Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-10-23
~ n a pleasant day in early win
ter, about year after we
had settled ON the Little Pc

! had settled on the Little Pc
can Greek, l yoked up Lep
and Coaly, the oxen, and put them to
the wagon. l was going for load Of
straw to Johnson place, six miles
north, toward the head Of the Little
Pecan.
Two miles from home 1 came to the
house where Sinclair McCarty, q boy
of my own age, lived. AS he was a
good hand at stacking or loading straw
father had suggested that l stop and
get him to go with me. But his moth
er told me that he had gone hunting.
and had been out an hour.
l drove on. johnson would help me
load the straw; but while jolting
through the woods, 1 saw McCarty's
dogs run across the road, and knew
that Sinclair was near. A few shouts
brought him to the wagon. He was
very tall for boy of sixteen, very
thin, and had prominent nose.
well, whit do you think Of my new
gun?" was his first remark, as he
held the weapon up for inspection.
''Traded my saddle for her," he ex-
planned.
Sinclair's new" gun was an old
army musket, but he had never owned
a gun before, and was very proud Of
it.
How does it shoot?" I asked.
Don't know. Just got my ammuni-
tion this morning, and haven't seen
anything to shoot at yet. She's all
right, though; you can tell that by
looking at her"
He consented to go with me, and as
we logged along, he showed me his
new powder-horn, which he had made
himself. 1t was large one, now near,
ly full of powder. 1t hung on one side
of him, and an amunition-bag of un-
dressed deer-slin on the other.
Scarcely had we left the woods when
mule-eared rabbit jumped out of
the prairie grass by the road and went
hopping off, but sat down about thirty
yards away.
Now just watch her tumble the
mule-ear!" said Sinclair, for with bor-
rowed guns he had become a fair
shot.
Stopping the oxen, 1 went and stood
at their heads to keep them from run
ming away. AT the report of the mus
ket the big rabbit darted off like n
streak. Sinclair stood staring after it,
as if expecting every moment to see 1t
drop dead. When it had disappeared
over the ridge, he rubbed his shoulder,
looked into the muzzle of the gun,
and finally squinted his eye along The
barrel.
"She looks all right, and the barrels
straight enough" he ramarked, in a
puzzled, serious way. Don't see why
she don't shoot straighter. Nearly
kicked my shoulder off, too" Later,
while reloading, he said "She's q little
hard on the trigger. Guess | must
have pulled her up when pulled her
off"
But after three more fruitless shots
at "mule-ears" as we drove along he
threw the musket on the ground.
"If that was what the Confederate
soldiers had to fight with, no wonder
our side got lickedr he exclaimed an
grily.
"Pick it up and bring it along" 1
said, laughing. You'll need it Christ
mas. 1t makes a terrible noise" for
1t is at Christmas time Texas boys set
off their fireworks.
Sinclair took up the musket. 'Tll
trade her off the very first chance |
get!' he declared, angrily. "Somebody
has got to pay me for that saddle"
Sinclair was born trader. He had
reputation among the boys for get.
ting the better in swappings, but fol-
once he had been badly cheated, and
was angry over it,
"What'h you take for it," / asked
skeptieally.
Never you mind. That saddle was
worth $40, and I'll get something Just
as good"
Lets be travelling. We'il soon be
where l saw the deer last week. You'(
better put in q load of buckshot."
suggested.
He poured nearly handful of DOW
der into the gun. "Pll put in loa6
that is Il load-one that'll scatter al
over the country" he declared. "I1
there's a deer between here and the
Big Pecan, I'll get it." Then he wad
ded up a piece OF newspaper ant
fammed it down on the powder.
You'll get kicked heels over head
1 remarked, from some experience
with musket.
Let her kick, !" was his reply, as h,
hammered the powder till the ramrot
bounced out of the barrel. I'm goint
to put in ammunition enough to xii
something, If she kicks me clean ou
of the county,
Then Sinclair went ON ahead .ant
walked all the rest of the way, bu
saw neither deer nor anything else n
which he cared to shoot.
johnson helped us put the straw OF
tn frame. We threw off our coat.
and worked and worked, till the wa
gon disappeared and the straw on i
rose high above the oxen Wher
finished the huge load looked like
strawstack on wheels. The straw wa.