Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-03-07
a Reminfscence OF CART cid.
[From the Omaha Bee,)

A gentleman AIMED Marcy, who has been
spending the winter with friends here, drop
ped into the Bee Office the other day, and in
the course of talk the name of the martyred
Garfield came in.
''Well, sir, I've known Garfield, ever since
l was boy. I could almost go bEndfolded
to the very spot where he was born. Know
him? I should say So 1t seems strange
enough, though to hear him called anything
but Jim, for US boys used always to call him
so, even after he had got to bea man full
grown and began to get famous. We vent
to school together, and can see him now as
a school boy just as plain as can see the leg
of that table there"
Talking of the sad end of Garfeld's life
led Mr.. Marcy to recall the fact that Gar
field in his early years was a wonderful
shot, and especially with rifle One incl
dent especially was fresh in his mind. He
tells it thus:
Garfield was then teaching at Hiram, and
I was living at Garrettsville, lively little
town only few miles away. He was known
far and near among the young fellows as the
best shot in that part of the country. There
was young man named Hi Beeeher, who
kept store in Garrettsville, and he thought
himself pretty good on the shot, and he was
too. He had got him a new rifle, and had
been practicing for months, on purpose to
get ready to beat Garfield. He had target
back of his store, distance of about 10 rods
and he blazed away at this day after day. He
used dead rest, and by steady practice got
so that he could put almost every ball inside
bulls eye as small as a silver quarter.
When he thought be had got himself in good
trim he told me to see James and get him to
come around to the store and shoot with him.
James used to come down to Garrettsyille of
Saturday, when there wasn't any school, so
the next time saw him I told him all about
it. told him what the game was, to get
him to shoot at ten rods and dead-rest, and
that, if he did that way, Hi would surely
beat him. Well said James, according to
all the rules of war and the code of honor.
the challenged party has the right to name
the distance and the weapons. I'll see to
him. After awhile, as Hi and were stand
ing in front of the store, Garfield came
along. 1 hadn't told Hi about seeing him
before, and called out to him and told him
Hi was getting little conceitsd about being
crack shot, and wanted to shoot with him
They went out back of the store, and HI
pointed at the target. 'PshawI y said James
that's no distance to shoot that's too much
like boys play. Let's make it twice as far,
| anyway Hi objected some, but James told
him he was the challenged party, and had the
choice, and they agreed to shoot at the fence,
about twenty rods of. when they commenced
| to fire. Hi was going to use a rest. oh,
stand up like man and shoot off hand, said
James. This was another settler on Hi, but
he had to do it or back down. Well, they
| fired six shots apiece, and all of James bull
lets were plumbed in close together, while
| His were struggled along over a string OF
three feet or SO long. His practice hadn't
| helped him much, and he had to osn up
beat. I never shall forget how Garfield
looked as he went back into the store, and
| putting on his oyercoat, stood for minute
| or SO broad-shouldered and manly, and his
| face SO good natured as he smilingly said
| We'll, Hi, whenever you find yourself getting
sort of conceited, just send for me to come
down again, and I'll try to help you get rid
of it. And he hurried out laughing, tc
| catch the stage to go back to Hiram"