Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-05
aaisesllaasuas gsadins.
AN EARLY MARKSMAN.
john MeteaIf, Pioneer, and the Flint
lock Rifle He Used.

John Metcalf, Pioneer, ana the fh"'
lock Rifle He Used.
In the township of Mendon In the
southern part of Massachusetts, there
was in ITO, says Army and Navy Lie,
a young man whose skill with fire.
arms was widely celebrated. He lived
alone in a one-room house made OF
logs some distance from any neigh
Dor in a pleasant clearing upon the
bank of Mill Creek.
The surrounding forest contained
an abundance Of game, which he shot
for both food and sport His real liv-
ing, however, was gained at the fire.
ouent shooting matches held through
out the length and breadth Of the
state. And a very honorable living 1t
was then considered; for, with the ter
rors of the French and Indian war
in mind, the men, and the women,
too. of that time. held skill with wea-
pons in high esteem.
These shooting matches rarely Of
fered prizes in money. Usually, the
victor won beef, pork, lamb. poultry
or live stock. Sometimes. however,
household goods were the prize, and
sometimes other merchandise. But,
whatever the prize was, it could cas-
lily be turned into money; so that John
Metcalf had an abundant larder,
we'll furnished cabin and a supply Of
cash amply sufficient for himself.
At the matches held in Mendon and
the adjoining townships John Met
calf's closest competitor was a man
somewhat older than himself, who
rivaled him also in suing for the heart
and hand of the fair Mary Turner,
daughter Of Mendon's only rich man.
Neither Metcalf nor Chalfin was able
to get a decided answer to his suit.
The fact was, Mary found each man
had pleasing qualities not possessed
by the other, and both were equally
desirable husbands.
AS time went by Chalfin's ability as
an expert shot increased, thereby re-
ducing Metcalfs lead, and worse yet,
his earnings also. Rumor, too,
brought trouble, for the village gos-
sips professed to know that Mary had
told in confidence that perhaps the
best man would win.
So Metcalf and Chalfin each strove
nightly. Every ingenious contri-
vance that they knew, heard Of or
could invent was tried in order to in
crease the accuracy Of their great
fiintlock muskets. They sifted and
resifted their power to get grains of
uniform size; accurately measured the
charges and wrapped them in separ-
ate packages, trimmed their bullets
by hand and patched them with greas-
ed buckskin cut to size, and load
ed them with the Fuckers to the front.
Metcalf filed the front sight to his
musket thin and cut deeper notch in
the tang screw. Chalfin bought a new
gun.
Still Metcalf's lead was a danger
ously small one; his friends chaffed
him, and Mary was as coy as usual.
Then, one day, he disappeared. A
caller found his house to be abandon
ed. Whether or not the fair Mary
knew his whereabouts, she kept her
own counsel; certain it was mystery
to all others.
About two months after an early
sunbeam Of an August morning,
streaming through the open shutters
of Metcalf's cabin, showed John Met
calf upon his bed. Moving slowly
along the wall it chanced upon the
polished patch box of a rifle resting
above the fireplace and instantly light
ed the room with myriad reflections.
Metcalf, half awake, was living over
the adventures of his long journey
to Pennsylvania, where, only rifles
were then made at their best. Arous-
ed by the glimmer he arose and took
down his new treasure. Balancing 1t,
turning it, appreciative Of its rich,
deep cherry color, its grace, its tense,
alert, high-bred air, he felt well re-
paid for the time, effort and money
spent. His pride, too, was touched,
for throughout the length and breadth
Of the province Of Massachusetts, bay
no other to his knowledge had else
than a smooth bore; he alone had a
rifle.
Thenceforth at every shooting
match he and the rifle were objects
Of conspicuous attention. No longer
was Chalfin a dangerous rival. Meth
er Chalfin's musket nor any mans
fowling piece could hold candle to
the rifle for fine shooting at the regu-
lar range of ten measured rods. The
larder of the little cabin overflowed
with the bounty Of his harvest. in
its secret hiding place under stone
of the hearth long woolen stocking
bulged to the bursting point with mon
ey saved. John Metcalf was famous
and growing rich. Mendon honored
him with public office. Mindful Of
the adage ITO him who hath shall be
given," he once more, and boldly, ask
ed Mary for the gift of her captious
heart and dimpled hand. And as he
shot and won, so he wooed and won.
HALLEYS COMET.