The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-06-03
JACK MASON'S WAGER
HE WON IT III GREAT CTYLE WITH
OUT TURNING 4 HAIR"

Uni:Iuc EuN1ir,S E%caoRdc OF ? F:-
1nDus Old Time Ti-Sii:i:, Sportsman.
Ei-.i Shooting THAT Opened :. G~:.l
CD 5cotcaila5's Eyes.
From Ill accounts Jack ,t:Son in his
youth vas tie widest r;l:t:;lg young
blade in tho country. One OF his sport
ing esc:D3Ges is household tradition
down il Old Qu::nt:co 70 this d:iy. says
Alax:.n :.nGcr Hunter in Outing.
There was a large plantation in tie
section owned and worked Ey Il Scotch
r.aH. II, elderly man, who employed no
oycrsecr, but filed tie place himself.
He was the typical stern. biGotel
Scotch Covenanter rs drawn by the
Immortal pen Of the Wizard Of the
North. lie was a fanatic in all things
and was utterly out CT place among
the pleasure loving Virginia gentry. It
WAS the irreDressiE!e antipatEy OF the
Cavalier ana Puritan-the rising Of the
bristles OF the boar at tie approach OF
the stagloUnds. lie herded by himself,
and they left him severely alone. The
c:,nny Scot |cs himself 10 sportsman.
nor would lie allow any OF the neigh
bors to FIRE gun c1 lis place.
Now It happened there was large
ball near by. with Jack Mason in at
tendance. of coUrse, and during tie
10 1ic6yrSSnG
chances of autumn shooting and de-
plorcd the failure of all their efforts to
be allowed 20 hunt Oh the ScotchnaE's
preserves. Jack Mason offered to bet
his ravoritc horse against any Of equal
value that he would shoot over that
preserve on the morrow and with the
full ard free consent Of the owner. He
was asked if he knew him personally
or had unknown me ms OF, winning his
favor.
He answered in the negative and
added he had never even met the Scot
in lis life. The wager was closed there
and then.
The next morning as the old Cove
nanter was walking up and down the
porch enjoying lis after breakfast pipe
a strange apparition advanced up the
gravel walk and took off his three cor
nersd hat and made him sweeping
bow. The Scot winked his eyes and
looked again. He saw Il slender. effeln-
mate looking fellow some twenty-five
years old who seemed literally to have
stepped from the ballroom. His rufled
shirt front was adorned with dia-
nlond, mother Of pearl buttons cleaned
on Lis sky blue coat, and his satin small
clothes glstered in the sunshine. \
pair of silk stockings were gartered by
q love knot bow Of blue ribbon. and his
dancing pumps We're decorated by q
jeveled buckle. He carried gun in
one hand, and two pointer dogs trooped
ut his heels.
We'll. what do you want? asked the
planter.
In q mincing voice the intruder asked
his gracious permission to shoot few
birds. saying he had been dancing all
night at Warwick hall and needed q
little morning exercise.
The Scot gazed at him with the same
feeling perhaps that his stalwart noun
tain bred ancestor had at the perfumed
dainty fops Of Charles IFS court. He
was about to utter q curt and positive
refusal when his grim Scotch humor
got the better Of him. He came near
hilarious laughter as he saw that deli
cately clothed creature standing so
clean, jaunty and nice and then pic
tured him returning from the hunt. his
costly attire in rags. his tender limbs
scratched. his morning glory all gone.
So be smiled in his beard and asked
him If he intended to hunt just as he
was dressed. He was answered in the
affirmative So he gave his assent that
his unknown guest for that one day
might shoot all he pleased. and then he
started off for the low grounds to at
tend to the cornshucking.
A short time after his negro manager
came running up to him anG said:
"Marster. there won't be a bird left
on dis here place. De mans debbll,
and the dogs is the debbil, and the gun
is debbil."
Dropping his work, the owner hur-
ricd to the scene. and be opened his
eyes very wide indeed at what he saw.
In the front Of the house was a stubble
field of several hundred acres that had
been harvested in wheat the same
year. 1t was as level as table and an
ideal feeding place for the quail For
many years they had whistled, mated
and fed around the place all undis-
turbed until they became almost as
tame as barnyard fowls. The owner
saw the dogs stand motionless. saw the
dandy sportsman pick his way gently
where they were. saw few birds rise
and two puffs Of smoke. followed by
q nearly simultaneous report Two
birds dropped. then the dogs retrieved.
and the game was handed to monde
script negro lad whom the sportsman
had picked up somewhere. who had