Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-08-24

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1 saw no alternative but to throw my
self upon a third chance shot; fo
though, by the rules of the sport,
would have been allowed to shoot b!
proxy, by all the rules of good breed
ing I was bound to shoot In person
1t would have been objectionable t.
disappoint the expectations which hat
been raised on me. Unfortunately, too
for me, the match differed in one res
pect from those which had been II
the habit Of attending in my younger
days. In olden time the contest wa!
carried on chiefly with shotguns, ge'
lneric term which, In those days, en-
lbraced three descriptions Of firearms
Indian traders "a long, cheap, bu
sometimes excellent kind of gun tha
Mother Britain used to send hither fol
traffic with the Indians), the large
musket, and the shot gun; properly
So called rifles were, however always
permitted to compete with them, under
equitable restrictions. These were
that they should be fired offhand, while
the shotguns were allowed a rest, the
distance being equal; or that the dis
tance should be one hundred yards fol
a rife to sixty for the shotgun, the
mode Of firing being equal.
But this was match Of rifles exclu-
sively; and these are by far the most
common at this time.
| Most of the competitors fire at the
same target, which Is usually a board
from nine inches to foot wide, char
red on one side as black as it can be
made by fire, without impairing ma
terially the uniformity Of its surface;
on the darkened side Of which Is peg
ged square piece Of white paper
which is larger or smaller according tc
the distance at which 1t is to be placed
from the marksmen. This is almost
Invariably sixty yards, and for 1t the
paper is reduced to about two and q
half inches square. Out of the centre
Of II is cut rhombus of about the
width Of an inch. measured diagonally;
this Is the bulls eye or diamond, as
the marksmen choose to call 1t; in the
centre of this Is the cross. But every
man is permitted to fix his target to
his own taste; and, accordingly, some
remove one fourth of the paper, cutting
from the centre Of the square to the
two lower corners, so as TO leave a
large angle opening from the centre
downward, while others reduce the
angle more or less; but 1t is rarely the
case that all are not satisfied with one
of these figures.
The beef is divided into five prizes
or, as they are commonly termed, five
quarters-the hide and tallow count
ing as one. For several years after the
Revolutionary war sixth was added
the lead which was shot in the match
This was the prize of the sixth best
shot; and 1t used to be carefully ex-
tracted from the board or tree In
which it was lodged. and afterwards
remoulded. But this grew out Of the
exigency of the times, and has, be-
lieve, been long since abandoned
everywhere.
The three master shots and rivals
were Moses Firmly. Larkin Spivey
and Billy Curlew; to whom was add
ed, upon this occasion, by common con-
sent and with awful forebodings, your
humble servant.
The target was fixed at an elevation
Of about three feet from the ground;
and the judges Captain Turner and
Squire Porter) took their stands by It,
joined by about half the spectators.
The first name on the catalogue was
Mealy Whitecotton. Mealy stepped
out, rifle in hand, and toed the mark
His rifle was about three inches longer
than himself, and near enough his own
| thickness to make the remark Of Dar-
by Chisholm. as he stepped out, toler-
ably appropriate: Here comes the
corn-sto and the sucker!" said
Darby.
Kiss my foot!" said Mealy. "The
way I'll creep into that bull's-eye's a
fact"
you'd better creep into your hind
sight" said Darby. Mealy raised and
fired.
"A pretty good shot, Mealy!" said
one.
Yes, a blamed good shot!" said a
second.
well done, Neal" said a third.
I was rejoiced when one Of the COM
pany inquired, Where is it?" for
could hardly believe they were found
ing these remarks upon the evidence
of their senses.
Just on the right-hand side Of the
bulrs-eye," was the reply.
1 looked with all the power Of my
eyes, but was unable to discover the
least change in the surface Of the pa
per. Their report, however, was true;
so much keener is the vision Of prac-
tised than an unpractised eye.
The next in order was Hiram Baugh
Hiram was like some race-horses
which 1 have seen; he was too good
not to contend for every prize, and toe
good for nothing ever to win one.
| Gentlemen" said he, as he came tc
the madk, "I don't say that I'll wiz
beef but If my piece don't blow I'll ea
the paper, or be mighty apt to do 1t
If you'll blieve my racket. My pow
der are not good powder, gentlemen
bought it thum (from) Zeb Daggett
and gin him three quarters Of dollar
a pound for it; but it are not wha
l call good powder, gentlemen; but Il
old Buck killer burns 1t clear, the boy
you call Hiram Baugh eats paper, OIL
comes mighty near It."
We'll blaze away" said Mealy, "ane
be id to you, and Zeb Daggett, anc
your powder, and Buck killer, and you
powder horn and shot-pouch to boot
How long you gwine stand thar talk
ing fore you shoot"
Never mind" said Hiram, Il cal
talk a little and shoot a little too; bu
that's nothin. Here goes!"
/ Hiram assumed the figure of not
of interrogation, took a long sight, ant
fired.