The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-08-03
A Shot Not Shot.
BY JEROME BURNETT.

ihlAllbus VI spur HUNTING ilIN HoHlHS
round about the town OF Terre Haute,
Indiana. and while much could be writ
ten and told in reference to game killed
and fish caught much, also might be
said of times when game WAS not killed
and fish were not induced to take hold.
am inclined TO think there is studious
effort on the part of Sportsmen who
write and talk the few who are so dis
posed) TO mention only the brighter side
of their experiences, and to ignore the
incidents and trials that eNaspcrated
their souls
Talk about songs that are never sung,
OF kisses chat are never kissed, Of inn
mense sums of money that might have
been made they are Is nothing COM
pared to the biz fish we have hooked
and lost and inopportune occurrences
that have kept rs from bagging magni-
iicent game
You probably know of the great de-
| preston OF spirits that has followed the
discovery that your powder-nask was
lost-in the muzzle-loading days when
pigeons were coming over in myriads;
You know how thoughts of immeasur-
able disappointment arise with the view
of Il man ON horseback between YOU
and a flock of wild geese to which YOU
have been cropping your way on hands
and knees you probably know how
soon life becomes a burden by seeing in
tervening footprints in the virgin snow
when YOU have been tracking deer for
hours, and near by hear the report of a
gun; YOU possibly know the desoation
of spirit that comes, after going ten
miles to a tayorie iishing-ground. to
find that some rural ROSTERS have
just hauled a hundred yards seine. and
raked out every living thing. These
are the tootbaCheS of memory; but,
thank the Lord, they are only here and
there, The good times are the bright
est. and grow brighter. while the mis-
adventures and disappointmeuts serve
their purpose, perhaps to point moral
aud adorn tale, to teach us to be
| more careful, more observing, more ex-
| pert.
Speaking of turkeys. | was coming
| down to town from a friends farm on
Otter Greek, where | had spent several
days hunting squirrels. and having q
grand old time, for boy with new
gun. 1t was early morning, and was
footing it on the highway, approaching
what was known as Marke's Mill
The owner of the mill had put
| fence around dozen acres of land
near the creek, where he was feed
ing hogs for the Terre Haute mark
et Nearing the enclosure. | saw
six turkeys running along by the side of
the fence, about sixty yards ahead of
me- ducking their heads occasionally,
| picking up corn, aud trying to find an
| opening to get into the field had
never killed a wild turkey; in fact, had
seen but few alive,
What splendid shot" Isaid to my
self, ''if they were only Wild" Raising
my rifle. took aim. and further com
mcnted on the beautiful shot could
make, thinking of the likelihood of
| bringing down two at one fire, andwhat
a Jolly thing it would be to take home q
nice, fat wild turkey.
They ran along in the position first
| saw them two or three hundred wards,
showing some distress at my near APP
| preach. rs some tame turkeys are wont
TO Go, but evidently eager TO get into the
corn. Three times raised my rifle and
tool, good aim, wishing | could have
such shot at wild turkeys, and regret
ting that had not been able to lind any
the two or three days before.
Finally the gang crossed the road
within fifty yards of me, aud disappear
ed in Il strip of dense woods up the
creek. Before reached the mill man
came up to me and asked, with great
seriousness:
why what's the matter with your
gun?"
held up my pet rifle with some show
of pride and answered, Nothing"
"Why, er is she loadcdp"
yes replied, little piqued at the
mans peculiar manner
"O you're not after game" the man
continued.
"Yes, have been, but on tho WAY
down to town don't expect TO see much,
prairie chicken or two, perhaps, below
uNlb' hlINu " wv VI cIullltlS y tNl'l-
day"
Don't care much about big gamePn
Eyes, sir said, emphasizing the
latter word.
Just then two men crossed the road
back where ] had seen the turkeys, both
armed and intent on business
Reckon you haven't hunted round
here much haven't practised much on
turkeys and thingsP'
"No; squirrels have been my best
holt"
"Well, that's curious; well, why
didn't you give en- II twist, anyhow"
Say, mister almost gasped, as ]
heard crack OF rife, were those wild
turkeysN'
"ln course they was, and busters, too
Bill GatreIls got one Of EN- now, reck-
onr'
II was no use to talk further; it was
too late to repair my loss, and ! trudged
on home with n regret that twenty-five
years have softened but little. Forest
and Stream.
Mosquitoes and Elephants.