Evening star., 1914-11-08


an air rifle for all the trouble it'll give
you
Its pretty rusty" argued the OBJ
server.
well. suppose it is.'' retorted the deal
er. what's a little rust? You don't
want a nice clean gun, do you?'
From the dealers tone 1t was clear that
q shotgun without rust has a degrading
moral effect on the hunter. The OBJ
server hesitated to display his ignorance.
He took up the cross eXa rnination from
another angle.
How much chance is there of this
thing blowing up?" he inquired.
III that shotgun blows up" responded
the dealer, earnestly. II will pay all of
your funeral expenses and see that your
relatives are provided for"
There was no resisting the offer. The
Observer bought the gun on the spot.
Three days before the Observer had
run across William and had been irl,me-
diately conscripted for hunting trip
The Major and you and l." William
had explained, will make u day of it,
Personally the Observer would have
dispensed with the Major without a
single pang of sorrow. The Major is i
peppery, choleric gentleman at best.
When things go wrong he blows up
like d balloon and rips up the scenery
and emits language that would bring
a modest blush to the cheek of an army
mule. The Major is like tabasco sauce.
~ little of him is excellent, at times
but as steady diet he is too stimu-
lating.
Dawn of the day following the OBJ
servers acquisition of his shotgun
\ round the three hunters standing on a
\ r!ckety landing and gazing at a fos
lsilized relic which the guide assured
them was rowboat. The Observer at
tempted to argue the matter.
Iet US fresher specimen" he said
we are not particular. Look among
your stock and see if you haven't an
1860 model"
The guide was much the sort OF hu-
man being who would have been COM
panlon to the 'rowboat. There was
sDou. % nun, from his overhanging scrag-
sy mustache to his huge rubber boots.
Il feneral malarial look He was a
sour, respondent man. He gazed bit
terly at the water
What's the matter with, ,that boat %"
he asked as he fixed his gIum watery
eyes upon the Observer
Again the Observer tried to explain
iou can sell the thing to the Smith
sohlan institution and retire on the
proceeds, he said. why waste such
priceless curio as this on a hunting
trip
The guide addressed the world at
large.
IF some people," he said. would Quit
Jawin' we might git started"
The Major. with his gentle DISPOSE
tion, plunged into the conversation
Then" he snapped at the guide,
why don't you get into the blamed
boat"
He glowered at the guide who tried
vainly to return his gaze. In ocular bat
ties the Major seldom loses out
'All right, Kunnel,'' said the guide,
and meekly climbed into the boat.
"Major- roared the Major. Major
blast it,
Major" repeated the guide humbly.
Immediately after the huntsmen and
the malarial guide had gotten into the
boat the Observer suffered distinct
surprise. There were no oars. Instead
the guide produced a long irregularly
shaped pole, and, standing in the rear
of the boat, showed it along in an er-
ratio way
This is romantic stated the Obser-
Yer. Little did 1 think when small
child that some day i would be hunt
ing reed birds in a gondola.'
ASS said the Major tersely. He
was busily loading his magazine shot
gun. The guide nodded absent-mind-
edly.
Soon the argonauts were in the mid
die of a field that had the appearance
of d badly cooked dish of cold spinach.
Through the entangling grass and