RECREA TION. 



xxm 



THE DEACON'S BEAR HUNT. 



C. H. SMITH. 



The bear filled with bullet holes, in Jan- 

 uary Recreation, aroused in Deacon S. 

 the latent savage instincts inherited from a 

 long line of hunting ancestors. Immedi- 

 ately on sighting the aforesaid perforated 

 animal he threw down the magazine, wiped 

 his spectacles, and vowed he was going 

 bear hunting. The other members of the 

 family, knowing no bear has set foot in the 

 region about Lake Minnetonka for 25 years, 

 thought the old man had gone crazy. So, as 

 he took down his trusty rifle from over the 

 fireplace, Miss Helen and George volun- 

 teered to go along and keep the old man 

 from shooting himself. 



They set out, the deacon leading the pro- 

 cession, toward the big water, and down 

 against a dock on the shore of the bay, 

 where in summer excursion steamers land 

 their loads of passengers, the old man 

 sighted his bear and let drive at once for a 

 vital spot. He hit bruin just back of the 

 shoulder, but strange to say and contrary 

 to time honored custom the bear didn't 

 " drop in his tracks." Then Miss Helen 

 caught the rifle from the old man's now 

 nerveless hand and gave the bear a leaden 

 pellet in his spinal column. This awakened 

 George's enthusiasm and he gave the beast 

 a salute that broke off his starboard ear. 

 The firing became general and in a few mo- 

 ments bruin- looked like a pepper box, and 

 in spite of his magnificent vitality could 

 stand up no longer. In fact the tacks which 

 fastened him to the dock jarred loose and 

 down he went. The deacon's desire for gore 

 was by this time appeased and he had ac- 

 cumulated enough neuralgia to last him the 

 rest of the winter. So his companions 

 gathered up the remains of their game and 

 led the deacon home. 



The rifle used on this occasion is choked 

 at both ends. 



This latter statement may seem strange 

 but it is certainly true, for in cleaning the 

 weapon it makes no difference which end 

 of the gun the cleaning rag is poked into, it 

 always gets stuck in the other end. The rifle 

 is also peculiar in another particular, it al- 

 ways shoots where it is pointed. Most 

 rifles around here don't do that. Many times 

 have their owners been heard to say, after 

 making a shot, " There, that dinged gun has 

 throwed another one of them unaccount- 

 ables." 



Angora Kittens: — Who wants a most 

 delightful pet for $10? Express charges paid 

 East of Mississippi River. Thomas M. Upp, 

 57 West 137th Street, New York City. 



For Sale and Exchange: Live flying 

 squirrels, in pairs. What have you to offer? 

 E. F. Pope, Colmesneil, Texas. 



IN ANSWERING ADS ALWAYS 

 MENTION RECREATION. 



