Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-17
SYKES TALE OF WOE.
The Sorrows of n Young Hunter Who Went
Cat with "A New Gun.

The sorrows of n Young Hunter Who Went
Cat with "A New Gun.
Henry Sykes, a young man Of this
town, went hunting a few days ago.
He had u fine new double blrrclIcd
shotgun, and wished To distinguish
himself. lie concluded to try hi.
hand at shooting ducks. About GO
teen miles below here on the Ohio
river IN Il marshy spot wild ducks are
frequently found. A friend told Sykes
of this place. The railroad runs mean
IL, and Sykes went down in the morn.
ing before day. He hired a country.
man To take him out in small skin,
and at dawn they We're watching for
the ducks. They padded around
quietly for about two hours, but saw
no ducks. Sykes began 10 grow inn.
patient, but the monotony was inter-
rupted by an event. The boat was old
and the timber was rotten. The coun-
tryman inCuutlously ran IL against a
snag. \ big hole was stove in the bot
tom, and II Immediately filled and
sank. The water was moi over waist
deep, but Sykes in his tumble drop
ped his zine gun. After a half hours
cropping in the muddy water it was
found and they wudel 10 land.
Sykes dried his clothes and his gun,
put in Il new load and concluded that
he had enough Of duck hunting. lie
thought he would try squirrel shoot
ing, as tie forest ran down 10 the
waters edge, and his boatman told
him squirrels were abundant in il. lie
entered the forest and hunted until
noon without seeing a squirrel. Then
he found that he was lost. After two
hours wandering and nothing I eat
he came 10 "A house and was told how
to get to the railway station. lie was
also informed that in the fields on the
way there was some COOL quail shoot
ing.
Sykes came to one of the fields de-.
scribcd, and thought hat he might
yet redcen himself by popping over a
few braCeof quail. II, clImbedovertle
fence and made uis way through some
stubble, expecting g. scare up some
game. y herd of s4eCp was feeding
in the field An cd ram was at the
head of tie herd. and when he saw
Sykes he opened hostile demonstra-
tions. With head down he started on
a run for the hunger. Sykes was bad
ly frightened. is thought it would
be better To kill tie ram than be killed
by him. So he raised his gun aud dis
charged both barrels at the coming
~catapult. His band trembled so that
all the shot few wide. Then he turn
ell TO run aud the ram struck him a
glancing blow, which tossed him into
the stubble on his face and sent his
gun dying from his hands. Abandon
ing his weapon lie sprangto his feetaud
ran for tie fence, pursued by the ran
He wgs shocked down again, but
finally managed 10 reach the fence
and scrambled over into safety. lie
found thai lie was considerably bruis.
ed, but not hurt
Sykes threw stones at the ram for a
while aad wondered how he was 90
ing to get his gun back. After con
siderable searching he found the house
of theman who owned the field. The
farmer sent the hired man back with
him, and they obtained the gun. Il
WIS two miles to the railway station.
Sykes shouiGered his gun and started
for il, still aching from his adven-
lures. lie determined to sell his gun
rs 500 as lac got back to the city, and
oever go hunting again. lie came in
sight of the station just in time to see
The last Louisville train pass. lie
yelled and worked his handkerchief,
but the train did not stop. At this
last misfortune Sykes broke down.
He sat on tie depot platform and actu.
ally shed tears. There was no hotel at
the little station, and he spent the
night at Il little farm house near by.
he did not sleep any, for the musqui.
toes riddled his unprotected face. and
it was covered with bumps the next
morning. He got up at daylight, de-
termined not TO miss the inst Louis
vile train, although II was not due
for three hours, and waited in the de-
pot until it arrived. Then hc came TO
Louisville, hunted up a doctor. sold
his new gun for hall price aud related
his tale OF woe. -Louisville Telegram.