Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-21
SHOOTING DUCKS.
President Harrison Up Early Yester-
day and Has Some Sport,
From the Baltimore American.


From the Baltimore American.
Long before sunrise yesterday morning
President Harrison was up from his comfort
able couch at the club house on BENCHES Point
and began preparations for days sport with
the ducks. He and the members of the club
composing the party ate supper at O'Clock on
Wednesday and, after a little exercise and q
few hours chat, retired at 10 o'clock and
passed the night in delightful slumber. A
health-giving breeze came from Saltpeter
creek, which almost surrounds the point.
At AIS in the morning Henry was at the door
OF the Presidents chamber rapping vigor-
ously for the occupant to arise. 1t did not
son had evidently been awake for some time
before the raps came, possibly by the bang Of
the native gunners out for their mornings
meal
IN HIS DUCKINo COSTUME,
The Prince Albert suit Of black and his spot
less white shirt were thrown aside, his we'll
polished CATERS were left undisturbed meath
his couch, and in their stead he donned duck
ing outfit. This consisted of pair of black
trousers, the bottoms OF which were tucked
into pair OF heavy gum boots, reaching to his
knees long coat OF straw color, q neglige
shirt, and large white SLOUGH hat, but some
what after the style of q sombrero. The other
members Of the party were: Gen. VIM. J.
S Ssw ex-senator from New Jersey; Messrs.
Q. Knight ST., E. c: knight, jr., R. Dale BEN
son, Edward s. Clarke, and Afford Fells, all Of
Philadelphia. They were up nearly as soon as
the President, and in half an hour were
seated at the breakfast table, with Mr. Harrison
at the head. Their guest ate q hearty meal
ried manner that he was anxious TO have
drop on the redheads before the countrymen
mad frightened them from the creek.
As soon as all had finished breakfast the Pres
ident was taken in the gun room and there told
to choose from the rack the weapon with which
he was to eradicate the ducks. Though be had
his own l2-bore gun with him he picked out
handsome 10-bore weapon. Accompanied by
Gen. Seweil he took the blind on the bar, about
three hundred yards from the house. The
others distributed themselves along the shores.
MISSED FIRST, THEN HE HIT.
The President had no sooner gotten in the
blind than along came large Cock of unsus-
pecting redheads on their way north. Feeling
fresh and thinking this was probably the best
chance OF the day he leveled his weapon to the
center of the flock and fred, once twice, but
not bird fell The President reloaded and
waited another good chance, when he crippled
and brought to water fine fat redhead that
will do him credit at the White House table on
sunday. Flock after flock passed above the
have caught on to the Presidents deadly pur-
pose and kept in the middle of the creek and as
high up as was comfortable out Of the gunner's
reach.
TOO FLY FOR THE DECoYs.
Decoys were used in abundance along the
beach, but the ducks, after being hammered
on one side of the creek, then on the other, for
the past month, we're too old in the business to
be entrapped by decoys and kept flying on,
passing each blind in perfect safety. The other
members OF the party were more fortunate
than the President and Gen. Sewell and man.
aged among them to bring down ten ducks dur
ing the morning.
DOWN COMES ANOTHER REDHEAD.
Toward noon, as another promising flock
came sailing up the creek, the President raised
his gun in way that would give me to UNDER
stand that he meant business, and he did.
Another poor ''reddy's" wings were crippled
and 1t fell tumbiing, tossing and splash into the
water. After this streak of luck the President
went around to a temporary blind in Bayley's
cove, but met with but little success there, the
ducks flying out of the reach of his gun. Feel
ing little tired after this taste of sporting life,
he went to the club house and partook of a
light lunch. After dinner things began to look
more favorable for the gunners and again the
sauntered toward one of the blinds where no
met with much more success than in the morn
ing. He will now be able to carry to Washing
ton several pairs Of ducks as the result OF his
trip to Bengie's.