The Osceola times., 1886-02-27
OF "YE OLDEN TIME"
A Verdant Sportsman Goes for
Game With a Kentucky Gun.


old lady who had a small farm in one
! of our interior valleys. | was in search
1 oi Il small healthful location, and as she
lived within easy walk of the mountains,
j was satisfied that ii would suit every
demand.
In order to employ my time to all 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 ac-
quainicd with all of them.
In all these walks SAW quantities of
gamo-quail, jack-rabbits. cotton-iails,
wild pigeons, doves, and frequently
deer ] had never been much of q
sportsman; Il few days of duck and
quail shooting embracing my total ex-
perience. But in the presence of such
game, strong ambition began to take
possession of me to increase my record.
The one barrier in my path, how
ever, was the lack Of a gun. | had neg
iected to bring even pistol with me
when left the city, and now the want
OF firearms of any kind pressed heavily
upoh my spirit
To hc sure there was gun on the
farm. But from the use of il mortal
man was interdicted, Ii was an old
fashioned Kentucky rifle; five feet long,
il seemed TO me. IL hung above the
huge fireplace, with powder flask and
"a bullct-bag beside il. 1t had been the
property of Mrs. Bryce s-for that was
my landlndy's namc-latc lamented
husband.
"iic kerried it all through the Semi
mole war, an | wouldn hev yo' tech it,
honey. for all til quail an rabbit in tn
world.
Then | would eXpostulate with her
and offer to pay her double what it was
worth, but all to no avail. Neither the
money nor the glowing pictures por-
trayod of fried quail and roast venison
could tempt tho old lady to sacrifice the
relic
''No,' was her reply, THAT ther
weapon is sacred 20 tn memory OF
Oziras Bryce, an yo' can't coax il off.
no how, It's all thar. loaded an all les
rs he put it thar, with the very same
charge he he'd in it when loaded up fur
40 shoot Big Jack, one o them Seminole
chiefs. Only he didn't get no show at
him an the war ended bout that time,
SO he ies come back an said tn ole gun
should stay jes' as twas 'thout bein'
ever fired till there was another Iniin
war; but yo' see thar didn't come none
in bis time, so tn old gun never had no
show after that. an | jes' KEEP it like
that thar, an jcs so I'm goin' to keep
till I'm clean gone, an then it'll 90 to
my daughters eldest boy back in Mis-
+ soura'
Thus was compelled TO possess my
soul in patience aud await some acci,
dont Of Providence that should throw
gun in my way. Ii was difficult task.
though, to endure walk over the hills.
and not resent the insults of quail and
harcs. How well they knew hadn't
gun, and couldn't defend myself And
then when sauoy. young Pacific duck
or pert little fawn would carclessly
TRIP down through the openings to see
the man who had no gun, it strained all
she Christianity possessed to the high
est tcnsion.
sunny hill, and lay down beneath
y spreading pigeon-bcrry bush to
enjoy the view, and the soft
breeze that swept down the
+ valley. After time | gradually dozed
of into Inconsistencies and must have
slept for an hour When awoke the
branches above me were literally
6 crowded with pigeons. could almost
reach them with my hand, though not
quite. remained perfectly still for
4 nearly half an hour, praying for gun
all the time. Like the young lady in
democracy" thought 1t would be a
y test Of faith. But no gun came. Then
IN a sort of bailled frenzy I snatched
( mp huge stick and whirled it at the
3 fattcst pigeon could see. Ii struck the
4 bough beneath him, and the entire lock
rose with tremendous Tapping into
E the air
went home and told my landlady
i with an aggrieved air.
"Humph!r she said. "ef ! was yo' I'd
Jes' see ef l couldn't fix up some sortcr
x bow an arrer sech as tn lniuns hev
Mebbe yo' could git somethin'.n
n The idea struck me as not quite un-
E feasible. ! cut a piece of hickory oak
( and manufactured rude bow taking
. SoHit diutl lNlps loi hlIoNS' 'iac-
4 ticed diligently with this fierce weapon
for three days and then gave il up with
a mighty disgust. might just a well
have attempted proficiency with tom
ahawk.
Another day--it was lovely Sunday
+ morning-I chanced to be reading in a
+ fern-hook, two or three fields away
from the house. was half way through
The first chapter of my book, when sud-
\ denly great four-tincd buck jumped
( the fence behind me and lazily inspected
4 me from head to heels. was stung by
. the contempt which his look and man
4 ner implied.
That's right" / exclaimed hotly,
5 "hit man when he's downl Heap up
all the affronts you and your relatives
+ can think of when you know he can't
defend himself Take your chances
" while you can. It's your turn now, but
!. il won't be long, No, stree, it won't!
*lll come back here-tlIat ] willard
ll fetch along gatling gun and rake
lhc whole country, fore and aft, by
hunder y
So saying, arose and threw my camp
tool at him. He didn't wait for II
hn,ol hut sauo.lv firtad b;s tail to..l