The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-02
THE MAN WHO MISSES.
sPORTsMAN's LAW AS APPLIED TO
SOUTHERN HUNTERS.

FROM the chicago Inter Ocean.
New Orleans, La, Dec. 17.-Several mon
were seated in the palmroom OF the Bos-
ton Club in this city one day last weca
when a prominent railroad official Of Ten
ressee. noted for his love of dog ana
gan, entered and was invited to join ta.
circle. AS the newcomer drew up 3D.
chair and exchanged greetings he volua-
teered the information that he had b..a
hunting for a week or ten days in his oan
state and that birds. as quails are gcn.--
ally termed. were unusually plentiful
ANY of you fellows ever shot ur
Brownsville way he asked address.ne
himself particularly TO the doctor Whose
skill with the shotgun and rife IS know
throughout the length and breadth OF Lou
isiana, and pausing for a reply, which cam.
in the negative from every man al tho ta-
bic. We'll" resumed the man from Ten
nessee, there's a heap of fun in store lor
you. and I'll put you on the track of more
sport than you've had lodging yellow jack
the last few months"
The refugees who found New York and
Chicago more attractive than the Crss-
cent city during the recent scare, although
business did call them north, breathed "a
Urine ndTQef ana sdtu ndrSn IniuSS AiN'i
their breadth while waiting for the rail-
road man to continue.
Il had business up Brownsville way re-
GENTLY" went on the Tennessean after he
had drained the last drop of whisky punch,
and was invited to accompany the mem
bers of the Brownsville Outing club ON
one of their weekly shoots. When Il came
time to start for the grounds a gun was
handed to me that was much too straight
in the stock to suit my make up, but l
was forced TO content myself with it, as
there was no opportunity to get my own
weapon down from Memphis, and l had
serious misgivings as to my ability to brin
down anything with il, although you fei-
lows all know L shoot well as most of
you-always taking my hat off to you,
SIR" this to the doctor, who bowed at the
compliment.
bay horse that had the true ambling gait,
and, falling in line behind the president,
we started out OF town. There were six
of us, all told two of them men being I'M
der 80, while the president who was the
dean of the crowd, was a man who mi ht
have turned 60 He was tall and Jean,
and although he was sober of speech,
there was a twinkle in his deep-set blue
eye which betokened a spirit ever ready
for a quiet frolic. | was the only guest
and as we rode along the president en-
gagged me in a lively dissertation on the
dog. 1t was a lovely morning, and the
dogs ranged hither and thither, and they
seemed to be as glad as we were to be
afield We had gone only a mile or two
from town when we left the main road for
a well-beaten pathway, through a PLAN
tation which abounded in what looked Ike
splendid cover. The dogs slackened pace
somewhat in a trench between two fields,
where the cotton bolls CLEANED white and
finally came to a point and back, as pref
tily as any of the creations OF Tracy $
brush.
Get down, Mr.. D; it's your shot
said the president. Mr.. c., you will
shoot With him
This latter remark was addressed TO
one of the members of the club, who dis
mounted with me, and to whom / had been
introduced only that morning.
He was a young business man of
Brownsville, and was considered one of the
best shots in that part of Tennessee. We
walked in quietly, the others holding cur
horses for us, and we weren't twenty-five
yards away from the dogs when the birds
flushed, scattering right and left My
heart was in my mouth when the tidtter-
ing wings sounded, and l shot over my
bird with the first barrel. c. waited
courteously and then Knocked down left
quartering dazzler in a way that indicated
his ability to live up to his reputation rs
a marksman. My second barrel failed
TO get a feather, and was in a blue funk,
particularly as c. killed prettily with
his reserve shot.
you are all familiar with the man who
san oily shoot with his own gun, or who
cant play his regular game of billiards
because his favorite cue is away getting a
new tip on 1t. Well, l didn't want to be
like him, so I stuck my tongue in my
cheek. gave il a bite, and said nothing
The birds had been marked down and
the dogs began 70 pick up the stragglers
he,
dent once more as he shifted his posi-
ton in the saddle. and 1 thought l no.
ticed a suspicion of laughter in his eyes
as he spoke.
81 was thoroughly determined that the
next bird was come to earth, and made up
my mind to give him plenty of time before
pulling the trigger. When he rose he look
Cd as big as a house, and l held, as l
thought, dead on him. l fired; he kept
on l fired again. and l think the very
dog looked reproachfully al me as the
quail disappeared in field of corn 800
yards away. 1t was embarrassing for
me, for my companion killed his birds
in grand style, and my face was burning
when / looked at the president, who had
been told that l could hold my own with
most men in the field or at the traps.
4" Better luck next time, was his kindly
comment, coupled with the charitable
Opinion that he thought / mad touched
him with my second barrel The next bird
ana the next and yet the next got away
from me- and ] was wild with chagrin.
tried everything that l knew. i was
quick and ! was slow ] held under them
and over Them but those birds seemed TO
have a suit Of mail in place Of feathers
dor covering, and they flew away UNI
scathed. l had heard some vague hints
before starting QUE that the Brownsville
Outing Club had some sort Of code which
dealt with poor craftsmanship, and / de-
termined to inquire into the matter. NV
first thought was to hope that the mem
hers would keep my poor showing secret
from my friends, who would be only too
gaftl 10 guy me, for ii there is anything I
pride myself upon it's my ability TO hold
3 gun as straight as the average south
erner.
Mr.. M said, addressing the pres
ident how many times should a stranger
miss such shots as I've had before calling
Down The contempt of this body upon his
head?"
20 How many have you missed% asked
the president, and I thought 1 felt the eye
or every man in the party upon me
about uen was my reply.
Ion, you're all right yet said he, and
] thought l noticed a slight rising indec-