Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-20
A GIRLS FIRST SHOT.
Her Painful and Notifying Experience
with q Gun That Kicked"


with q 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 1 will tell of my first shot when
took hold of a gun all alone aimed at
something and shot-nothing. / had gone
with my brother and two cousins to the
new ground y where the boys said there
was some fine bird shooting. We had
ridden over on our ponies, and after
we had dismounted and We're climb
ing 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 gunrack to my dismay
l found only heavy, old fashioned shot
gun, which was always spoken of as the
kicker" l did not long hesitate to take
the kicker" for l was fully determined
to learn to shoot. What matter if l did
get kick or two? Was that half as bad
as to be told. You are a girl, and girls
don't shoot?" l could not load the gun
and l dare not ask any one about the house
to do it for me lest it should be taken away
and ! forbidden to touch it again. l was
in despair when bethought me of Uncle
Sam" a 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 be-
fore the war and was still pensioner on
the family.
He was very fond of me and would do
anything for me. l took the kicker" all
the powder and shot 1 could find, and made
bee line for Uncle Sans cabin. found
him outside praying most Justify, ''Oh
7 ,.s.l,-, u
Sam doan want no chicken; he jes' wants a
ham bone. Oh, Lord, please jes' SEN ole
Sam ham bone"-with much stress on
the bone. Long since we had all learned
that when Uncle Sam was calling so loud
~ on the Lord for ham bone he was do
ing so to drown the noise of chicken
sizzling in his frying pan; hence did not
hesitate to interrupt his devotions by ask
ing him to load the kicker for me.
He obeyed my injunction TO put in a big
load, but hesitated before he gave it to me-
saying, Honey, what is you gwine to
shoot:' | was stUmped.
My thoughts had been so busy with the
pleasure | should experience at my broth
er's surprise when l had proved to him
that girls could shoot that l had not
thought about what 1 was going to prac-
tice on. l confided my ambition to Uncle
Sam and he said: Down in desc woods jes'
back dar i ole fatnin pen whar is a hog
what Is gwlne to be killed in de mo'nin.
Now you ies' go down dar and shoot dat ole
hog, den young marster will hear all de
nicgers a-laffin an a-talkin about how You
done shot de ole hog, and ef he doan take
all that he said back. den / amt no mig
GER l made up my mind in a minute to
follow Uncle SANS advice. | grew happy
and confident. In less than no time l was
at the fatnln pen, where my career as a
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.
Iclimbed up and seated myself on the top
rail facing the inside of the pen. The hog
looked up; l stilled my throbbing heart,
pulled the trigger and-found myself lying
on the ground outside of the pen, and that
pig still alive looking at me with much
curiosity in his face a. it was possible for
a pig to have. l picked myself up and
hurried home as fast as could. met the
boys at the gate, but try would could
not smile. My whole body ached and my
heart was sad. The boys were all smiles.
KNEW they saw me with the kicker" but
did not dream they had taken a short way
home and had seen me fall from the top
rail of the pen until my brother told me Of
it as he bade good night.-Cor Forest and