to lay or hang every thing the
merry man can need. And you see,
moreover, that il Is lined with green
plush, and that the door fits tightly 90
that 1t can stand anywhere, and there
need be no fear Of draughts or
dampness affecting my bow Isn't
it . perfect thing? Yon ought TO get
one"
1 admitted the perfection. but agreed
no further. had not the income Of my
good Pepton.
Pepton was. indeed. most wonderful.
" well equipped, and yet, little did
those dear old ladies think, when they
carefully busted and reverentially
gazed It the punches Of arrows, the
arm-bracers, the gloves, the grease
pots. and al the rest Of the parapher-
MALTA Of archery, g it hung around
Pepton's room; or when they afterward
allowed . particular friend TO peep at
il, al arranged 50 orderly within the
ascham; or when they looked with
sympathetic, loving admiration on the
beautiful polished bow, when il was
taken out OF its bag-little did they
think, l say, that Pepton was the very
poorest shot in the club. In all the
surface of the much perforated targets
OF the club, there was scarcely hole
that be could put his hand upon his heart
and say he made.
Indeed. l think it was the truth that
Pepton was born not TO be an archer.
There were young fellows in the club,
who shot with bows that cost no more
than Pepton's tassels, but who could
stand up and whsng arrows into the
targets all the afternoon, Il they could
get the chance and there were ladies
Who made hits i've times out Of six /;
and there we're also all the grades OF
archers common to any club. But there
was no one but himself in Pepton's
grade. He stood alone, and it was
never any trouble TO add up his score.
And yet be was not discouraged de
practiced every day, except Sundays,
and indeed he was the only person ID
the club who practiced ct night.
As have said, there were many good
archers among the ladies of our club.
Some Of them, after We had been organ
lied for . month or two, made scores
that few Of the gentlemen could excel
But the lady who attracted the greatest
attention when she shot was Miss Rosa
/ When this very pretty young lsdy
stood up before the ladies' target her
I left side we'll advanced, her bow firmly
\ held out in her strong LEFT arm, which
never quivered, her head . little bent
I TO the right, her arrow drawn back
by three we'll gloved fingers TO the
| tin OF her little ear, her dark eyes
steadily fixed upon the gold. and heI
| dress-well fitted over her fine and
vigorous figure falling in graceful folds
about her feet, we al stopped shooting
to look 1T her.
aThere is something statuesque about
her," said Pepton, who ardently I'D
mircd her, and yet there isn't A
statue could never equal her unless W
knew there was . probability Of move
ment in il. And the only statues which
have that are the farley Wax-works
which she does not resemble In the least
There i only one thing that that CIR
needs to make her perfect archer, an'
that il to be able to aim better"
This was true. Miss Rosa did need Z
. aim better. Her srrows had curiou
habit Of going on al sides Of the target
! and 1t was very seldom that one chance
to stick into it, For, il she did make
! hit, We all knew 1t was chance and tha
there was no probability Of her doing
J again. Once she put an arrow righ
! into the center Of the gold-one Of tn
! finest shots ever made on the ground
!. but she didn't hit the target again 70
two weeks. She was almost .
!. bad shot q Pepton, and that Is sayin
2 . good deal.
4 IL tell you," said be, As he leane
q back in his chair, with his feet careful
4 disposed on the railing 90 that the
2 would not injure Miss Maria's Nader
& vine, " tell you, sir, that there are ~
things I crave with all my power Of Graz
d ing; two goals I fain would reach; tw
o diadems would wear upon my brow
A One OF these il to kill IN eagle-or SON
q large bird-with shaft from my GOO
II bow. I would then have IL stuffed an
Il mounted, with the very arrow that kille
}, Il still sticking in its breast. Th
e trophy Of my skill would have fastens
Is against the wall Of my room, or my hal
and would feel proud TO think TIL