The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-03-03

~ ualAMk definite
nalsy was very fond ~ an cid ranch.
rr cmllcd Jake iluchius To her he
was stncle JAKE A DAY o. two after
/ nafkers shooting MS / was riding over
the country en horseback lluchlns
came up behind me and amhlcd along
side of me
Il hearp about the shootiu' q your
PIPE ontcn yor mouth" he said eIit
lie Daisy WIS telling me about H.
"oh Il was Miss Nolan who told
you. was itY'
Yes. And what's mere. she asked
me to suggest some way O. setilin' the
matter without blood spillin"
That's impossible" said |.
$50 | thort at fust but after awhile
thort OF a plan Barkers mighty
proud o his shootin', aud he's pretty
much made up his mind that he's lost
Daisy, reckon he'd agree 10 settle
the matter by trial o skin between
AtAi tNut iAt " NNbNihFl " hAN
only chance"
I'm no shot. Such a contest would
give Miss Daisy 90 him. aud she
doesn't want him.
Not so fast. Yon don't need 10 be
much o. a shot, Could you hit hens
egg al twenty feetf"
Il might IN Two or three shots"
well. | give Daisy my plan. and
she's decided TO try II. Heres note
for you. aud here's aote for Barker
Whichever bits hens egg with
forty.two The most outen five shots
she'll marry.
He handed me note 10 that effect
from Daisy and showed me another
he was commissioned TO deliver to
Barker
do you consentY' he added. draw
ing rein
YES" said II consent TO anythin=
Daisy desires"
Without waiting for more he turned
about and rode back 10 the direction
from whence he came.
The next day Uncle Jake Informed
me that Barker had gladly agreed TO
the terms
On the appointed day made my |
appearance at the barn, wondering |
what was to be the upshot of this sin
gular contest. found an egg sus
80 al lac
won,the toss and with 1t the right to
lre Eve consecutive shots at the egg
] missed the first aud the fourth, bul
put hole in the egg on the second
third aud the 6fth. For my life could
not see why ! had not lost. II would
be nothing for Barker TO hit the egg
every time.
new egg was attached TO the
thread for him TO shoot at and whip
ping out his revolver. he fired with ap
parent carelessness. lie was surprised
to see the egg oscillate violently, but
the shell was not broken. The nexi
time he fired he took careful aim but
with no better success. He was thun.
ierstruck. Since had hit the egg
three times he could now only tie me.
You must hit II IN the center" said
Uncle Jake III you don't you'll
glance"
Barker aimed long and carefully al
The center and sent the egg bobbing,
but still the shell was unbroken
his revolver on the barn
ioor. lie strobe away.
knew that Barker had been tricked.
,ut could not conceive how II ap-
,eared to me that nothing could be
more fair than the trial. asked
Uncle Jake how he had managed to
ct me. poor shot, beat the best shot
II the territory He would not tell
ne Barker was never seen there
gain Daisy had induced him TO sign
promise that II beat him be would
cave the field clear for me.
| married Daisy and took her east
With me. She said she had had enough
4 the wild west and had no further
Sc for cowboys. not considering them
be romantic creatures she had thought
hem when she first went 10 the coun ,
ry. she learned the secret OF the
hooting match from Uncle Jake the Z
ay we were married and told II TO me ,
n our wedding journey The meat I
ad been taken from the egg Barker
hot at. and the fcatherweight shell
ad been moved aside each time by i
he wind Of the ball. To hit It was
npossible.
Uncle Jake had learned the trick ,
'om prestidlgitator who had passed
trough the locality with circus. !