CLEVER BOY SHOOTERS. 



33 



juncture meant absolute defeat ; aware that this 

 one shot would make him famous or drop him 

 into oblivion, whence he, as a shooter, had here- 

 tofore been, Messner, in spite of a most aggra- 

 vating and unpardonable balk, calmly, coolly and 

 serenely turned to the referee and remarked that 

 he had not called "pull." He was ordered to 

 shoot another bird — faced the traps, grasped his 

 old reliable Parker gun, a trifle tighter mayhap, 

 settled the but to his powerful shoulder, glanced 

 along the barrel, knowing that the old gun would 

 never fail him either in its fire or in the delivery of 

 its charge. He called "pull" distinctly and 

 clearly, bowled over his bird in splendid style and 

 landed in the twenty-fifth straight, the first man 

 to get there, with two other possibles to follow. 



" Later along, when Class and Elliott had 

 also reached the goal and the tie had to be shot 

 off, this unheralded man stepped up and killed 

 his ten straight, beating his formidable oppo- 

 nents, winning the handsome purse of $760 and 

 being declared the winner of the Grand Ameri- 

 can Handicap of 1895. Really, it was a grand 

 performance, terminating in a glorious finish 

 and crowning Messner, the quiet, serene and iron 

 man of Pittsburg, the king of the event." 



Besides being a man of iron nerve, Messner is 

 a most generous, kind hearted, genial gentleman 

 and is loved by all who know him. He is a 

 staunch friend of, and a regular contributor to 

 Recreation. Several short articles from his 

 pen have been printed in former issues, and 

 others are in hand for later use. 



Matchless IV. is a capital field worker and 

 has been well trained at home and in the field as 

 shown by the obedient and graceful manner in 

 which he poses before the camera. 



GALLERY OF GOOD DOGS. 



V. 



Matchless IV., whose portrait is shown above, 

 is owned by Mr. J. II . Wheeler, Newburyport, 

 Mass. He is a well bred dog carrying in his 

 veins the blood of Count Noble, Belle of Pied- 

 mont, Mamie Gladstone, Count Windern, Bob 

 Gates, and other famous bench and field trial 

 winners. 



CLEVER BOY SHOOTERS. 



VII. 



Willie Hamm, whose picture is shown below, 

 lives at St. Stephens, N. B., began shooting 

 when 9 years old and is now 14. He is fond of 



both rod and gun, but his preference is for the 

 latter. His pointer, " Rover" also appears in the 

 group. These two and a foxhound, " Homer," 

 are boon companions and they make merry 

 with the game of that region whenever their 

 young master is out of school. Willie has 

 killed several foxes in front of Homer, and 

 many ruffed grouse and woodcock with the aid 

 of Rover. He has also a beagle with whom he 

 has had many a royal day's sport on rabbits. 

 Willie Hamm has shown his appreciation of 

 good sportsmen's literature by securing and send- 

 ing in ten subscriptions for RECREATION as a 

 premium for which I have sent him a 22 caliber 

 Davenport rifle. He is now equipped for squir- 

 rels as well as other game. 



Enclosed find money order for $r.oo, in 

 payment of a year's subscription to RECREA i i' >N. 



1 sincerely hope you may be successful beyond 

 your expectations with your new magazine, as it 

 should certainly be in every sportsman's hands. 

 I am glad to see your high standard of photo- 

 gravure illustrations, which no other publication 

 of the kind has ever had. JEROME Clark. 



