The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-23
A GIRLS FIRST SHOT.
Her Painful and Mortifying Experience
with q Gun That "kicked."


shall not go back to the old days when
d 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 gun ell alone, aimed at
something and shot-nothing had gone
with my brother and two cousins to the
new ground" where the boys said there
was some fine bird shooting. We had
hidden over on our ponies, and after
we had dismounted and were 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
found only heavy, old fashioned shot
gun, which was always spoken Of as the
kicker" did not long hesitate to take
the kicker" for / was fully determined
TO learn TO shoot. What matter II / did
get kick or twoi Was that half as bad
as to be told, lyon are a girl, and girls
don't shoot" / could not load the gun
and 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. / 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 a 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. / took the "kicker," all
the powder and shot could find, and made
q bee line for Uncle Sans cabin. found
him outside praying most Justify, "Oh
Lord, chicken is mighty good, but POI ole
Sam doan want no chicken; he jes' wants
ham bone. Oh. Lord, please jes' sem ole
Sam ham bone"-with much stress on
the bone Long since we had all learned
that when Uncle Sam was calling so loud
ly 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 big
load, but hesitated before he gave it to me,
saying, "Honey, what is you gwine to
shootW ] was stumped.
Ny thoughts had been so busy with the
pleasure / should experience at my broth
er's surprise when / had proved to him
that girls could shoot; that l had not
thought about what l was going to prac-
tice on. / confided my ambition to Uncle
Sam and he said; Down in desc woods Jes'
back dar Is ole fatnin pen whar is a hog
what is gwine to be killed in de mo'nln.
Now you jes' go down dar and shoot dat ole
hog, den young marster will hear all de
niggers a-laffln an a-talkin about how you
done shot de ole hog, and eff he doan take
all that he said back, den / amt no mig
ger" made up my mind in a minute to
follow Uncle Sans advice. / grew happy
and confident. In less than no time was
at the fatnn 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 1T 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; 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 as much
curiosity in his face as it was possible Tor
a pig to have 1 picked myself up and
hurried home as 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 kicker, " but
did not dream they had taken short way
home and had seen me fall from the top
rail of the pen until my brother told me of
It as he babe good night.-Cor. Forest and
| Stream.