The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-03-31
HIS HAND WASN'T STEADY.
Nor His Eye Quick, but When His Gun
Wont on the Boys Fclt Sheepish.


Wont on the Boys Fclt Sheepish.
An Equinunk, Pa, correspondent
writes: John Finley Tccplc, known all
over northern Pennsylvania rs Uncle
Fin, was 70 years old his last birthday
For more than sixty years he hunted
and trapped from the Delaware to the
Allegheny, and never missed II season
until two years ago. Then he made up
his mind to take rest, more because
game was getting scarce than because
lie was tired. His two boys, Lie and
Sim, could take care of all that was left,
he said. From that time until Il few
days before the past deer season closed
he hadn't touched his gun-a gun that
he claims has lain low bear and deer
by the thousand. One morning recent
ly he got out of bed and said to his son
Lie:
Lie, I'm goin' down in Pike county
an knock over deer before hole up fur
good"
Lie and the rest of the family tried to
change Uncle Fins mind, for they
thought he was too old to go tramping
through the woods on deer hunt. He
was determined, however, and so his
boys, Lie and Sim, fixed themselves up,
and got ready TO 90 with the old hun
ter. They went down on the Mast Hope
ridge, twenty-five miles from home.
Sim drove for deer, and Uncle Fin and
Lie stood on the rmways.
Father said Lie, Il guess I'll stay
close by you, for your hand isn't as
steady as it was fifty years ago, and
your eye isn't as quick. So III keen
close by you, and if Sim sends deer
along and you miss it III knock it
over"
"Yc will, hcy?" exclaimed the old
man, Indignantly. my ham hain't ez
stiddy cz 'twcrc fifty years ago, hain't
it? Nor my eye hain't SO quick? Wall,
now, my fresh young Nmrod, you list
plank yCrself over on that runway up
ycnder half mile or so, an I'll stay
right whar be. If n deer comes pitch
in long here thin gunshot O me I'll
show yu wutho' my ham haint ez Std
dy or my eye hain't cz quick cx they
uscty be. G,long with yc, an look out
fur yer own han an cye!'
"All right" said Lie; "but if you
lose the deer don't blame NO.
Lie went reluctantly TO the upper
runway. Uncle Fin remained where he
was. Sim went out on the ridge, and
after IN half hour or so started q rolls-
ing buck. 1t was good way of, but
within reach, and he blaZcd away at it.
1t kept right on. 1t bounded down the
ridge and passed along within good
range of Lie. Lie sent Il bullet after it,
but the buck kept right on.
Blame the luck" said he. Nov,
just for the old mans contrariness,
were liable to lose that deer. He
won't bc able to see it unless it runs
over him, to say nothing of hitting it."
The buck tore along through the
brush, and was clearing thirty feet at Il
jump rs it passed Uncle Fin, hundred
yards away. His cycsight hadn't en-
tircly failed, for he saw the buck. He
drcw bead on it, and let "old Bctsey"
speak. The buck gave two or three
wild bounds, and fell in the brush.
Uncle Fin didn't move toward it. When
the boys came up Lie asked the old
man what he had shot ut.
"a buck, reckon said he. "Whatd
you fcllcrs blaze ut?n
"A big buck" said Lie, "but
didn't reach him. Which way did he
go from hcrc?n
(Which way'd he go?" said Uncle
didn't We? If you smart rCu,tcrs don't
know how to handle Il gun yit mcbbc
yc know how to dress dead deer Ii
yo do, jist trot over ycndcr by that big
hcmiock IN hang up that buck. I'd 60
an do it, bat by han hain't rz s;ddy
cz twcrc fifty years ago, We know, an
my cycsights falin'.'
Lie and Sim could hear the old man
laugh all the way over to the hcmlock
tree, and when they found the buck w.
ing there dead as Il mackcral and with
one buIict-holc III it. and that through
the kidneys, thcy felt like butting their
heads against Il rock. They dressed the
deer and brought it in without word
ITS terrible thing wen man gits
old an shaky an durn nigh blind,
hain't it, boys?' said Uncle Fin, serious
ly, as the boys stumbled the buck on the
ground at his feet. "lt's the sappy
young fclcr with stidhy nerves that
knocks over the ven Yin, hain't it boyS?'
i hen the way this old man laughed
made the boys feel more shccpish than
ever. They took the big buck to Mast
Hope, loaded it on the cars, and got
home the same day they went away.
But the result of the hunt has satisfied
Uncle Fin that he made Il mistake i'm re.
tlring from the chase two years ago.
81 see We got to go out an give them
boys o mine Il little more trainin',N he
says. "Why, if | were the side Of n
barn wouldn't be 'fccrd to stan up an
let them boys peg away at me all day,
I'll be on the turf ag'in next season, cz
usual, an take 'cm in ham an / arm
'cm sumphin"