Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-21
OUR BOYS
and GIRLS I;
A GUN TRAGEDY.
o+C+O+C+cfOOK


when we were sitting beside an open
fireplace. piled high with blazing logs
why Is 1t that YOU are always telling
me- TO be careful with my gun when
I'm out hunting? Il seems To me that
you are even more cautious than
mother. and that's going some"
Joe. have good reason for being
% cautious" he said slowly. IT'S a
long story. but III tell 1t II you hs
the patience to listen"
Just try me-" said, eager for any
story that savored OF adventure, and
BE- began:
when l was about IA years old I
VAS particularly intimate with Two
brothers. George and Alfred Porter
~ nsns. The thing which banded us
together was our common taste for
sport with the rod and gun. We lived
N section of the country where the
tresA end uhderbrush were very thick
atd where ruled grouse was the
uost sought after OF the feathered
game.
"One Friday evening George and Al
drove. over to our house and George,
who was the older, said: Bob, let's 90
grouse hunting tomorrow. tn be the
first Saturday OF the open season and
We ought to get good many shots
Good idea. | exclaimed. Wen
orive over toward Berrytown and
leave the horse at Schuylers. You
can stay here tonight SO that we can
get an earlysstart in the morning.
They agreed. and after we had sta.
bled their horse We spent the remain.
der OF the evening in cleaning our
guns and oyerhauling our outfits.
Next morning We arose at four.
were dressed in quarter of an hour.
flushed breakfast. harnessed a horse
and started by five.
ut was six.mle drive to Schuy.
ler's farmhouse. and when we got
there no one was at home. Mr. Schuy.
Ter probably had driven his family to
town TO do some shopping. We were
on the best OF terms with him. howey-
er, and so we tied and blanketed our
horse back OF his stable. Then we
took our guns and entered the woods.
UT was our plan to walk three
abreast with a space OF fifteen yards
between US, and when we flushed a
bird whoever was nearest should have
the shot. | was on the left. AL in the
middle and George on the right.
We had a fair number OF shots but
our percentage OF hits was small. for
as you know. a ruffed grouse flies like
4 feathered bullet. and always heads
for the thickest cover.
Once 1 grouse rose and flew be-
tween George and AL. 1t was nearer
to George and he snapped at it. He
missed the grouse, but Al. with sti.
lied shrek. fell backward to the
ground We both rushed to the spot
where he fl. is face was almost
shot away. No ed to feel his heart
to see whether he was dead or mo-. !
There was no doubt Of it. Poor little |
Al! 1t was the first and last season he |
ever carried gun
TOO horrorstruck for speech, I .
looked at George. Groanng and within.
pering. the poor fellow was with few
erish haste reloadng his gun. He
cooked the hammer and, holding the
weapon at arms length, pointed the
mnzzle toward his breast.
"'Here' | cried What are you do
Ina?
i jerked the gun away just as he
pushed tie trigger with a short stick
he couldn't reach It with his hand.
Fhe charge of shot went harmlessly
INTO a nearby tree
Hardly knowing what he was do
Ing, George gave up the gun doc!ely
enough, and leaned 1t against tree
With my own while | picked up APPS
body and started with it toward the
farmhouse
4 had gone about ten rods when
made me look back, and |
saw George reach out for my gun
md cock the hammer. Dropping the
body ! sprang toward him and reach
ID him just in time to jerk the gun
away and send second charge into
he branches Of tree. This would
,eyer dos l must take away his am.
nihition. He carried his shells in the
Tide pocket of his coat. | went up to
litR and he permitted me to take the
cartridges and put them in my own
pocket. Then | started away. As
ulned ] noticed that he still held in
liz Fright hand single cartridge,
Which he hoped | would not notice.
But he gave up this, too, without op.
POSITION
"Thcn once more I picked up the
lead body and started toward the
farmhouse. When reached it, found
hat Mr.. Schuyler had not returned.
o / united the horse and led him out
ntb the road in preparation for the
eturn drive. When | went again in
o the wood saw George in the same
pot where | had left him. He ap-
reached me and as looked into his
ace saw that his eyes were wild
nd slarng.
"'Give me those Shells he said,
orsely. III you don't, III take them
rom you
Y shook my head End he sprang at
ne. We closed and rocked to and fro,
ack and forth over the rough bushes
nd tree roots. Then we went 10 the |