My First Gun. 5 



named Ben), whom I had made acquaintance 

 with, almost perfect. I can recollect when I 

 was very young nearly w^orrying my poor old 

 grandmother's life out of her by continually 

 teasing her to make me whips. The old lady 

 tried her best, and I used to stand looking 

 on, continually making suggestions, saying, 

 "That's not the way," till the good-natured old 

 creature would say, " There's no pleasing the 

 brat," and would put on her bonnet, and march 

 off to a toy-shop and buy me a whip. But I 

 never took to anything in the shape of toys like 

 most children ; what I wanted was a real whip, 

 " a man's whip." At length the old lady routed 

 out from somewhere or other a colossal and 

 dilapidated hunting-whip, which entirely satisfied 

 my fastidious taste, and I prized it accordingly. 

 It was rather an awkward size for so young a 

 child ; but no matter, it was a genuine article. 



Young Ben was a year or two older than 

 myself, and on account of his relationship to 

 so sporting a character, was, in my opinion, an 

 absolute authority on all matters connected with 

 dogs, guns, and sporting appliances in general. 

 Tn a sort of attic or lumber-room in the house 

 there was an 



