Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-16
spOOpGHDYKE AS A SPORTSMAN.
An Exhibition of His skill wlth
An Improved Breech-LOader.
Brooklyn EasIs.I

a 4 =
Isn't that too sweet" calculated
Mrs. Spoopendyke. I'm wear my
new dress and my Saratoga waves,
Where do we go2
"I'm going down on the island, and
YOU Il probably 90 as far as the front
| door," grunted Mr., Spoopendyke.
Women don't go shooting. It's
only men. All you've got to do is TO
wake me up and get breakfast. w hen
| come home we Il have sons birds. "
won't that be nicer chimed Mrs.
Spoopendyke. Can you catch birds
! with that thing?" and Mrs Spoopen-
| dyke futtered around the improved
| breech-loading shotgun, firmly i'm
pressed with the idea that it was some
/ kind of a trap.
II can kill EN- with this, explained
Mr.. Spoopendyke. This is gun,
my dear; it isn't nest with three
speckled eggs in it, nor is it barn
with hole in the roof You stick
the cartridge in here and pull this
finger piece, and down comes your
bird every time.
"Well, ism that the greatest thingl
| | suppose if you don't want a part
ridge you can stick duck or turkey
in that end, too, or a fish or lobster,
and bring it down just as quick. "
"Yes, or you can stick house or
cornfeld, or dcd gasted female idiot
in there too. if YOU want to-" snOrted
Mr.. Spoopendyke. Who said any
thing about partridge? Its cart
ridge that goes in there!
"Oh" calculated Mrs. Spoopendyke,
rather crestfallen. see now.
Where does the bird go?"
HE goes to night school, if he
hasn't got any more sense than you
have" snorted Mr.. Spoopendyke.
LOOK here, now, and Ill show you
how it works, and Mr.. Spoopendy Ike,
whose ideas of gun were about as
vague as those of his wife, inserted
the cartridge about half way in the
muzzle end, and cautiously cooked the
weapon.
"And when the bird sees that, he
comes and pecks at It'll Isn't that the
funniest and Mrs. SpoOpendyke
clapped her hands in the enjoyment of
her discovery. "Then you put out
your hand and catch hiln"
You've struck it' howled Mr..
Spoopendyke, who had the hammer on
the half cock, and was yainly pulling
at the trigger to get it down. That
| the idea! All you need is four feathers
and gas bill to be a martingalel
With your notions, you only want a
new stock and steam trip hammer to
be a needle gupl Don't you know the
! dod gasted thing has got to go of
before you get bird! You shoot the
| birds, you don't wait for 'em to shoot
| you;"
"At home, we used to always chop
their heads of with an axe" faltered
Mrs. Spoopendyke.
$50 would |, if was going after
measly old hens, retorted Mr.. Spoop-
endyke, who had managed to uncock
the continuance, but when | 20 for
yellow birds and sparrows | go like a
sportsman. While I'm waiting for q
bird" continued Mr.. Spoopendyke,
adjusting the cartridge at the breech,
III put the load in here for safety.
| And when / see bird | aim and fire. "
Bang went the gun, knocking the
tail feathers opt of en eight day clock
and plowing foot furrow in the wall
perforating the closet door and culmi
mating in Mr.. Spoopendyke's plug hat.
Goodness graciousl' squeakedMrs.
I.Spoopendyke. "0h, myl"
Mr. SpOopendyke gathered himself
and contemplated the damage.
why couldn't We keep stilll' he
shrieked. "What'd ye want to dis
! turb my aim for and make me let it
OFF, Think I can hold back q charge
Of powder and pound of shot while .
measly woman is soaring il through a
gun barFeli"
IF that had been 2 bird, how nicely
you would have shot itiP suggested
Mrs. Spoopendyke soothingly. "Il
you should ever aim at bird, you d
catch him surel"
oh you know what / could do
With yoGF i3tormation about gunnery
you only need a wsd in your mouth, .
kick like a mule to be a pountair
! hoWitzerl If / had your intelligence
on sporting subjects, I'd hire out for I
shot tower Don I you know you've
spoiled the dod gasted eHR2" And
Nr. Spoopendyke, anxious for SOM
excuse to take it back to his frienC
Spacklewattle, who loaned it to him
held it out and eyed bis wife sternly
You've ruinined that gun" he Goa
tinued, Solemnly. ut won't ever g
off again.
Never mind, DEAR" consoled Mrs
Spoopendyke. ITS been off enougI
, and I'd just as lief have some claus q
birds.pf
II wont eyer 90 of again, repeat
ed Mr. Spoopendyke, az be elimet
into his couch. That is q RUNE,
gun" and he turned his face to th
wall.
Mrs. Spoopendyke slowly dissobed
having first turned stream Of waite
t into the gun from the faucet, and be
2 took her to rest. ut may not 60 OIL
@ again, she thought, "but if it doe
< the neighbors will tbink the waite
3 main has burst" with which reAeptjo
i che began to pat the ear Of 81
1t Spoopendyke, who turned over like a
o earthquake, and wanted to know
i she thought she had not dsns enaug
d mischief without tanning him like
D, dod gasted blacksmith?
a Good Word for the Price {
h Wales.