Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-07-17

bow IS flgnteneu IHt SttaHS Hiii 0ttl4to out about six inches from the DOW at the handle. When it is well settled ip its proper position wrap the middle oi it for four or five inches very smoothly with waxad silk. Mark the point which lies exactly opposite the middle of the bow Gust above the handle) by using thread of a different color. Always put the notch of the arrow on this mark.
 To tighten Cor ''brace'9 your bow, set the lower end against the inside of your left foot. grasp the handle firmly in your left hand, and with your right arm raised press strongly with your wrist on the back of the bow, while YOU push up the loop into the notch with your extended fngers-see illus tratien. It is quite a trick, but you will soon master it. To unstrain the bow proceed in the same manner, but flip the loop out Of the notch with your thumb and fingers.
 And now you are ready for the ar rows. If you can afford it, buy few; even one, as a model, will teach you more than pages Of description II you make them yourself, use hard, clean. straight-graincd pine; though for very hard service ash or hickory may be employed with advantage For q bow more than 5R feet long make the length 28 inches for shorter bow, g inches. With the tools already de- seribed, make the shaft down to about the thickness of lead pencil. uni formed from end to end and absolutely straight. Cut in the end a smooth notch about three-sixteenths of an inch in depth (see illustration1, and be care ful that it fits snugly or the bowstring, 1 but not so tightly as to stick and drag. l The feathers-without which no arrow will fly welfare three in number, ar ranged as shown in the diagram. One must be set exactly on the top side of the arrow as it lies on ti1e string when the bow is held flat, and this determines the position of the others. To put them on, strip the plume from the quill-the tough 'sl5in" of the quill will hold 1t together-and trim to about 219 inches long and half an inch wide. Then glue them firmly in place by the skin, 7 taking care that there shall be no snaggy projections to scratch your hand when you shoot. For blunt heads old brass cartridges of the right size to drive snugly on are excellent; or you can cast heads of lead. If you want sharp points you will have to buy them; but the ordinary sort are cheap enough. They fit on like thimble; trim the wood to fit, and drive them on tightly.
 To protect your left wrist from the slap of the string. you may need an arm guard of stiff leather and elastic bans-see illustration. If your bow is very stiff. wear a close-ftting dog skin glove on your right hand 10 pro tect your fingers from the rasping of the string. You can cut away the palm if you choose. A good quiver for your arrow is easily made of tin or leather, or even of a stiff cardboard see illustration.
 And now you want to shoot; and if you also want to hit the mark, and hit it hard. you must follow these direc- tions very closely.
 Stand erect, with your left side to- ward the mark your feet eight or ten inches apart. Grasp the bow firmly by the handle with your left hand; and grasp it so that 1t lies straight across your hand along the line made by the roots of your fingers, not allowing if to follow the slant of the ball of the thumb. First hold your bow nearly fiat, lay your arrow on the mark at the middle, close by the hand that grips the handle, and slip the notch exactly on the middle of the string; being cut deep, it will stay in place. Hook the fingers of your right hand slightly. and catch the string on the tips (from be low) so that it lies across the middle of the ball of the last joint. Use only the first, second, and third fingers; the thumb and the little finger should touch neither string nor arrow. The end of the arrow must lie between the first and second fingers-see ilIustra. ton. The nearer the tips of your fingers you can hold the string, the better.
 Now raise your left arm until it points straight toward the target; this brings the bow into an upright DO sition. the top slanting a very little tc the right. Hold your left arm as rigid as the bowsprit of ship, and draw back the string with strong, even pull until your hand brushes the lower tip of your right ear. At that instant slip your fingers smoothly from the string-and away goes the arrow with a singing of the cord and a soft whistle of the feathers, if you have done d? rightly. Be sure to draw your fingers off backward in loosing; never let then follow the string-and never, either shove or slaclSen with your left hand; just hold steady. Also see to it that you hold the bow so that it will ot writhe or twist in your hand as you draw the string, for that makes the arrow "elap" and "wag," spells the shot, and soon ruins the bow. Wear a pan. O1. if vo11 .,rafer o lo4 . 4l