Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-18
Capt. Barker's Gun.

SupttiH hOtS VI ~ "'''o
gun. The gun is smooth-borc muske
of venerable pattern. The Captain doc
not like to loan bis muskct, and yet ha
not the strength of mind to refuse. Al
sort of compromise he loads the gui
half full after using it himself, and put
it in waiting for the next applicant. Al
may be readily imagined by the impair
tial reader, the weapon is rarely borrow
cd twice by the same party. The othel
day man named Richards borrowed
the gun to go on a hunting expedition
The Captain hesitated in his usual way
but finally lot him have it and cautioned
him that it was loaded. When Richards
got out of town and was approaching
some water where he expected to find
something worth shooting, he dropped
the ramrod into the gun to assure him,
self that it was loaded. The ramrod
went down but half way. Richards
give it o sharp shove, but it did not
move any further. The charge hall
filled the gun. Richards was startled,
and as he thought Of what might have
been the consequences had he fred that
charge. He turned pale and instructive
" felt of the back OF his head. Then he
recovered, and smiled to himself, and
drew the load, and went on his expedi-
ton. Getting ready to return home III
the afternoon, he loaded up the musket
as it was when he received it. It was
also at four o'clock when he entered the
square on South street. Several men
were standing in front of Parkinton's
grocery. The Captain was among them.
When Richards came up Barker said;
"No luckw
"No; couldn't hit anything"
Chow do you like the musket |" in
ouired the Captain with nervousanxiety.
"Well, it rather staggered me at first
but I got more used to it as WENT" said
Richards quietly. at don't carry well,
| guess'" he added. e
"Thero amt as good Il gun gun in this
town." said the Captain with flush in
his face, "if you only know how to nse
it. Is it loaded?" ....
eyes" said Richards in u suppressed
voice, passing the weapon with Il tren-
BILE to his hand that the Captain might
have noticed had he on his glasses.
''Now, III tell you what I'll do, Rich
ards" said the Captain. ''You just put
up your hat again that tree" (includins
one which stood about forty PAGES in a
Meadow "and I'll put a bullet clean
through it," .+
'It's almost new hat, " said Richards,
as if hesitating, although quiverlhg in
every nerve, "but Pm so sure you can't
hit it with that gun, Captain, that I'll
run the risk" .... u tI
He put up the hat and came back ana
took position back of one of the posts to
the grocery's portico. The Captain was
10 busy putting on his glasses that he
did not notice this precaution.
"Fortllnately for me,' observed the
prudent Richards to himself, as he look.
cd from behind his shelter, "thore ANITA
man in the crowd care a cent for, orr
might attract suspicion to warn them to
got at safe distance"
The Captain secured the right bead,
the company were looking Oh with
breathless interest, and then he pulled
the trigger. 5-r.. -.~.se
There was terrific explosion, cho
rous of terrified yells, and the confident
Captain was in the middle OF the road
flat on his back, with the gun tightly
gripped in an outstretched hand, while
they stood motionless, with a ring sound
in their heads which for the moment de-,
prived them of the power of thinking.
The Captain was the first to recover.
He worked himself up OH his hands and
knees, and staring blankly around, his
eyes rested on Richards, who was get
ting over the fence with his hat in his
hand and q demnre expression upon his
face. ....-- arh
"Gentlomen," he impressively OBJ
served, drawing a hand across his brow,
"this all seems like horrid dream"