CHAPTER XXXIV 



GUN STORIES 



A FEW years since a well-known daily paper commenced 

 a furious crusade against " the senseless slaughter of game 

 which characterised the modern battue and drive." Un- 

 fortunately, the editor's zeal outran his discretion, and, 

 being lamentably ignorant of the subject, he fell into a trap, 

 only to come out covered with ridicule. A correspondent 

 sent him what purported to be an account of a great grouse 

 shoot by electric light. The moors were lit up, and the 

 bewildered birds, only half awake, flew almost into the 

 muzzles of the guns and many were even knocked down 

 with sticks. The editor published the extraordinary state- 

 ment without inquiry, with some scathing comments on 

 " this so-called sport." Then came the inevitable exposure. 

 He was compelled to own that he had been made the 

 victim of a humiliating hoax ; his ignorance of everything 

 connected with shooting was exposed, and from that 

 moment his diatribes ceased. 



In one of his novels {Harry Lorreqiier, I think) Charles 

 Lever introduces a verdant Englishman who has crossed 

 St George's Channel to make himself acquainted with the 

 manners and customs of the wild Irish. Landing at night, 

 he is taken charge of by one of the hospitable Burkes or 

 Blakes of County Clare, and when his mission has been 

 ascertained is told more about the Paddies than could be 

 found in any guide-book. By the help of powerful doses 

 of potheen he is kept asleep all day, and, being up all night, 

 is easily made to believe that the sun is only seen for an 

 hour or two about Christmas each year. Among the 

 sports arranged for his benefit, pheasant shooting entered 

 largely, at which, although he could not see an inch in 



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