Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-26
Kentucky Boy MarkSman Sixty Years
Since.

In Mr. Josiah Quiucy's "reminiscences
Of Washington ia ls2G we find the fol.
lowing:
Another remembered occasion was
state dinner OF forty ladies and gentle.
men, very splendid and rather sufT.
Ny place was next a pretty Miss BIl.
lett, OF Kentucky; but, TO say the truth.
III" conversation rather dragged b..
tween u- until discovered that we
had mutual friend in Iarz Anderson.
% Cincinnati. had known Larz well
in college, aud remember when he ar
rived IN Cambridge, small. haxcn
haired boy, accompanied hy two com
pauions from the distant West. They
hal come all the way from Kentucky
on hnr-"uACk. their effects being borne
IN -aiiio.bAc behind the riders. There
Was no public conveyance, the roads
were exeCTable, and this manly mode Of
travelling was then the only way OF get.
ting 20 Harvard. Now, ] happened to
have story 20 tell about our friend
Anderson, which felt sure would graf.
ity the pride OF a kentuckiau and as
have not recorded a word of what my
fair neiehbor said to me. ! can only
T.
the substance OF my tale might be
written out thus:
oxford street, in Cambridge. is at
present very decorous thorouehfare.
not az all adapted to the wild sport OF
turkey.shoolIng, for which purpose the
ground it occupies was used when / was
IN college, we stood with our backs to
the site OF Memorial Hall, and dis
charged rifles at long range at a turkey
which was dimiy discernble in the dis.
tauce. 4 small fee was demanded for
the privilege of shooting, and the turk.
ey was to be given to any one who could
hit IL. But, except for some chance
shot. like that made by Mr. Tupman
when out rook.shooting, IL was safe 10
predict that nobody would hit 1t. The
usual end of n Harvard turkey shooting
was the departure Of the proprietor of
tho turkeys with all his birds and all
our sixpences. Still, there was the ex.
element Of "A lottery about il, IL nothing
else. The ball, IL discharged. must
strike somewhere and. II 80. why
might 1t not happen to strike the turk.
ey2 The logic was simply irresistible.
fowl Of that magnitude would be
most ueslTAulc huuitlo0 10 the meAnrp
fare furnished by the college commons
and 80 the rifles cracked, with small re.
suits 10 the students and splendid prof.
its to the turkey.man. One day little
tow.headed fellow appeared on the field
and desired to take part in the sport.
Though he seemed almost too young 10
be trusted with a rife, the master of the
fowls tforeseeing future gainsl was quite
willing he should try. lie must first
receive proper instructions about the
holding and pointing Of his piece, and
then there would really be no danger.
Young LaTz received the directions with
great good nature, raised the rife. and
down went the turkey. The man stared
with amszement, and then broke into a
smile. "Try it again, young one" said
he; most any one can throw skies once,
you know" Another bird was procur.
ed, and the ball flew to the mark with
the same result. The law of chances
was nov so overwhelmingly in favor Of
the turkey.man that third bird was
set up with some confidence. Again
the boy raised his rifle, aud that third
turkey was added TO the banquet upon
which his friends would regale. "Well,
where in"--in the United States, let US
call it--"did you come from ~ exclaim.
ed the master of the fowls, who began
to realize that his occupation was gone
81 came from the State Of Kentucky,