- FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



The man who quits when he gets enough, with plenty of game still in sight, is a real sportsman 



THEY ROAST THE REVEREND BRISTLE- 

 BACK. 



San Antonio, Texas. 

 Rev. Ransome Williams, 



Greenville, S. C. 



Dear Sir — I read in the January number 

 of Recreation statements which, if true, 

 prove you to be an energetic and strenuous 

 hunter of game. You are accused of being 

 most persevering after grouse and the plump 

 bodied quail. Now, perseverance is a vir- 

 tue when confined to proper lines, such as 

 steering sinners into the highway of right- 

 eousness ; but when used in the search of 

 birds on their nest, with gun and dog, it 

 places the hunter in the center of the road 

 of sinfulness and greed; a position that no 

 Christian gentleman will occupy. Evidence 

 that a man will shoot birds in violation of 

 the law and at the time when they are nest- 

 ing or caring for their helpless young 

 would cause the average sinner to have 

 doubts about such personjhaving been called 

 to preach, or that a man could be useful in 

 that calling. Such conduct in an alleged 

 man of God should be rebuked by his 

 church people, and if the law could reach 

 him he should be prosecuted. If you are 

 guilty of the acts of which you are accused 

 you lack the attributes of a Christian. You 

 are a hypocrite and have neither charity, 

 sympathy, kindness of heart nor the fear of 

 God. You should repent or quit your job 

 and make room for a better- man, who 

 would act in a manner consistent with his 



calling. 



Capt. L. L. Goodrich. 



Watertown, N. Y. 

 To the Rev. Ransome Williams, 



Greenville, S. C. 



Sir — It is reported among Northern 

 sportsmen that you pursue quails to the ex- 

 termination of every one you can find, with- 

 out hesitation; that you have said you 

 would shoot male birds out of season ; that 

 you take your gun and dogs on your cir- 

 cuit of preaching; that on all your hunting 

 trips you sneak out your board and lodg- 

 ing; and that in every act connected with 

 your -hunting you do not show the qualities 

 of a real sportsman, but rather those of a 

 selfish game hog, of which a man of your 

 cloth ought to be ashamed. The manners 

 you are said to employ would not work in 

 this State. In the Adirondacks you could 

 not get a bunk in any camp, nor a guide 

 that would paddle you to fish. You ought 

 to have respect enough for the Almighty 

 to treat the rest of His animals with fair 

 consideration, for it is not fair for your- 

 self, as an animal, to try tQ exterminate all 



279 



the others. Try to reform; but if you do 

 not, I hope you may some day have some 

 fines to pay, besides otherwise running 

 against the brick wall. 



S. E. Stanton. 



Morgantown, West Va. 

 Rev. Ransome Williams, 



Greenville, S. C. 



Dear Sir — It has become known that you 

 are zealous in the pursuit of quails, grouse, 

 etc., hunting almost every day during the 

 open season, and sometimes out of season ; 

 that you generally try to kill all the game 

 you possibly can, even to killing every quail 

 in a covey. It is a lamentable fact that 

 there are yet a good many hunters so gross- 

 ly selfish, so narrow and so thoughtless that 

 they hunt and kill as long as they can find 

 anything to shoot at ; but it is doubly de- 

 plorable when a minister is found conspicu- 

 ous in the ranks of these game hogs, who 

 are held in contempt by every lover of fair 

 play and every true sportsman in the land. 



Do you not think it would be a good idea 

 to be in the future more considerate and 

 more modest in your demands on the game 

 supply? There are thousands of others who 

 think so. 



Bennett White. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 

 Rev. Ransome Williams, 



Greenville, S. C. 



I see by Recreation that you are in the 

 pen, and I hope that before Mr. Shields 

 and his friends get through with you they 

 will have put a ring in your nose, so you 

 can not root out. I have heard of clergy- 

 men who have committed every crime from 

 chicken stealing to murder, and their 

 crimes have called forth some expressions 

 of mercy from men ; but you are the first 

 clerical game hog that has been brought to 

 my attention, and you deserve no sympathy 

 whatever. In some communities you would 

 be kicked out and a coat of .tar added to 

 your bristles. It is a reflection on your 

 parishioners that they allow you to remain. 

 You have missed your calling; your placf 

 is in a slaughter house. A. W. Davis. 



Greenvilre, S. C. 

 Mr. G. O. Shields, 



New York, N. Y. 



Dear Sir — I reprinted in the Greenville 

 News the roast you gave the Reverend 

 Ransome J. Williams. I heartily endorse 

 every word of your editorial, and believe it 

 will have the desired effect. I know Will- 

 iams personally, and he is supposed to be a 



