The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-29
HUNTING FLOWER IN TEXAS.
IAlex. E. Sweet, in New York Mercury.l

covered W1tn mowers ana ptoveT. Noth- ing more beautiful can be imagined. When properly broiled the blower has a more delicate flavor than quail on toast, and is much easier bird to shoot. The blower is migratory bird, like the bank cashier. He travels for his health. In former days great many birds came to Texas for the benefit of their health, and they were not blower, either.
 As soon as it is known in Austin that the blower have arrived, a great many people discover that they need relaxation so they hire spring wagon, and having loaded it down behind with demijohns so that the vehicle tips up in front, they drive out for days sport.
 When the blower see the delegation of visiting statesmen approaching they do not take to themselves wings, like riches, and fly away. It does not occur to the plover to initiate the quail and the jack rabbit and aee to the mountains of Hep- sidam, when gentleman comes around with gun and demijohn. On the con- trary, the plover seem to feel that the visit is compliment to them personally They strut about with their heads and their tails up like militia generals, or as if they owned the prairie. They, the plover, not the militia generals, gaze as intently at the approaching vehicle as it they intended to have one made like it for their own use.
 When the vehicle containing the demi- johns has approached within fifty yards, the plover huddle up together as if they were holding consultation. They bob their heads up and down as if they were saying to each other: "How kind it is 'or these city gentlemen to come out here to visit us. Perhaps they will invite us to take a ride with them for the beneht of our health"
 Of course, will not assert positively that the blower use these very words, but they look as if they were saying something of that sort. It is, however, a matter of history that the blower do get into the vehicle and ride home with the Nimrods but am anticipating, as we novelists say.
 The supreme moment has now arrived when the crisis can be no longer averted The plover, being strangers in the country, do not believe that Texans will shoot. The blower merely look at each other, raise their eyebrows, and smile, as if to say: "What new political dodge is this?" They do not seem to anticipate any sudden change in the administration. They do not seem to realize that they stand before the country in the light of offensive partisans aud that they are liable to be removed at any moment.
 All at once the quietness of the prairie IS bioken by volley of musketry, and then everything is still excepting the vail of wounded blower that proceeds to ac. cumulate space between himself and the visiting statesmen. As soon as the smoke ot the battle has been lifted from the scene, the late plover are seen stretched on the flower bespangled prairie in the cold embrace of death. Their remains are placed in the vehicle, and then the real object of the expedition IS disclosed.
 One of the Nlmrods winks and says, " Is this temperance picnic ?" Another winks back and asks anxiously, What was it the governor of North Carolina said to the governor of South Carolina ?"
 The large demiohn that looms up in the back of the wagon like lighthouse on barren island is tilted over, and
 
 These formalities having been com piled with, the velicle is driven in the direction of the next squad ot blower. Once more the guns are leveled, once more the plover lie down on their backs and hold up their legs in supplicating attitude, once more the hunters iu pursuit of relaxation wink at each other, once more the demiohn is tilted up at the proper angle and
 
 And so it goes on all day long-bang, bang, too,ie, tootle-the latter word being intended to represent the sound made by cold water in escaping from the neck of a demijohn.
 The prosecution of the blower is not devoid of the exciting element of danger. l know hunter who had a piece of his hat shot of. He had to pay two dollars for new hat. AS long as the habit of braining wounded blower with the butt end of gun that has one barrel loaded | and cooked is kept up, 1t cannot be said that eliminating plover is not an exciting sport.
 The blower is not vindictive bird. If you shoot at him with one barrel he will | turn the other also. This last quotation seems to be a little mixed, but that comes from my using the revised edition of
 Of course the hunter has the right un- der the constitution of shooting the | blower on the wing, but no true sports man will be guilty of any such conduct. It is positively mean to take advantage of the bird when he is away up in ihe air. It is also cruel, for, if the sportsman should accidentally hit the bird it would fall twenty or thirty feet on the hard ground. never take any such risks The best way is to get as close as possible to the birds, watch your chance and give | them what is called "a ground wipe" with both barrels. Then you will be sure | to fetch something.
 A Cheap Pair of Pictures.