The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
FIREWORKS FOR DUCKS.
The ''Butt" of the Camp Turns the
Tables on Practical JOkers.
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record.
81 don't know what object a certain
local sportsman had in bringing a supply
of government signal shells to camp with
him, but he put them to good purpose in
turing the point of practical joke from
himself to the jokers," said w. l.. Wells
These shells are made to fit a twelve
gauge gun. They are loaded with heavy
charge Of powder, but instead of shot
they are furnished with a Roman-candle
bullet that explodes high in the air after
the shell is fired. They contain all the
colors of the rainbow, and make a rather
startling display of fireworks.
about a dozen of us were shooting
some years ago on small Wisconsin lake.
The birds only appeared toward evening.
and then they came with the wind. We
would spend the day loafng about the
camp, and about the middle of the after
noon seek our covers and shoot the birds
as they flew over us. The hours in camp
were chiefly filed with playing pranks
on each other, and the sportsman in ques-
ton seemed to come in for more than
his share of them. l must say, however,
that he usually managed to keep his score
about even with the others.
lone day after luncheon he lay down
for nap, leaving word to be called when
we went out TO shoot. Here was a chance
to play a joke that none of us could re-
sist. When about o'clock a few stray
Cling birds were seen coming down the
lake we took our guns and slipped out.
leaving the victim of our prank peacefully
slumbering. He only knew of our absence
and the trick we had played when he
was awakened by our shooting.
Hastily securing number OF shells, he
made a detour of the upper end of the
lake, from which direction the birds were
hos obi
bers, and, taking position on little ISL
and directly beneath the course of their
fight, he began firing. What we saw
from our retreats imm ediately following
the first report from his gun resembled
a Fourth or July celebration on a small
scae. In the midst of the oncoming flock
a ball of fire burst, throwing red, blue,
green and yellow streaks of flame in
every direction. This was quickly fol-
lowed by another and another until the
entire sky seemed ablaZe, and there was
not a duck TO be seen anywhere. There
were no birds killed that evening, and
when the pyrotechnic huntsman returned
to camp, leisurely smoking a cigar and
wearing an expression of uncOncern, we
found he was shy forty signal cart
ridges.
con another occasion we we're shoot
ing near a swift running stream that
wound in and out Of our hunting grounds
and passed under a low bridge some dis
the sky-rocket sport that the best posi-
ton he could take was on this bride; that
the BlIQS WOuiu ali come Lldl way ana he
would have an easy time. Now every
sportsman knows that birds fly high on
approaching a bridge, but this fact did
not seem to bother our friend a particle
He took his position, and. after lighting
his pipe, awaited Developments
we had glorious days shooting. The
birds fell as fast as we could load and
fire and each of us returned to camp at
night with generously loaded game bags
We cracked many a joke over the cha
grin and disappointment the guardian or
the bridge would feel when he saw the re-
suit of our sport. for we did not believe
he had brought down single bird. We
planned how we would display our game
before him to make him enviOus ana
then guy the life out of him for taking
such FOOLS advice.
"He was in camp when we arrived read
ing a scrap Of old newspaper, while on
the ground beside him lay a heap ~
tho finest ducks ] ever saw. Not ono 81
us had a third as many. Hedid not eeom
10 have exerted himself BIT during ire
day. and be SAID DE had never left lie
bridge.
AFTER time the secret came out Tie
lad Gshed cvery bird OFT ~ the STRAIN
ns lt approached the BRIDE o. gOt fasf
against The fingers placed az either see.
when be FaW any enc approaching 30