THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 15 



estimation. In May he took it into his head to visit his 

 country cousins at Hookertown, and to regale himself a 

 little with country sports. 



Nothing seemed better adapted to his tastes than gun 

 ning, and he accordingly brought up from the city a fowl 

 ing piece, that he might carry out his deadly intent. He 

 had seen certain brave, chivalrous youths returning from 

 the Jerseys, dressed with hunting cap and coat, and orna 

 mented with powder flask, shot-bag and game pouch, the 

 very pictures of genteel recreation. So the first morning after 

 he had surprised Hookertown with his advent, he girded 

 on his shooting toggery and military weaponry, deter 

 mined to make the birds of his native parish smell gunpow 

 der, and bite the dust. He had some obscure recollections 

 that there was a prejudice against birds among the farm 

 ers on account of their pulling up corn, and thought he 

 would be performing a very good deed, as well as exhibit 

 ing his own prowess, by destroying them. His whole 

 memory of country life had become exceedingly impaired 

 by his city residence, and he delighted to show his igno 

 rance by asking questions upon topics that he was thor 

 oughly instructed in when a boy of ten on the farm. 



Passing Deacon Smith s orchard, Jeremiah Sparrow- 

 grass, merchant of the city of New York, spied a robin 

 redbreast, singing away right merrily with his bill in the 

 air, as if his whole soul was exhaling in the melody. Be 

 neath, in a fork of the tree, was his mate, with a nest full 

 of birdlings, and surely a happier family group was not to 

 be found anywhere in the country. Bang went the gun 

 of Jeremiah Sparrowgrass, and that morning song* was 

 ended. It was owing entirely to the inexperience of the 

 sportsman that a husband and lover was not also ended, 

 and a whole brood bereaved of their natural protector. 

 The report of the gun brought out Deacon Smith before 

 the heroic Mr. Sparrowgrass had time to reload his piece 

 and make a demonstration on the mother, who was flutter- 



