DUCK-SHOOTING. 245 
“‘ Gentlemen, with those feelings, I could not long 
remain in that room ; it was time to make haste ; and 
mumbling some excuse, I escaped before a noise, 
that seemed to be ascending the stairs, approached. 
My friend wondered at the time I had been away, 
abused me for allowing the light to go out, but was 
easily convinced that the time had been lengthened 
by his dreams. Virtue is its own reward, and, gen- 
tlemen, I never shall regret that night.” 
Cuorus—* But you have not said a word of the 
duck-shooting.” 
“Well, to tell the truth, I heard next day that, 
Oscar was inquiring for me, and concluded that the 
shooting would be better elsewhere.” 
The shout of laughter that succeeded this answer 
died away, and the unlucky man was called upon 
for his adventure. 
Untucky Man.—*“ Gentlemen, I can give you no 
such entertaining history as my friend. In all my 
life, I never saw a woman unless she was fully dressed 
and prepared for it—much as I would like to—for I 
am not endowed with one half of his virtuous senti- 
ments. But my adventure also occurred on Long 
Island, whither I had gone to learn trout-fishing. I 
had a new rod of Conroy’s best and most expensive 
pattern, a book full of flies, a basket, a bait-box, a 
net, a gaff, and all things appurtenant, and was 
especially proud of my fishing suit, which a brother 
of the angle had kindly selected for me. My boots 
came above my knees, and were of yellow Russian 
leather, with which my brown pants matched ad- 
