The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-09-30
A GIRLS FIRST SHOT.
Her Painful! and Mortifying Experiences
with a Gun That "Kicked."

Her Painful! and Notifying Experience
With Gun That "Kicked."
shall not go back to the old days
when a wee tot of girl | used to cry
for my fathers gun, shut my eyes when
pulled the trigger and then cry again
when the gun went off, because the
noise frightened me so; but will tell
of my first shot when | took hold
of a gun all alone, aimed at something
and shot-nothlng. | had gone with
my brother and two cousins to tho
NEW ground" where the boys said
there was some fine bird shooting. We
had ridden over on our ponies, and
after we had dismountcd and were
climbing five-rail fence my brother
said: Lucy, you are a girl, and girls
can't shoot" | waited to hear no more.
just slipped to the ground, mounted
my pony, gave him the bride and in a
short time was back home again.
On going to the gun-raclS to my dis
may found only a heavy, old-fashioned
shotgun, which was always spoken of
as the Kicker" l did not hesitate
long to take the "kicker," for | was
fully determined to learn to shoot.
What matter if did get kick or two?
Was that half as bad as to be told, you
are girl, and girls can't shoot?" 7
could not load the gun, and | dare not
ask any one about the house to do il
for me lest it should be taken away
and forbidden to touch it again. 4
was in despair, when I bethought me
of "Uncle Sam, superannuated negro
who lived with his wife in one of the
cabins which belonged to the old negro
quarters. This old negro had been ~
slave of my father before the war and
was still pensioner on the family.
He was very fond of me and would do
anything for me- | took the kicker"
all the powder and shot | could find,
and made bee line for Uncle Sans
cabin. | found him outside praying,
most Justify, "Oh, Lord. chicken is
mighty good, but po' ole Sam doan
want no chicken; he jes' wants a ham
bone. O, Lord, please jes' SEN ole Sam
a ham bone"--with much stress on the
bone Long since we had all learned
that when Uncle Sam was calling so
loudly on the Lord for ham bone he
was doing so to drown the noise Of
chicken sizzling in his frying pan; hence
did not hesitate to interrupt his devo-
tions by asking him to load the kicker"
for me.
He obeyed my injunction to put in =
big load, but hesitated before he gave IL
to me, saying, "Honey, what is you
% I 80,
My thoughts had been so busy with
the pleasure | should experience at my
brothers surprise when had proved to
him that girls could shoot that had
not thought about what was going to
practice on. | confided my ambition to
Uncle Sam and he said: Down in desc
woods jes' back dar is a ole fatnin' pen
whar is a hog what sgwne to be killed
in de mo'nin. Now you jes' go down
dar and shoot dat ole hog, den young
marster will hear all dc niggers a-laffin
an a-tallsin about how tou done shot de
ole hog, and eff he doan take all that he
said back den | amt no niger"
made up my mind in minute to follow
Uncle Sans advice. grew happy and
confident. In less than no time | was
at the fat'nin pen, where my career As
sportswoman was to begin. My idea
was to sit on the top rail of the pen, and
when the beast looked up at me to
shoot it in the head, never for moment
doubling should kill him.
climbed up and seated myself on the
top rail facing the inside OF the pen.
The hog looked up. | stilied my throb-
bing heart pulled the trigger, and
found myself lying on the outside of the
pen, and that pig still alive looking at
me with as much curiosity in his face as
it was possible for a pig to have |
picked myself up and hurried home AZ
fast as could. | met the boys at the
gate, but try as would | could not
smile. My whole body ached and my
heart was sad. The boys were all
smiles knew they saw me with the
'%icl<er," but did not dream they had
taken short way home and had seen
me fall from the top rail of the pen un-
til my brother told me of it as he babe
me good night-Forest and Stream.