The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1900-06-01
5elert Misrrllnnll.
A Modern DIANA

at seems funny to me- remarked
Mrs. Clark, "that Di doesn't act like
other girls, instead of chasing into the
woods with gun"
Her lord and master, to whom the
remark was addressed, lolled lazily in
an old fashioned hickory rocking chair
and laid aside the weekly paper to an
swer
"Well, what could you expect when
you named the girl Diana?" he sail
"Wasn't that lady 4 huntress? And
didn't she scandalize the rest of the
gods and goddesses by taking her bow
in hand and tramping around in the
timber after DEER
Deer, indeed" responded Diana 5
mother, sit is more likely that she was
gossipng with one of those disreputa-
ble Sibyls who used to hunt those parts.
So far as Diana's name is concerned,
Suc hcNcl "Oulel nave tahti W uulIlLlS
if you hadn't encouraged her to go
with you when she was child. And
when she was - and you bought her
that little gun, it was easy to see that
she had caught the fever from you"
Judge Clark resumed his paper with
a cautious air and vouchsafed nc reply.
1t was true that he, an ardent sports
man, had encouraged Di, when she was
a little girl, to go with him on trips
after quail, prairie chickens, ducks and
jack-snipe; and after she grew up she
took so naturally to the sport that the
Judge was secretly very proud of her
skill. She learned all about the habits
of not only the small game, but the
birds and ANIMALS in the woods, marshes
and fields. She could tell any OF the
common birds by their flight at long
distances. She knew the different trees,
tue plants, flowers and vines, and alto
gether she had a knowledge of outdoors
not possible to be gathered from books.
She was good shot, too. 1t had
come naturally to her, for her father
was an expert with the shotgun. 1t
gave him the greatest pleasure possible
to take some man along with his
daughter and give the lady the best op-
portunities; but after Diana had killed
a half dozen birds strai hit, singles and
doubles, the attable shooter would be-
gin to wonder where he came in. He
would notice that the Judge was shoot
ing right along and not extending any
more courtesics to his daughter than
he would to any good shot. Then
light would break in on his perception
and he would begin to try to catch up
with his companions in the number of
birds. But invariably, with the slight
advantage gained from the start, the
girl would keep ahead, and at the end
of the day the father and daughter
would have the biggest game.
Then the Judge would chaff his com
panion about letting woman beat
him, much to his daughters embarrass-
ment, and the man would, of course,
promise to do better next time.
On the day that Mrs. Clark gave
voice to her remark about Diana, the
girl was three miles from the little
county-seat town driving rapidly to-
ward what was known as the Hodge
farm. Quail were reported as being
very plentiful there, and she was hurry
ing to be certain of getting into some
of the bevics before they were shot into
and scattered. She was driving
sorrel pony, and in the cart was her
fathers old pointer, Rex. Her gun
was sixteen guage, six pound cyln-
der and splendid weapon for the pur
pose. She was girl Of as many
moods as an April day and with much
the same charm The dog was rs
anxious to get to the fields as she was
and evinccd determination several