The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-05-30

have stopped here with us say the
show windows there are as pretty
as any in Nashville or Memphis.
Now, they may be as pretty as
any in Memphis" acknowledged
Mathews, "but l dare say you will
see many prettier windows in Nash
Vile" with commendable pride IN
his home town. "Well, this sketch
is finished he continued YEARLY,
"and | guess we had better not at
tempt anything else this evening.
We will return now to the house,
and shall try the fish the remain
der of the day-that IS, if that little
brother of yours has caught me that
bucket of ninnows he promised. ;
ooh, YOU can rest assured he's
got them" said Ada, picking up
one of the st, OILS while Mathews
gathered his easel and other traps.
\
The following morning after
breakfast, as they stood in the door
watching the mist rising from the
lake, Ada, in a serious voice, said
to Mathews!
care you going to sketch to-day
mo, think not" was the reply.
II shall either go fishing or hunt
1ng-I don't know which-probably
the latter, as the first fall flight of
nallards is now we'll on.
Il am glad to hear you say that,
jas wish you to do me favor
(Which shall grant with pleas
ure, if it is in my power. What is
it you would have me do?'
Get your gun and ammunition,
and will accompany you to the
dock, and tell you when we get
there"
Mathews was soon ready, and
when they reached the dock, they
found two young men, Jim Seigel
and Frank bigger, both profession
al fishers and hunters, each with
gun and a large number of shells.
II believe you are acquainted
with both of these gentlemen?' said
Ada, addressing her companion,
who acknowledged that he was.
"Well." went on the girl, "both
of them have been paying court to
me for some time, and, as can't
tell which is my choice, I have con-
cluded to leave it to luck, or rather,
skill. The one that brings in the
larger number of ducks this eve
ming, | have agreed to marry. |
wish you to 60 along and act as
referee, and see that there is no
cheating by either one. They are
not to hunt so far apart but that
you can see what each one is doing.
There must be no shooting except
on the wing, and you must see that
neither gets duck in any manner
from another hunter. You will call
time exactly at 5 o'clock. See that
the game is fair, Mr.. Matthew'S
and before the surprised referee
could reply, the young lady was
fifty yards away, speeding toward
her home.
"Well, by hooky! this is a new
kind of game to mel exclaimed
Mathews; "but I'll try and see that
neither OF you fellows swindle the
other. Well, let's open up the
sport. You keep your boats not
over hundred yards apart, and I'll
follow about the same distance in
the rear-in this way will get a
few shots myself"
A mile or more away from the
dock guns soon began to boom, and
the mallards to tumble into the wa
tiers of old Reelfoot. The match
was on in good earnest, and was
very exciting, not only to the two
rivals, but to Mathews, who never,
though, lost chance of a shot, and
banged away at everything in the
way of a duck that came anywhere
within gun-shot. Along toward
the close of the evening Mathews
called:
give o'clock. Not another shot.
Come along, and let's pull in; and
no counting of game until we reach
the bank
When the boats pulled up at the
dock, Ada was there awaiting them,
her face pale, aud her form tremb-
ling with excitement. She said not
word, but breathlesslv, almost,
watched Seigel as he pitched his
ducks onto the dock floor, counting