The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-14


wonder what prompted Fitz to play euchre. and
! speculate vaguely on the success that am to
have ni duck shooting on the morrow-for nm
to inhahit the battery" while my companions
60 goose shooting across tho hay. Never mind
j Will swing the howtzer us beat may. and
will not heed the swamp. 1t IL villainOusly
cold. and pufH out my candle with the inicn-
ton OF exploring Tor additional warmth further
within the rrcesses Of this ample covering.
voice. OF NJ. Laflin. which is raised in displeas-
ure. Hc is arousing Mr.. Williams. who naturally
enough hns ovcrslept himself and saving that II
is nall an hour past the proposed time for break,
last. filz murmurs ~ his sleep thnt we will
mud II N the lett hand side OF his valse." Mr..
Fanning's horses stand brisk and champing out
side attached to the wagon which Ia to convey us
to the fold OF our sport IL Is hnlf past 5 the sun
is UP. and out OF my window can see myriads
Of ducks wnging their flight up and down the
Itch feeding grounds OF Shinnecock Bay. Break
iSSi cones to us So hurry 6yn The chicken
turned on tho spit. and we. the breakfasters,
slight u. wherein we no more than follow the
morning Every man steams like afunne as he
breaks his fast with his overcoat on.
Guns In hand. we mount the wagon Mt last. II
is O'Clock, ana we arc AN hour late but we feel
that the entertainment of an hour ia for us no
more than a righteous handicap. At least Fitz
says so. Young Tanning. n youth with straw
colored hair, whips up his horses. We glance
seaward. and behold the wild flOcks darkening
the sunrise over the bay ere we enter among
narrow road. The wagon jogglee. and delights
us; the small branches whip our cold faces.
anu sung us 10 hlfTlutSh tue SKY nhllA us al
tornately with sunshine and sharp flurries OF
snow and pigeons and robins twitter and
whirl with impunity by us. whose thoughts are
We reach Fanning's Surely he is Mr..
Evarts. The shape of his head. the attenua-
tion Of his physical being and tho complicated
endlessness Of his sentences preclude the pos
sibility OF his being anybody olse. l become
now acaualnted with tho n9tHrg OF a battery,
and | wonder that Fil and NJ. Lnflin. both OF
whom are old sportsmen, could have been so
deceived In this regard The battery, which
from the shore. 1t consists simply OF box.
six feet long. two feet wide and two feet
Ggep a %'h Stoa YS1dsp pnTTm f s09u so
trepidntion and difficulty lie down in it., tho
platform becomes wholly submerged. and the
above the surface OF the bay. lie literally be-
meath the water. feel that lam concealed but
heart rs reflect that. with my pockets full Of
cartridges-somo nity pounds. | think-I may
be called upon 70 swim. cannot relrain from
| tho doubts that beset me but he answers me
that there is no danger. and l resign myself to
/ see NJ Laain and Fitz sail away to that dis.
| tant region where there are geese to be shot /
no time to fSS StRe5 uP2n hs s0 @TeTS.
acquaintance OF the same is entirely made
9uata, ana | 10 very stu. l know only that
| fi;Z has. with NJ. Iafln. consumed the last drop
OF one half Of his baggage. and put on the other
| half They 20. and remain alone. My head
| being partially raised against the end Of my
one.half way around the sweep OF the horizon.
% sSoned Of Wood SIT and aY eSss
one securely in my vicinity My eyes are aimed
across the bay. on the further side OF which |
can see range OF sand hills shining. To my
| left rises the weather stained village Of Canoe
| Place. aud to my right the Good Ground Light
ladder Of jacob; and hold nv I,S loaded gun 1l
across my crowded person and watch zealously
for ducks, The sun breaks from behind cloud
gems. Balls Of white light rise round about me NJ,
and assault my eyesight The lighthouse
OF magnificent duck. and l am filed with a
longing to rise and and pepper the impertiecnt con;
presently pr am SO rewarded; for a ountainous
| creature comes sailing hitherward. and It's vast
dark back and wings shut of the sunlight, and
As As il allows its two S''' enormous mot HweGGed
feet to sag and skitter along the water
my deccys. Up rise. filled with the instinct
| OF self preservation; and instantly nll things
monster THAT hat TS seo before me. but daeE@S
| broad-bill-which now sits on the water hardly
thirty test @ & away a rise he sierts ms
| OF alarm he turns and with outstretched neck
shoots laterally by me; raise my gun and
shoot, and down he drops. to my inexpressiole
| astonishment
am SO amazed at this transaction that I sink
at once back into my battery. not waiting to
| jubilant shout OF one Of the younger Fannings,
who is attending me. ne he goes cut in small
comes over me which heats me. up with the
suddenness Of an air-tight stove; find the good
have long to wait. Two magnificent creatures
| come sailing hitherward 10 my decoys. Grasp
ing my weapon tightly and confidently. l. wait
| for them to approach very near me then rise
| like Fate. and taking good aim. press upon the
| murderous trigger; but inasmuch AS IN the
flush OF my triumph / Jailed to reload u my
gun does not go on Again am astonished
but this time my astonishment is mingled with
For an hour and half nfter this my expert
| ence Is not greatly varied. / shoot one more
duck and miss thir three. am 10th to con
| fess that have had excellent opportunity The
ducks have flown oyer me as thick as flies in
summer time but have found them ,evasiye
and "A half that l have mentioned cease shoot
ing altogether. 1T is for this reason
3s Jae3 yOpnger, FanpnS e ,bo sq%S SaS hun
small sailboat soaring up ducks for mo- and q
litte wind sguall comes lightly leapng down
timaton have Of tits conveyed in the fact thai
all my decoys knock their heads " iolenty TO-
At their sleefui faciiity@ior / am too stf
Tith cold to turn even h finger G,r yndn6S. wi6e6SS
RaisTy aSagt ona wAvs a1S wave w o
lows the first as | am rejecting whether II WI
now two-thirds full and am wet. rise ilrs
10 sitting posture and now. feeling TINT I
plain 10 me that my battery Is about 10 go down
The water as | see In an instant meets all abou
its edge cOnveXly. and dribbles IN II
a momently-increAsinR volume. Besides
third wave II coming. and is nov
in close proximity. ! nm utterly a
a loss what measures 10 take; but instinct tell'
me to convey an idea OF my suntion to younl
Tanning. which proceed TO do. both orally an'
by pantomme. He turns his boats head upoI
me and comes skurTying down before the wind
Just as the third and fatal wave str kes me. Thl
battery seems 10 dissolve beneath my feet.
am filed with multitude Of lively speculatioui
as 10 how far | shall 20. 1t seems to me that
ought 70 take on my great coat and drop M
gun. The great cold bay rises with measured
dignity 10 greet me. ] feel II about my knees
my waist. my breast-and then. thank Godl
stop.
As young Tanning haus me over the side 0
the boat. he says that he ID very sorry Therein
his sentiments and mine wholly coincide. Nj
clothing has now been drying before the stow
for three hours. In another hour believe tina
| il will be in such condition that may reassum
1t and return to New York.
| Fitz and NJ Latin are Just bnck aH am abou
to depart for the station. They fred at th
same goose and killed II. Both claim tn
glory. and they will halve the goose.
SHERMAN TAKES THE CREDIT OFT
AttrIbutIng the Returning Prosperity TO hi
Management OF the Finances.
WASHINGTON Feb. 13.-John Sherman sa VI