Sharp County record., 1880-08-19
Shooting In England.

Next to the horse in England is the
gun. Accustomed as we are to see En-
glishmen who have crossed the Atlantic
to visit America, and whose idea OF that
tour of observation seems to be to go
two thousand miles further to the West
ern plains to shoot, we yet have no ad-
equate appreciation OF the Importance
which shooting as one of the occupa-
tions of life has in the minds of tens OF
thousands of Enghshmen. Hunting
and shooting in England are not mere
recreations, forms Of casual pleasure,
to be enjoyed now and then, leisure and
weather serving. In the hunting sea-
son hunting men are not content, as l
found on talking with some of them, to
90 out with the hounds once or twice a
week. They hunt three or four times a
week, and even every day, except Sun
day, if possible! | wonder that they
except Sunday. For if man in the
country may work in his garden, and a
woman in London may cry water-cresses
on Sunday, out of church hours, l can
see no reason why these gentlemen
should refrain on that day from la
boring in their vocation. Their vo-
cation and calling it surely is.
1t is the business of their lives;
and to hear them talk about
it one would imagine that it had the i'm
portance of an affair of state. Shooting
is hardly less thought of, and is more
general because it is less costly. The
pheasant, the partridge and the wood
cock are sacred birds provided for
solemn sacrifice. "Does he preserve"
is question that l have heard asked
by one country gentleman about another
with as much interest and seriousness
as if the inquiry were whether he had
seat in Parliament. An engagement
to shoot is paramount to all others; an
invitation to shoot, like an invitation
from the President at Washington, sets
aside all others. Englishmen will go
from one end of the country to another
for few days shooting; and shooting
means, nowadays at least, not morn
ing's walk with dog and gun in fine
country and the bringing home OF few
well-earned birds and rabbits, but mere
gun practice in park at birds as flying
marks. 1t has lost its connection with
the enjoyment of nature and invigora-
ting exercise. The "sportsmen' take
their stands and the birds are reused
from the gorse by the gamekeepers'
helpers, and are shot down or missed
| an thev coma within ranpe.
As 1 was in England during the shoot
ING season, l had some invitations to
take my chance at the pheasants. But
l accepted none. l could use the little
time l had to spend there in other ways,
more to my advantage, and also to my
pleasure. As to shooting birds in that
business-like fashion, would as soon
take trout out of a tub. And that, l
suppose, will be the way soon provided
for the practice of the contemplative
mans recreation. The next thing to it
seems to be the going to fishing hotel
and angling from boat in a mill-pond.
Why not fish and shoot by telegraph as
we'll as in this wayp The charm Of
field sport is the feld-the early start,
the sharp, clear morning air, the sun
rise, the walk over hin and through
meadow, the country through which the
game leads the seeker, the midday rest
and luncheon with companion or two
by clear, sheltered spring, whose cool
water is tempered by the contents Of
TASKS which counteract the unmitigated
effect of that dangerous fluid, the re-
newal of the search for game by wood
side or brookside, and the pensive walk
home to a hearty dinner, pleasant
evenings languid chat, and a well:
earned dreamless sleep. Compared
with this, what are preserve-shooting
and pond -fshingP Richard Grant White,
in atlantic Monthly.