Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-08-04

& tne-hag und .r circumstances that
savOl of tn miraculous.
''Seven years ago, the writer was hunt
Ing with frenl on the prairies of
Texas, our camp being on the upper
Brdzos, near ID Juble mountain. Game
of all kinds was scarce, bat we managed
t. find enough for our own eating,
lough we had to content ourselves with
a lything, large or small, that came in
OR way. One evening, as we were
coming in worn out with an all-iays
walk but empty-handed, we saw small
turkey hen fly out of the shn-oaks and
alight on the branch of tall. leafy elm.
My friend Immediately threw his rifle to
his shoulder and fired, and the hen flew
away uninjured; but another turkey
half-grown chicken-came tumbling
from tree further on, and considerably
to the right of the line of fire, stone
dead. The bullet had glanced from the
trunk Of the elm, but had, nevertheless,
brought us material for our supper.
Since then | have heard my friend re-
,unt the incident hundred times, and
h. always proves the truth of the story
b. saying, IF was lying about this,
b ,ys, | would swear that the ball killed
two turkeys instead of one. and both of
them big g0bblers'. On another occa-
SION we were trying to get a shot at IA
rabbit in Il cump of bushes, but he was
on the alert and kept lodging about in
every direction. Finally got a bead on
his head, and pulled trigger, but my
rne-a muzzle- loader-refused to fire
The cap snapped, and | saw the rabbit
dart away, and then, as dropped my
rifle to renew the cap. the charge ex-
ploded. | had brought the arm to Il
level with my hip, and was already
fumbling in my vest pocket for my cap
box. Go get your game said my COM
pdnion. | growled out some reply, adj
ding forcble remark about muzzle-
leaders generally, but my surprise can
b, imagined when saw him march into
the thicket and emerge with a rabbit
minus its head. Poor Bunny, as chance
would have it, had run directly in the
way Of the flying bullet.
sin both of the instances Just given
luck was with the shooter, but in those
that follow the shoe was on the other
foot. OF the first | was an eyewitness.
Three Of us had followed all day on tie
track of two deer in the soft yielding
snow. just at night we sighted them in
a valley between two high ridges on one
of which we were standing, too far away
for successful shot, and in woods so
open that there was little chance to
approach any nearer. But something
had to be done, and we finally drew
straws for the chance, the winner get
ting in line with big tree that might
or might not hide his advance, and Slip
ping forward as noislessly as possible
To the surprise of all, he got within easy
range of the game, took rest over Il
fallen tree and fired. Both deer ran
away untouched. Our friend had at
tempted to shoot through "A space, some
two trees, some flaw in the bullet had
caused it to split, and each tree had
caught half of the ball. OF course our
luck came in for general berating.
/ "One more yarn and am done. Old
Ben Phillips, noted hunter of north
ern Louisiana, was one day lying in wait
for deer on favorite runway through
the walnut flats on Bayou D'Arbonne.
when he saw a panther stealing along
in course that would certainly bring
him within reach of a bullet. Deer
were plentiful in that neck of woods.
and black bear were not all at uncommon,
but real live panther was something in
the nature of II rara avis, and Uncle Ben
lIhIh'C lately felt Il strange hankering for
"A painter skin. As well AS for the hand
full of silver dollars that the scalp would
bring him. He was well concealed, the
wind was in his favor. and so he Law
still and waited. Every instant brought
the panther nearer. Finally, when the
game was hardly thirty yards away,
the old man got just the sort of "A bead he
wanted AT exactly the proper spot on
the tawny hide. and the rifle report rung
out clear and sharp. Here were all the
attendant circumstances most likely to
insure successful shot. The distance
was short, the marksman experienced
and cool, while target, gun, charge,
light, everything in fact, was perfect.
Still the panther carried of his scalp in
safety. just as the trigger was pressed,
a ripened walnut fell from limb above,
intercepting the bullet in its flight. AS
a nut cracker Uncle Ben has scored a
success that may never he equalIed, but
as a panther-slayer he felt rightfully
disgusted and aggrieved. = Breeder and
Sportsman.