The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-05-30
SYKES TALE or WOE.
The Sorrows or Young Hunter Who Went
Out with New Gun.


Out with New Gun.
Henry Sykes, a young man of this
town, went hunting few days ago.
He had fine new double barrelled
shotgun, and wished to distinguish
himself. He concluded to try his
hand at shooting ducks. About fif-
teen miles below here ON the Ohio
river in marshy spot wild ducks are
frequently found. A friend told Sykes
of this place. The railroad runs near
it, and Sykes went down in the morn
ing before day. He hired country
man to take him out In small skiff,
and at dawn they were watching for
the ducks. They padded around
quietly for about two hours, but saw
no ducks. Sykes began to grow inn
patient, but the monotony was inter-
rupted by an event. The boat was old
and the timber was rotten. The coun-
tryman incautiously ran it against a
snag. A big hole was stove in the bot.
tom, and it Immediately filled and
sank. The water was not over waist
deep, but Sykes in his tumble drop
ped his fine gun. After half hours
cropping in the muddy water it was
found and they waded to land.
Sykes dried his clothes and his gun,
put in a new load and concluded that
he had enough of duck hunting. He
thought he would try squirrel shoot
ing, as the forest ran down to the
waters edge, and his boatman told
him squirrels were abundant in it. He
entered the forest and hunted until
noon without seeing squirrel. Then
he found that he was lost. After two
hours wandering and nothing to eat
he came to q house and was told how
to get to the railway station. He was
also informed that in the fields on the
way there was some good quail shoot
ing.
Sykes came to one of the fields de-
scribed, and thought that he might
yet redeem himself by popping over a
few brace of quail. He climbed over the
fence and made his way through some
stubble, expecting to scare up some
game. A herd of sheep was feeding
in the field. An old ram was at the
head of the herd, and when he saw
Sykes he opened hostile demons tra-
tons. With head down he started on
a run for the hunter. Sykes was bad
ly frightened. He thought it would
be better to kill the ram than be killed
by him. So he raised his gun and dis
charged both barrels at the coming
catapult. His hand trembled so that
all the shot flew wide. Then he turn
ed to run and the ram struck him q
glancing blow, which tossed him into
the stubble on his face and sent his
gun flying from his hands. Abandon
ing his weapon he sprangto his feet and
ran for the fence, pursued by the ram.
He was knocked down again, but
finally managed to reach the fence
found that he was considerably bruis-
ed, but not hurt.
Sykes threw stones at the ram for a
while and wondered how he was 60
ing to get his gun back. After con-
siderable searching he found the house
of the man who owned the field. The
farmer sent the hired man back with
him, and they obtained the gun. 1t
was two miles to the railway station.
Sykes shouldered his gun and started
for it, still aching from his adven-
lures. He determined to sell his gun
as soon as he got back to the city, and
never go hunting again. He came in
sight of the station just in time to see
the last Louisville train pass. He
yelled and worked his handkerchief,
but the train did not stop. At this
last misfortune Sykes broke down.
He sat on the depot platform and actu.
ally shed tears. There was no hotel at
the little station, and he spent the
night at a 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 first Louis
vile train, although it was not due
for three hours, and waited in the de-
pot until it arrived. Then he came to
Louisville, hunted up a doctor, sold
his new gun for half price and related
he 10 IS 81