The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-31
HIS BAG OF BIRDS
The Sprig Of Royalty the Victim
Of a Clever Ruse.
GaDekeepers and Poachers Conspire to
Fleece the Wanting Nobletnan
An, Expensive Sporting E1-
perience

having dCIcu upon III earlier. IIlS
| nobleman, says the Chicago Times,
married lady who was understood to
be the heiress apparent to property
worth over one million forms. or, say,
one hundred thousand pounds. Not
| that she had any inalienable rights to
| it, but simply that her relative, wild
over without children or kindred
was known to have made a viii in her
favor.
He died few months ago. and re-
Gently drawn-up will found in his room
| not only makes over the entire prop
erty to two strangers and one benevo-
lent institution, but explains this leg
acy as the result of IN adventure with
grouse. The story is amusing in itself,
to say nothing of its interest as throw
ing light upon an impending lawsuit,
which will probably take high rank
among Austrian causes celebres. For
the will is about to be contested by
the lady, who never did anything to
incur the anger of her wealthy rela-
tive, and who maintains that he was of
unsound mind when he drew up his
last testament. Her husband, Baron
X, unwittingly but MORALLY Of
Tended the touchy old gentleman,
and one million forms is the price of
his excessive amiability.
The wealthy Count Y, paid visit 10
Baron Y. last autumn, and Immediately
after his arrival explained that he had
come TO do what he had never done in
his life before-to shoot grouse. He
held the opinion that, being an excel
lent shot with a revolver he must like
wise be good marksman with gun,
and he had, in fact, laid a wager that
he would not return empty handed
from his first days shooting. Count Y.
was quite serious in all this, and hon
estly believed he could accomplish his
desire with the greatest ease. Baron
X, however, knew better, and con-
sidering that the count was not only
somewhat deaf, but likewise very near
sighted, kindly resolved within him
self to facilitate matters as much as
possible.
With this object In view he called up
the head gamekeeper. Ferdinand"
he said, Count Y. is going out for
he's very bad shot, and yet he insists
on showing us that he can work Won
ders. Now, / want you TO arrange
matters SO that, whatever he hits or
misses, he may feel convinced that he
has shortened the lives of a few birds.
You understand? The details you may
work out at your leisure. Make no
blunder." Ferdinand said only H mr.
in his masters presence, but he used
very wild words later on, and not hitting
upon any likely idea himself, he called
on his assistant, Franz, aud instructed
him to mature plan.
Now, Franz is a man of many re-
sources. and his name has become
proverbial in sporting circles in Aus
tria as willy Ulysses. A few hours
later he unfolded a project TO his senior
which caused the latter to split his
sides with laughter. Franz was to
hunt up a daring poacher, who had
been twice wounded while trespassing
on these very estates, and to ask him
TO appear at a certain place Thursday
with some recently shot birds and to
drop one or two after each of the
counts shots. The plan was agreed to,
the poacher promised to be invisibly on
the spot, and the various stations at
which he should succe ssively drop the
grouse were determined upon.
At length the morning dawned and
count and baron were early on the
field, accompanied by the faithful
gamekeepers, who looked as reserved
and sad as undertakers. Il don't see
anything about here" murmured the
count after d time. Its true / am
somewhat nearsighted. but" Look
there, your excellency! Look there,
You are in luck!" shouted the head
gamekeeper at the top of his voice, en-
deavoring to look the while as if he
were only whispering the information
into the sensitive ear of his masters
guest.
His excellency became furried, took
out his monocle, fixed the spot pointed
out to him. and said: "Wel, |
don't see Oh, that black mass. do
you mean?" Yes, your excellency.
There are half dozen there II there is
one Now is the time, your excenency,
to FIRE" The count shouldered his
gun, 10 the mortal terror of the baron,
who feared he should be called to his
last account before that days shooting
would be done; then he shut one eye
and pulled the trigger. netting was
seen to fail.
Splendid shot, that, your excellency.
saw the bird fall. He's done for" In
stead of hurrying to the place where
the feathered victim was supposed to
lie the gamekeepers allowed the count
to go before them, so that he might
see the handiwork with his own eyes.
Arriving at the spot he stopped, picked
up something dark, fumbled at il
few seconds, drew out a brace Of
grouse. looked in stupefaction at the
two gamel1eepers, who were desper-
atelv waging war with their facial
muscles, and then flung down his gun
in disgust. rushed from the field. and
left by the following train What he
had picked up was bag with recently
killed grouse. The pOacher, it seems,
was late on the field. and reached the
spot just as the count had fred, SO that
he had no time to open the bag. and he
lacked the needful presence Of mind 10
keep it and himself out OF sight He
flung it down and rushed of 70 the
next place. But that was the last
shot fired there that day. and il cast
the baron over one million forms
The Bicycle Era
Father "a few years hencel-Why do
you take your bicycle when you are