The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-25

In the rear Of the Town and Country
club house yesterday afternoon there
was square box fixed ON the ground
and in the box was a turkey whose
head protruded from a hole in the side
so that he was able to survey a party
OF men on the veranda about eighty
yards distant. Every minute or so one
OF the men would raise something to
his shoulder. there would be a flash
ana a loud crack, and something would
WIl1z past the box and bury itself in g.
tree trunk or the snow In the vicinity
OF the box. The turkey became inter
ested in the matter and watched the
group closely, trying to fathom what
they were doing, and the bird was
ma king mental notes for future refer
ence when suddenly something struck
MIN In the head and he lost interest in
the affair.
1t was the annual Thanksgiving tur-
Key shoot of the Town and Country
club, and all the crack shots of the club
were on hand to take chance for the
game. A turkey shoot is a social ftlnc-
ton in which the humble but conspic-
uous turkey has all the excitement
Without any compromising advantag es.
Yesterdays affair was unusually in
tereSting on account of the number of
birds engaged in the game. Steward
Lars Axman who was master of cere-
monies, was determined that 1T should
eclipse anything of a similar character
that had ever come off at the club
house, and he prepared a lengthy pro-
sramme which should furnish sport for
all who wanted to participate in the
festivities.
He secured dozen Of the finest tur-
keys he could find, and he arranged the
h,Nxy Il sr,1,
tate so that the shooters would have
some sport. The aperture through
which the turkey was allowed to view
the proceedings was just large enough
for him to put his head through. 1t
made a nice target for sighted
men, but to guide them a white card
was hung over the turkeys head so
the shooters could locate it the better.
Then when all was ready the shooters
arrayed themselves on the veranda and
took shots in turn at the bird in the
box.
A small fee was charged for each
shot, and some birds netted several
dollars apiece for the club.
One of the largest turkeys had been
in suspense a number Of shots when
Lieut.. Clarence G. Bunker who recent
ly returned from the Philippines, be-
came interested Every shot had miss
ed the bird, and it was thought he bore
a charmed life. Lieut. Bunker has the
use Of only his left arm on account of
the wound which he received ait Ma
Mia, but he declared he could hit the
bird even with that disadvantage. He
took a gun and then with careful aim
fired. Tine bullet struck the turkey
squarely in the head and killed it,
Lieut.. Bunker bore the prize home in
triumph last night.
Others who secured turkeys during
the shoot were w. 3. Packer, AIexan-
der s. Porter, L. B. Arnold, Louis K.
Huh, c. D. Thompson and Miss Dous
man.
At the conclusion of the turkey shoot
there was a pigeon shoot, in which
Louis Hill, Henry Rowland and G. D.
Thompson took part. They all proved
to be excellent shots, and but two or
three birds escaped them.
There was then 8 contest between a
number of the crack shots for turkeys
liberated at a dollar shot The first
turkey liberated was a fine black one,
who took up a position beside a tree.
Louis Hill took the first shot at the
bird, but failed to hit him, and it was
not until four shots had been fired at
! him that the turkey seemed to appre-
eiate his danger. He then affected con-
tempt for the bullets and walked slow
ly away until he reached the brow Of
the hill above the river. when he calm
Iy sauntered toward the water. He
was chased back, and then he took UP
position or top of some rocks. In
this he made a mistake, for very soon
he was laid now by shot fired by
Henry Lowry. It cost the party about
| SIS to kill that bird.
The next victim was white one, who
seemed to think himself safe because
| he was the same color as the snow
and who took dangerous chances on
that account. He did survive four bull
let's, but the fifth finished his career.
It was then so dark that the birds
could not be distinguished unless light
ed lanterns were hung about their
necks, and the sport was by general
consent suspended.
The turkey shoot attracted about six
ty members of the club to the club
house, and during the afternoon a gen
eroUs repast was served. Music was
furnished by the st. Anthony HIP Or
chestra, and informal dancing was in
dulged in during the afternoon.
Among those present were Louis Hill,
Henry Rowland, Mrs. Rantoul, Miss
Horn, Richard Warner, Lieut.. Bunker,
L. B. Arnold, Sherman Finch, Mrs.
Finch, Miss Rugg. G. w. Finch, w. B.
Packer Mrs. J. J. Parker, s. L. Corse
Henry Lowry. Mrs. Undertake, the
Misses Stevenson, Louis K. Hull, Miss
Dousman and c. D. Thompson.