The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-03-04
Careles sness with Firearms.

/
am reminded every once in while
upon reading some tragedy caused by
reckless s.fooling" with guns and pistols.
how near ! once came to taking the life
OF fellow being, and it has been o con-
slant warning to me never to point gun
at anybody, unless in self-defense. At
the time referred to, which was ABOUT
1858. was learning the printers art at
161 Lake street, and during a slack
| time in the fall the boys in the Office con-
cluded to have trip to the Calumet
after ducks. Most of them, not owning
! guns, had to borrow or hire them, Oh
Eordham, our pressman land still we'll
| known pressman of the city, now o veri-
table Falstaff in his proportionsl hired
| gun of Eaton, think. We secured a
team-five or six IN the party-drove
down before daybreak, had but indiffer-
ent luck, but of course had good time,
with the usual accompaniment of small
mishaps, such as capsizes. breakage of
harness, ETC., and returned by moon
light in the evening of the same day
Those of the boys who had borrowed or
rented guns left them at the Office until
the next day. It should have been
stated before, however, that previous to
getting into the wagon to return home
we all discharged our guns-or supposed
we did.
Next day at noon, while I was washing
mp, Fordham's S gun, which was standing
near the washing caught my eye
and took it up to examine it. Fordham
was working the old Ruggles press at
the other end of the Office, distant, per-
haps, fifty feet. ] cooked the gun, both
barrels, several times, as everybody does
who gets hold of a gun to examine it,and
seeing that there were exploded caps on
both nipples, had no doubt but that the
gun was empty. Then asking Fordham
If the gun was loaded, and receiving q
negative reply. boy-like, I said:
Give me leave, OF"
"Yes, said he, without taking his eyes
from his work, fire away
| had some caps in my pocket, and
thinking to startle him, I placed one
on the right hand nipple, took good aim
at lis head, and was about to pull the
trigger, when sudden impulse caused me
to turn and aiEl at o handbill hanging
about ten feet from him.
A loud report, tattered hand bill.
scared pressman, and worse scared in
dividual holding gun in his neryeless
hands, was the result
Is it any wonder that then and there
resolved never to fool with firearms un-
der any circumstances.-[C Corr. Chicago
Field.
The TRUE WIRE. -Oftentimes I have
seen tall ship glide by against the tide
as ii drawn by some invisible how-line,
with hundred strong arms pulling it.
Her sails were untitled, her streamers
We're dropping, she had neither side
wheel nor stein wheel; still she moved
on stately, in serene triumph as with her
own life. But knew that on the other
side of that ship, hidden beneath the
great hulk that swan so maiestically,
ii ere was little toilsome steam-tng, with
u heart OF fire aud arms of iron, that was
tugging it brayely on; and / knew that
if the little steam-tug untwired her arm
and left the ship, it would wallow and
roll about and drift hither and thither,
and go off with the refuent tide, no man
knows whittier. And so I have known
more than one genius, high-decked, full
freighted. idle-sailed, gay -pennoned, but
that for the bare, toiling arms, and warm
beating heart of the faithful little wife
that nestles close to him, so that no
wind or wave could part them, would
have gone down with the stream, and
haYe been heard of no more.