Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-01-12
COULDN'T HIT A THING.
All the Snipe Seemed to Bear Charmed
Lives and He Blamed
the Gum.

the Gun.
Rather an amusing joke was played
on an Augusta sportsman who has
been enjoying life at a weH-l1n own ho-
lei near the Outlet, in Manchester. OF
late the snipe shooting on the shores
and boys of the Cobbosseecontee, II the
vicinity of the above-named place, has
been excellent There was just one
drawback TO the fun-it was almost i'm
possible TO get the birds after they had
been shot. The marshes were so soft
that in some places IL was hardly safe
10 send q dog on TO them.
This Augusta gentleman was out os
tensibly for the purpose of shooting
snipe. He reported each day the num-
Der he had killed (which was always
large), but would conclude with: But
couldn't get a darned one of EN-"
Through the kindness of friend he
was informed of Gardiner mans sue
cess on snowshoes-how easily he
walked over the bogs and filed his
hunting coat with game.
The Augusta sportsman could not
stand this So he hired team of one
Va AA4C liz DO4 Ing 1d1 4&41A @A1A@ ~
for the city (Augusta), where he ar
rived about two hours later, took lunch
and then started out in search of a
couple Of boys with snowshoes TO as
sist him in the task of picking up his
dead birds.
His efforts were rewarded with two
active boys, two brand-new pairs of
snowshoes, a new supply of cartridges
and other necessary essentials to an
up-to-date sportsman's comfort.
He arrived at the hotel about dusk,
with his assistants equipped and ready
for duty. which would come early in
the morning. There were 'others" at
the hotel that night, and after our es-
teemed friend had turned in" some of
the naughty boys" suggested doctor
ing" his cartridges. Without a mo-
ment's delay the plan was carried out.
They found mis- hunting coat and car
tridges, which were all ready for use
al an early hour the following morning.
The shot were carefully removed from
the cartridges and wadding put in their
place. This was no small job" said
one Of the jokers, but we were well
paid for the trouble the following
morning. Bright and early the Angus
Ia gentleman took a lunch and his two
boys with saowshoes and started for
the snipe ground, a half mile up the
lake. He arrived just as old Sol was
slowly climbing above the horizon and
Immediately commenced TO bang away
at the birds, which swarmed on the
marshes as do mosquitoes around a
trout brook in summer.
He filled the air with wads and oaths,
but not 4 bird did he touch. He tried
large shot and he tried small shot, first
in one barrel, then in the other. and
finally both barrels at once, but not a
feather did he start. He threatened TO
break his gun over stump, and swore
vengeance on the concern that made
the cartridges, but all to no avail.
1t was about ten o'clock when about
a dozen of his acquaintance who were
ION to the joke" appeared on the scene.
Each boy, with his snowshoes on, sat
on a stump, and the proprietor =
well, he was standing in the mud.
He was hailed with: How many We
got?" coming from about a dozen
threats. Not a consarned one" was
his prompt reply.
whats the matter?" inquired a
voice.
The ding busted gun stock is too
crooked and she shoots too close.
faint no use trying TO shoot snipe
with such coarse shot," replied the
hunter.
Let me try her once?" asked one of
the new arrivals. She may hang to
suit me-
The Augusta gentleman passed over
the gun and a handful of cartridges
(Which were all he had Left and said:
There. take the tarnal thing and
throw it into the mud when you get
through with IL" His friend took the
gun, removed the ''doctored" cartridges
and placed two of his own in the gun.
Shortly some snipe were started. and
as the new man brought the gun TO his
shoulder the Augusta man queried:
How many yer got?' Two dead snipe
marked the report of one barrel, and
a wood duck which CHANGED to pass was
winged with the contents Of the other
barrel.
This was too much for the victimized
sportsman, and he was heard TO muir
muir. as he set out for the hotel: 1t
was my fault. not the guns"
At the dinner table that day, when
about 25 sportsmen were discussing
their respective forenoon experiences,
the Augusta man was questioned about
snipe shooting; how snowshoes worked
on the marshes, etc. The man, who
had been so busy eating and had scarce
~ looked up during the meal, dropped
his knife and fork with:
Say. boys, name It, but never say
snipe to me again. wouldn't have my
Augusta acquaintance hear of this for
all the snipe on the bog"
Now. viii they?-Lewiston (Me.)
Journal.
Fashions FancieH-
Cascade bows dropping as loH as the
waist are fastened with a brooch