The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1886-02-13
OF I'VE 0LDEN TINE
A Verdant Bportsman uoon 10,
Game With a Kentucky Gun

spent the summer u 1897 with an
old lady who had q small farm In on,
Of our Interior valleys | was In search
Of . small healthiul location, and a. III,
lived within easy walk Of the mountains.
was satisfied that II would suit eyery
demand
In order to employ my time 10 MI the
advantage ] desired, | began taking
long walks | explored every creek.
bed and brush trail for miles around
There were few other farmers in the
valley, but ! became thoroughly nc.
quainted with al Of them.
IN all these walks ! saw quantities OF
%gamc-quail, jack-rabbits. cotton.tails,
Wild pigeons, doves. and Frequently
deer. | had never been much Of n
sportsman q few days Of duck and
quail shooting embracing my total OK.
perience. But In the presence of such
game, a strong ambition began to take
possession Of me TO increase nv record.
The one barrier In my path, how.
ever, was the lack Of a gun, had neg.
iected 10 bring even n pistol with me
when left the city. and now the want
Of firearms Of any kind pressed heavily
upon my spirit
10 DC sure there was q gun on the
farm. But from the use OF il mortal
man was intordictcd. II was nm old.
fashioned Kentucky rife; five feet long.
u seemed to me. II hung above t6e
huge Fireplace, with n powder flask and
n bullet-bag beside II. Il had been tho
property OF Mrs, Bryce's-for that was
my l%andlady's name-late lamented
husband.
"He kerried Il all through the Semi.
mole war, an | wouldn't hoy yo' teoh n
honey for all III quail an rabbit In m
world"
Then would expostulate with her.
n 01er TO pay her double what il was
worth but all to no avail. Neither the
money nor the glowing pictures | Dor.
uaycd OF fried quail and roast yenlson |
could tempt tho old lady to sacrifice the
relic. '"
NO. was her reply, that Their
weapon Is sacred TO IT. memor Of
ozlras Bryce, an yo' cant coaS il of.
no how It's oil thar, loaded an ALI ies
a. he put Il thar, with the very sam,
charge he he'd In il when loaded mn fnr
70 shoot Big Jack. one o. them Seminole
chiefs. Only he didn't get no show nj
him an the war ended bout thai time
so he les come back. an said III ole gun
should stay jes' As twas 'thout bein'
ever hired I'LL there wa another Iniin
war but yo' see ihar didn't come none
IN MS Time, so tn old gun never had No
SHOW after that, an | jes' KEEP il like
that thar, an jes so I'm goin to keen
VII I'm clean gone. an then itIl 90 10
my daughters cldes, boy back in Mis-
Thus was compelled to possess nv
SOU IN patience aud await some accI.
dent OF Providence that should throw n
gun IN my way. II was a difficult task.
though, to endure a walk over the hills
ana mol resent the insults Of quail and
hares- How well they knew | hadn't . {
gun, and couldn't defend myself. And J
then when a saucy, young Pacific duck !
Q g q pert little fawn would carele.sly
.fip down through the openings TO see .
tne man who had no gun. Il strained ali q
me Christianity ! possessed to the high. I
est tension. :
one day had climbed TO the ton of a I
sunny bill, and lay down beneath 4
spreading ~pigeon.berry bush IN v
snloy me view. and the soft Z
oreele that swept down the Z
valley After a time I gradually doSed d
on nto inconsistencies and must have d
siepa Tor an hour. When | awoke the
branches above me were literaIly n
crowded with pigeons. | could almo:, a
feaeh them with my haad, though No, A
quite. remained perfectly sin for Il
hraiiy nan an hour, praying for a gun
~ inc time. Like the young lady In 81
democracy. ! thought h would he h
test Of faith. But no gun came. Then Il
IN = sort Of bafied frenzy I sna,chad :,
up q huge stick and whlrIed II Al The /,
iaites, pigeon could see. II strnck The
Dough beneath him, and the entire look h
the air. r"k "'o :
! went home and told nv landlady S
an aggrieyed air.
"humphr' she said. "ef I was va IA A
les zee 81 ! couldn't liz up somc sor,er n
DOW an arrer sech As tn Injuns hey. II
mcbo 20 could git so~me,hinf."
Inc hea struck me a. not quite nm. 81
cut a piece Of hickory oak
and manufactured a rude how ,akin, A
'ome alder twigs for arrows. | prac. i
diligently with this fierce weapon
OF three days and then gave Il up with Il
; mighty disgust might Just a, well
attempted proficiency with a tom.
Another dsy-it was a lovely Sunday a
moFninR-l CHANGED 10 BE- reading In = @
lern-hook. two or three fields away /.
from the house. | was half way thrangl /,
ne iirst chapter Of my book. when sud. 4
ienly q great four-tlned buck Jumped I
NE ience behind me and laxily inspected d
me from head 70 heels. was stnng by o
he contempt which his look and man. .
ner implied r
That's right" ! exclaimed holly.
nit q man when he's down. Hsap nm Il
III the afffont you and your relatives v
IN think Of when you know he cant c
himself Take your chanoe. ]
While You can. It's your turn now. hui n
won't be long. No. Stree, Il Won't v
~ eome back ~here-that I willard b
III fetch along a gatling gun and rake y
NE .hoie country. fore and al. BY I
SO saying, I srose and threw ms camp.
'eool 81 him he didn't wait for h b
lhough, but saucily hirted his tall. tool T
Ne fence with hfssen feet 10 spsrs. and I
bsck In the buzh again. .
Dot ny day had been spoiled. All the
le!lgsous calm n which ! clothed my. q
~ thst morning vaz nov bus The hlhv q
~ q raGs ed discomfort :
tosled baek in the hot sun with my :
gun n 3 lame. Entering the dark d
.sung-reent 81 down In : rockinr-
'a.'f = ve1ehsd he d6e which hsns a
4 .emps@a8 against he high chimnsv. /,
9nsn ss>med grand IN IL an b
- so. hsssy barrel via q
- psl.ked s>sck "a d>s.lx :,
vs'e f~n.rinasiae IL sRslr :,
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