The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1886-02-13

't l'"'"P f'Hh iht' y KfNAl Nhea
field vt my side
Avid goose Il q hne-looking bird III
wellturned chest and plump Logo hnvI
always been q weakness NJ mine An,
nov Tor The FIRST time In my HE. I wa
surrounded bt an army II Wild geese
who were one md MI walking about N,
field within . few feet If where stood
quaeking with loud satisfaction. ~ the,
greedily dovoured the tondcr wheat
Kernels. could almost fancy them
trussed and basted. with knife and fork
IN their backs, marching around as 4
living invitation To dinner
The house was In easy roach. and Az |
looked upon the temptation. q wild
thought filled my brain dashed Of At
headlong speed, and In n few minutes,
was At the side gate ! could SEQ Mrs.
Bryce kneading bread IN the kitchen.
II Is we'll purmured. "she will
not hear me"
Then ! stcalthlly made my way round
70 The front door, and ercpt through the
hall into the sitting room. With tremb.
Ing limbs ! mounted q chair, and
reached down the ancient rifle and IL.
accoutrcmenis.
Then with y step rs cat-like as false
seStlis' ! stole out Of the front door
and around 10 the back Of the woodshed
Then, with trembling emotion, | sur.
Veyed my prize. II was certainly very
old, and a rich crust Of rust thickly
coated the barrel lock.
with q prodigious tug, | dragged the
cumbersome ramr0d from H. rusty bed.
Then Inserting Il In the cayernous bar.
rel J smote IL %sayagcly downwnrds TO
see whether or not the gun was really
loaded. II penetrated the depths with
dinicnlty' but beneath my excited pres.
sure, l. ut last, forced il down 10 almost
us length. | slowly dragged il out
again, and measured down the barrel
o The outside, There seemed to be a
difference Of about an inch. Could this
mean that there was already a ebaroc
IN the barrelP Here was n dilcmmanI
raised the hammer slowly; il was ySN
rusty and creakod with 4 gritty noise.
on the nipple underneath was an old
cap. lts ancient copper had taken ON
q blush tint Did this Indicate that tho
gun was loadcd9 In my emotional con.
dlilon' stamped with vcxation.
But something must be done. and | |
resolved TO take the bull BY the horns"
IL would v do to risk INV only
chance on q mere possibility. The Gun.
barrel certainly looked strong enough
to stand q dozen charges. Al ain
events ! could risk the chance of a
double load So without DELAY. Incurred
q generous measure from the ancient
powder horn into the barrel. listened
70 IL as II vigorously trickled down the
hlcrminablc pit Next, I drew forth
one oil the huge ounce balls from lis
leather bag, and after carefully patch.
ing with M Of the circular bits ofbuck.
sk'n' from the same bag. | fitted Ii into
the barrel, aud hurled the united
strength Of myself and ramrod upon n
slowly and surely II was driven home.
ihen' removing the mouldy cap,
,t'eh a new one upon the nipple. and
.tew a breath of mighty satisfaction.
soul thrilled with the thoughts Of
future %conqucsls.
My heart beat f~uriously A. I threaded
way through the blackberry bushes.
ana out TO the field. | went softly "a a
who Is bent ON slaughter and
revenge Al last | reached The fence
ne geese were NJ the upper end Of the
ield' several hundred wards away
not familiar with the range Of the
s'in' so decided to get as ncar TO the
gane as possible. To this end I eau.
ioisly walked along the fence. keepIng
ne geese constantly In view.
Finally reached their vicinity. They
,ad moved away from the fence some
distance toward the middle Of the icld. ,
, better shot could b. had II | climbed
ne fence and crcpt slowly down 10 them.
IL was a stout picket fence. and |
mould have to climb over. | had ma
hesitation In thus displaying myself to 4,
geese. since | had had but recently I
Q convincing an exhibition of their ,
ameness. ,
! argued falsely In this. for lust AZ
raised m, self to the crnss.har az Tho ,
encc' IN the act Of climbing over. the ,
uttered loud cries Of alarm. and i
'egan to rise slowly into the air. |
IN great excitement | raised NV GUN '
Sl,hough | was astraddle Of a s6arp |
all fence, | resolved MOI, TO be- banked /
n my hour Of triumph.
A. the geese rose, they slowly came
alling over me.
Pointing the gun at the very heart Of
great, fat cluster Of them. | leaned
lowly over backward 10 gc, good aim.
|
when ! picked myself from the ground ,
little while after. I remember making
painful effort 10 recall what had oc. :
'urred during the space of time that in. I,
ervened between the momen, when the !
encc became unmanagcablc. and tho :
lrst lawn OF awakening conscinusneSs a.,
ne only experience I could confIcn. ,
ialll rrcolleci during the same pcriod :
time was that of tho world rising :
.Iuddcnly up to NEE, the ton fences .
AL, aud causing thereby a duh thud i.
As . up half bewildcred. nv hrsi
instinct was to sec how much Of The /,
World still remained In an unwrrcked !
condition. gased stupidly about !
Inc world was still there. Then | re-. +,
ne'noered the fence. and wondered :
whether could afford 20 paw for re-
building. ! turned around 10 se.
whether any plckets were left Ye.
'ihey were all left; the fence was all
here, and all Of H. {
Twas holding something in nv rich, 1
lsnd lElanced down IN playful en-.
II was a curiou. Bit Of woo5,
examined Il more closely. II proved 1
Q b the remains Of a sun..,ock. I
n reminded me Of the rife. wher, :
'ould that rife have gomez walked
70 the fence, and looked about the !
round on either side. There wer. NO =
~ w"
NJ neat sensation was a dim fe.linv n
Aai ihere ought 70 be a Head r,oss :
ring on the ground. sumeeheF. .s.s :
}. Whersupon | made an a. Il
lve, Thorough mechanical s~splora.io, \
I The vicinity. but did not e,5
zen = Eoo<sss.thsr.