The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-01-01
How They Hunt at Panola.

PANoLA, S. c., Dec. 9th, 1859.
EDITOR MANNING TMEs:-I noticed IN
your last issue quite revelation from "Par'
son Sumter" whom had several pleasant
days with last week, at my house and in the
field, as he wrote you.
Politeness to my guest causes me to feel
very modest IN attempting to deplume. him
of any glory he may claim over me, as It
was my special desire to have him enjoy his
visit and field sports while with me. But
since he las thrown down the gauntlet and
opened this battery Of criticism, etc, upon
me, am obliged to ask "Parson Sumter
what he considers beat, as l am obliged to
differ with him in the count. fear he lost
his notch stick" before he began his COM
putation, or else We used different methods
Of counting. We will see.
My little brother, who took MY place IN
my absence on the first days hunt, bagged
more birds than he did. Parsons shells
We're all right too. The second day was
there in usual good spirits and confident OF
success. And, when the days hunt was over,
I was not disappointed when I Icounted more
birds from my bag than he did.
Now began to feel real sorry for him, as
at least one Of the party to whom he was
anxious to appear as the Sumter crack shot
began to feel ashamed of him for coming so
far to enter q contest, and to be two days
behind in the race.
So the third day, Parson W. and I agreed
to give him an excuse. We loaded few
shells with slugs, not the ones he was using
however, and that night made it convenient
to cut into one, before the eyes of every one
present, and the mental detection" suf-
fered then was that he did not make use Of
the trick to excuse his defeat, as he was that
day farther behind than ever, and still my
guest.
He says he beat me in the field and in the
highway. There was an occasion Ike this.
I routed a bird from ditch lying g of the
highway. The bird went in his direction,
flying between him and the ditch, and in
such close proximity to him that I had to
keep one eye on him and the other on the
bird so missed the bird, rather than run the
risk of carrying him home, both beaten and
banged.
Now the hunt was over, and We were
homeward bound, and noticed that the
'Parson" was unusually quiet and wearing
the usual long face OF a sportsman after de-
feat, arousing himself occasionally to re-
mark that had shot great many times
more than he had, and that he had done
much better shooting than had done, in
proportion to number of shots.
My sympathies were now keenly aroused,
and felt relieved that he had found an ar
gument that would reconcile him. But, since
reading the article in your paper, have
concluded that this is the way Sumter
sportsnen count when they fail to git EN-
in de bag.
Now kept no account of my shots, or the
number of times he shot. So if he did, and
it is upon this ground that he claims victory,
I reckon I am out as shot every one
could see and some that couldn't see.
III get even with him. if that is his game,
as I will let pop shots and thicket chances
pass next time, as he did. And now, ex-
tend to the "Parson' cordial invitation to
come down again and enter the contest. l
will be glad to entertain him, and will prom
Use to take the best care possible of him and
his shells PANOLAS CRACK SHOT.
1.-THE above communication was received
too late to appear in last weeks paper.-ED-
IToE TINES.