The Ottawa free trader., 1883-06-23

,. shoot. There halnt no man nowhere II
9 West Virginny kin beat me shootn'
Hold on now. Thar he is under that
rock Yer too far-back bit-tharr
had n wire running to small float
from this one, which got hold of from
: the boat. As Tim fired | jerked the
frog into the water Missed again, u
| said. Better let me kill them with the
T oar, Tim"
"Go-Wcll, | never" said Tim, think
ing better of it, Tibet bar must hev
.. chawed the bar'l crooked when he bit
off the sight, and Tim sighted along
his gun. mo, 'taint. 'Tant the pow
der, neither, nor the cap, nor the ball,
: con run EN- myself. BY gosh! Col
oncl hits the patches. made 'em out
nv Seth Jones old boot legs, an he's
allus drunk. Hits the derned patches.
They's so used to wobblin they can't
stop, an | soaked EN-, too; ! thought
the water smellcd of whisky
"Pshaw! Tim You re like all the rest
here. You're the best man until YOU re
tried. Any boy ought to shoot frog"
"Now, lookce yer, Colonel; wouldn't
low ledge on the bench to say | can't
shoot, nohow, without gcttin fined for
contempt, an lwuz once fer only tcllin'
the ledge he was an ole fool, An |
told him cf he'd take off the fine Td say
he were no bigger fool nor any other
fcller that 'ud say what he did, an ketch
/ him 'nough live minncrS for Il weeks
ishin up our way, con | couldn't pay
the fine, an he let me off an came for
the minners. I've shot deer through
| two hoofs to wonst an him runnin'--
on n bet-an' say ! cant hit n frog.
Let's see another un an I'll swoller the
ramrod cf don't git him.
The next one was wired to n log, so
that balls would not knock him off, but
a good side stroke would. He soon
came into full view, and Tim hailed him
with delight Gosh Lookee thar at
him scrouchen, punched up ready for
sprawlen. had rifle traded for
onst that 'ud a gone off itself if it were |
dared like that" Bang! The frog !
shook, but held his ground Tim swore
a streak and stamped, flung down his
rifle and nearly upset the boat laugh
ed until | ached
"Why, Tim," said, "you couldn't
hit n school-housc You We been stufling |
me about your shooting, Give me your
rifle and I'll kill it for you" Tim swore
"he'd eat skunk first" Loaded, aimed
with great precision, and fired again,
with no better result. The wires held
well. Tim stood dumbfounded.
"Tll move in closer, where you can
hit him, or blind him with the flash, so
that you can catch him. Thirty yards
is too loEg range foryou." Tim clubbed
his rifle and looked murder at me.
"Taint no use settin there GRIMM
wus nor 'possum an laughin' wus nor
n jackass. Maybe some one hez witch
ed my rifle. seed granny Miles look
in at it 'tarnel queer like, an mutterin
The derned ole wrinkly up
yarb woman. Don't YOU go closer fer
me or I'll blow him tail fust ten feet in
ter the mud the big mouthed, blinkin'-
eyed critter.'' Bang! "H--'s fire
and red peppers! May | be kivercd
with boilens boilsl an a scratchin'
shirt, cf ever | seed anything like it.
IF had.a rock Tdknock his snout clean
through him."
Yes" | said, you'd better get you
a stone, Tim; you'll never hit him with
a ball"
MAY be rhcumatized an tarpen-
tined, coal-iled an set fire to, ef don't"
As Tim was standing on the bow OF the
skiil', and was padding from the stern,
his back was toward the frog as he load
ed. So Ipaddled slowly in backwards
and knocked the frog into the water,
from which iishcd it out and put it
with the other one Tim was looking
sick
Put down your rifle and take the
Tim; perhaps You can kill
some with it, We must have some to
make show, and I'm afraid I'll split
my oar killing them. -
"Dern yer oar; I'll break it over yer
head cf yer tcche> another one. I've
cut the spike ont NV humble bee a !!
yards an more. an him pint d,
ed end up on thistle. Thar's sumthin' y.
wrong, tell yer. must hey swal- i,
lcred u chaw tcrbackcr; feel kinder ,
pukey." !.
Tim revived when he saw the one with .
his head just above water. Take !,
l'H'' = 'i'i, VI SN'' iNh' u l'ol' II =
not the best way to learn to shoot, but ,
you may get him in time
Tim fairly trcmblcd with rage.
al arm ter shoot !Larn' You comes
yer from the East mean 'nough ter shoot !.
with n shotgun, an puts in 'nough pow !
her an shot in ter the wrong end in yer U
breaken gun to hit Il squ'rl ef you aim
ed tother way. Larn! I'll bet my rifle :
gin a quarter I'll cut that frogs !:
throat. :
Done | said; "here's my quarter u
IN the seat, and I'll allow you to take \ =
a rest 81
Rest said Tim in great indig- !,
nation. "Does yer take me for wo6- !, !
Dler?"
He fired. The frog raised and in c c
'tantly settled back to his position. u
Tim turned pale and his nerve was all o o
gone. y
"Colonel,' he said, ''yer'S the rifle. =
The ayers comm back on me like | = ,
ned it ten year ago; I've got ter 90 hum u u
IN shake. knowed ther whar some :,
hin wrong, Yer's yer rifle | hate + +
powerful ter Gin up ther ole gun; I've .. d
radcd back ard an forrid fer twenty