The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-28
! Our Daily Short Stories /
AN OLD MANS HOBBY.
BY oPIE READ.
copyright 1901. by Authors syndieateo

This old man Ablin had many pc
cnliarities, and one was that he OBJ
iected to every young man who came
N see his daughter. The girl was a
Nav day creature, fair and blossomy.
once when she and her father were
standing in the door yard, a wag
eish stranger driving past the place
called out: Say, what will you take
Tor that doll?
At an earlier day Ablin had won
TIE distinction of being the best rifle
not in the county, and even as an
"A man he kept UP his practice, his
les refusing to surrender the sharp
s of youthful sight. He had
,ntempt for a man who hunted with
q sbotgun-called it butchery. His
daughter became acquainted with
vnung man who had conducted a
shooting gallery in little town not
far away, and the old fellows fancy
was at once engaged. The girl did
not care for the new beau, but the
thought of being an old maid was
distasteful to her, so when the young
fellow asked her to marry him she
cave him a hang-fire yes. Prepare
lions for the wedding were begun,
when the old man suddenly grew sus-
picious.
Jest stop yer sewin' an stitchin'
fur minute till we test this thing"
said he. At have tuck this Teller Jim
on his own say-so. don't kAow
whether he can shoot or not"
IN Nyh
comes down to that?" his wife asked.
you'd better a plagued sight inquire
into a mans ability to earn a Twin
than his shootin'. What do shootin
amount to. any way?"
To steady himself under this shock
the old man grabbed hold of the door
post. In a flame colored vision came
back the days of his youth, when this
woman, then handsome girl, smiled
upon his victory at a shooting lnatch.
1t was a day just before Thanksgiving,
when turkeys had been put up as
prizes, when he had proudly walked
home with six turkeys on his back.
Could it be that this woman had for
gotten it? And every year since then.
even when old age began to creep
unon him. he had gone to the Thanks
giving turkey shooting and had never
JAILED to bring home a prize.
It's all a hobby" she said, looking
at him. "And you are old enough to
give it UP. Recollect that times have
changed since we were young"
Slowly he recovered himself, and
then he said: "AIl the same, that
felIer Jim will have to prove that he
can shoot, or he can't have that girl.
And since you have been so brash,
he shan't have her unless he can beat
me shootin' at a mark"
She knew that to argue the point
with him was useless, and the girl
did not care to use. her persuasion, for
her heart was not set upon the young
fellow While the old fellow was still
standing at the door, Jim came up.
Il want to see you a minute, said
the old man. ''You have led me to
believe that you can shoot, but in
these days of forgeries and all sorts
of gold bricks, I believe 1T a leetle
safer to- have proof. So come on out
here with me-and say, unless you
can beat me shootin' at mark you
shan't have Sallie, for / amt much.
hit with your style, no how"
That's all right" Jim replied. eff
] can't beat you shooting I don't want
the girl
The old man took down his long
rifle. They went down into the stable
4Ob anu l44S yOutls5 mai was uS1SolSu.
Jim got on his horse and rode off, and
Ablin whistled his way back to the
house.
Il see him ridin' away, and reckon
you have beat him." said the old lady.
Yes. He told me to tell you all
goodbye. But I am beginnin' to feel
sorter sorry, that is, if Sallie cares"
Don't worry about me, pa the
girl spoke up. 81 didn't care for him,
anyway. I-.never did care for but
one man."