190 QUIT, ROD, AND SADDLE. 



ly you will meet with men who appear to do equal 

 execution with either a crooked, straight, long, or 

 short stock ; but such are rare, and when found you 

 may feel certain that they have possessed unusual op- 

 portunities for constant practice. The length of man's 

 arm, neck, and conformation of shoulder are so various, 

 that seldom will a gun come up alike to different in- 

 dividuals ; the straight, tall figure wants a crooked 

 stock; the short, stout person, the reverse ; and inter- 

 mediate figures, the bend between both extremes. I 

 once possessed an excellent gun, with which I inva- 

 riably acquitted myself creditably. The stock had 

 always been an eye-sore, for it was composed of bad 

 wood, and the previous owner had chipped and scratch- 

 ed it so badly that, after lengthened hesitation, I deter- 

 mined to have it re-stocked. However, when it re- 

 verted from the gunmaker to my hands, I was sur- 

 prised how indifferently I shot with it ; but, on exami- 

 nation, I found that the new stock was much straighter 

 than the old. Again : being in a neighborhood where 

 game was abundant, when I did not have one of my 

 own guns with me, I borrowed from a friend, and my 

 execution was so bad that before the day was over I 

 gave up in disgust. This gun's stock was so straight 

 that I doubt if any but its owner could use it. In 



