San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-04-08
A SNIPE-HUNTER
Mr.. Jones Experience and His Tale of the
Haunted Mission.

San Antonio as a health and pleasure
resort is gaining an enviable reputation
in northern climes. and each year the
number of visitors who flock here in
creases. Mr.. Jones comes from New
York, and accompanied very rich
family from the same place in his ca
pacity of valet to the Senior men,
Der Of it. Mr.. Jones, besides being
dude, has keen Zest for
sport, and being told that snipe was
plentiful in the environs he earnestly
expressed his desire to go on a snipe-
hunting expedition the process of catch
ing the unwary snipe was explained,
and though he thought the method was
scarcely that which born Nimrod like
himself would have pursued, he con-
scented to accept the invitation which
was prOfiered him yesterday morning by
two experienced hunters of this form Of
game.
About s O'Clock last evening well APP
pointed buggy drew up at the Menger
hotel, containing the two aforesaid ex-
perienced hunters. Mr.. Jones was ready
and the novelty OF the trip made him
gleeful, and as various as numerous were
the questions he put to his companions.
concerning the habits of snips in this
portion of the country. 1--WE want to
catch two or three Dozen" said he; 1.-THE
old man is so fond of them. Say, what
kind are they?" why, jack.snipe, of
COURSE" replied one of the accompany
ing gentlemen. You know what they
are?'' well, should think So" re-
piled Jones, with know hawk from
a hand-saw expression. Conversation
of this nature occupied the trio until the
Second Mission was reached, their final
destination. Dismounting and each
bearing in his hands sack and candle,
they walked about half a mile into
the chsparal, when Jones was
asking II he could not hear the
snipe crying, sound which he could
have sworn was donkey trying to vo-
calIse the gamut reached his ear, but
not being sure Of this he replied in the
affirmative. One of his friends then lit
a candle and opening one of the sacks
showed him how to hold it open. Mr..
Jones knelt down and catching hold of
the sack with one hand he held the
other over the pickering candle.
"Shall kill them as soon as they enter
the sack?" Intercepted Jones. Mop
was the reply. "wait until it is chock-
full"
The two then left him to wait for the
snipes, and after fixing q candle a short
| distance off to make Jones think they
were going through the same operation,
they hied to their buggy and came to
town. Jones after waiting for about q
| quarter of an hour shouted out for them,
but received no answer, and q sudden
lurch from his uneasy position put his
candle cut, and he was In total darkness.
Beginning to get uneasy and the snipe
obstinately keeping out Of the way, he
got up and proceeded towards the mis-
sion, but no sign Of his companions
whereabouts could he see. Looking at
his watch he found it was but few min
utes to twelve and his heart sank as 1t
flashed upon him he had been deserted.
| His ears were shortly startled by the
sound of bell and suddenly peculiar
| glare lit up the ruined mission, the
swelling tones Of choir could be heard
and issuing from the portals Of San
Jose came Q procession Of figures
draped In flowing robes; as they
approached he could detect their monas-
tic garb, and he then felt supernatural
awe stealing over him, his spirit failed
him and he fell to the ground on his face.
How long he remained In that position
he knew not, but he was plunged into
Precipitation by feeling something clam
my touch his cheek. Shudderingly he
raised himself in desperation and found
what he at first thought to be spirit
hand, was the nose Of an old COW Of an
inquiring turn of mind. He broke and
ran.
About 3 O'Clock this merning a woe.
begone figure slowly entered the MengeI
Hotel office. He was so travel-stained the
clerk scarcely recognized him when he
asked msekly for the key Of his room, a,
Mr. Jones the sniDe-hunter