3 2 



RECREA TWN. 



in the lake half a mile away, and beyond that a 

 prominent rock. 



This latter point was to be reached and then, 

 further on, a log cabin was the landmark. With 

 these instructions the canoeists settled themselves 

 down to business. The black snag was passed, 

 as also the rock. 



After a half hour's paddling it was suggested 

 that the cabin had not shown up yet. All this 

 time the mixed instructions for navigating had 

 been faithfully carried out and no thought of a 

 mistake entered the minds of the navigators. 



Another half hour's pull brought to view two 

 familiar objects — the black snag and the rock. 

 The discovery was then made that instead of the 



OUR CONTRIBUTORS. 



XI. 



Mr. J. G. Messner, whose portrait is shown 

 herewith, astonished the shooting world, in April 

 last, by killing 35 birds straight, from five ground 

 traps, at 18 yards rise, and thus winning the 

 grand American handicap. Mr. Messner was 

 then, and still is, a novice at the traps, having 

 never before shot in a regular match and only 

 twice in friendly practice matches. He had pre- 

 viously shot at less than 200 birds all told. In 

 this event he was matched with 47 other men 

 — many of them of national reputation, and in- 

 cluding such redoubtable champions as J. A. R. 

















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MR. J. G. MESSNER. 



left hand shore being the main land it was an 

 island, and that a complete circuit had bten 

 made of it. The rock was again the target. 

 This time the main shore was discernable, and all 

 apprehension about the course was over. 



The result o. the two weeks hunt was seven- 

 teen deer, one wolf and one bear, besides numer- 

 ous partridges, and all the black bass we could 

 use 



All returned home in good health, anticipating 

 the pleasures of next year's Recreation. 



"I want to be an angel, " 



A maiden gayly trilled. 

 Just then a trolley car came along — 



Her wish has been fulfilled. 



— Harlem Life. 



Elliott, Frank Class, Capt. Jack Brewer, Capt. 

 A. W. Money, Noel E. Money, and others of 

 equal prominence. 



Capt. A. W. Dubray, writing of this achieve- 

 ment, says : 



" It is doubtful if any onlooker will ever forget 

 the methodical imperturbability and innate sang 

 froid oV the winner ; nor can one ever forget the 

 stoical and masterly manner in which Messner 

 killed his last bird, making himself thereby, at 

 one stride, the hero of the hour. The most hard- 

 ened veteran, the most accomplished pigeon shot 

 living could not have achieved a more brilliant 

 victory nor displayed greater nerve and courage 

 at so critical a moment. 



1 ' Conscious of his own inexperience, alive to 

 the fact that the slightest error at this critical 



