Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-11-29
THE WRONG GUN.
AN ENGLISH SKETCH.
ut is rather q large gum y said |

IL u IhLlcI inIB 30 6ung 'otu l.
"Ahr replied my friend Blazer, in those
accents of satisfaction that no effort of the
will can conceal, that is my grizzly bear
gun. You want to see my elephant gun,
dear boy"
lie had it in leathern case in the corner
under rack loaded with fowling- pieces.
All around Us were racks and cases filled
with firearms Of every possible model
breech leaders and muzzle leaders single
barrels, double barrels, and magazine guns
garnished with ferocious trimming Of re-
volvers of all calibres and knives whose
vicious glitter gave one cold chill. And
Blazer, moving among these instruments
of destruction with the proud tread Of q
master, had poem to sing in praise of
each, and an epic to honour their exploits
1.-The art Of sportsmanship," said BaEer,
with a somewhat pedantic air, ''is in be-
ing prepared for any emergency andequip-
ped for any game. A good workman re-
quires good tools, you know"
"Quite true" replied. but nay he
finds it difficult in On emergency 20 lay his
hands on the right onef"
"Pooh, Pooh!" returned Biazr; chat is
pure sophistry."
He unbuckled the elephsHt gun In It's
case, and after a violent struggle, which
tinted his face fine royd purple, he ex-
tricated it from its stout mvelpe, and set
forth for we to admire. say set it forth
literally, tor he had to lest its massive
stock upon the floor while he painted for
breath The barrel of fine blue black
steel, sn which purple threads glistened,
was of about the bulk of a weayer's beam.
metal, tempered to an iridescent splendor,
and when Blazer threw it back and reclos-
ed it to demonstrate the operations of its
mechanism, it sounded like the shutting Of
an iron door. 7u
That" said Blazer in a voice quivering
with the triumph Of possession. lis some
thing like q gun, ehi"
suggested that it wss more like a can
uoiJ al Hhich DiaSoi Ppon- Poocu' oho'n,
and, having gained his second wind pro-
ceeded to exhibit the management of his
treasure at length. He went through the
operation in dumb show of aiming and fir
ing, of recovering, reloading. and firing
again. The moisture of arduous labour
stood in beads upon his brow. His elbows
shook with the nervous strain, and his
knees quivered. rs
suppressed the expression of an opin'
ion that it would require IN elephant to
carry this massive machine into the field,
and gun carriage to prepare it for its an
nihilatory use. 1t is well for friendship
not to presume upon its privileges, you
know, especially when friends wine il
good, and his cook the possessor of q spec
ial gift.
Coming fresh from the inspection o.
Blazers armoury into the hall, it was quite
natural that should look upon u pile o.
game that his man was sorting over as Q
trophy of his prowess in the preserves
The man noticed me watching him, while
I selected cigar from the box on tbs side
board, and grumbled something about the
way these marketmen do cheat o person
to be sure why, bless you. sir" said he
.:half these birds isn't tit for game soup
and I'll lay my head they'll bs charged fol
as full feathers"
$50 you have to got some of your game
from Market" answered.
The man looked sharply at me and an
swcred, with shrewd twinkle in his eye
"Aye, sir, some"
Whipster came over from HIS place a.
we sat with our cigars in the dining-room
and the subject Of sport was renewed
Whipster went in for more modest gam,
than BlaTer. He cultivated the art of thu
gentle old t.Oomplete Angler" and owned
private museum of rods and gaffs ani
landing nets and all art gallery OF creel,
and flies. Where Blazer covered his wall.
with game panels and his floors with tn,
fells of wild beasts, Whipster adorned his
with stuffed and vanished salmon, por
traits of gasping trout in the grass and
greedy black bass rising to their simulat
ed prey, and mating woven of river reeds
"Saw you on the turf this morning" OBJ
served Whipster "Have any'luckf'
| "Rase q waodooek," replied Blazer, puff