/;w/:a/l/j;v /ii\^iuli\ r 



76 



inch, three-quarter inch, half inch, or quarter 

 inch (as may prove easiest in practice) slow- 

 ly, smoothly, evenly, and loose on the draw. 

 Pull the fingers firmly and slowly off the 

 string. Do not open the fingers. Pull them 

 hack ward off the' string. But pull them off 

 slowly, firmly, toughly. You will realize the 

 meaning of "toughly" when once you feel 

 the fingers come off perfectly. Go into the 

 park without any target. Aim so as to drop 



WILL H. THOMPSON 

 Several times Champion Archer of the United States 



the arrows about ioo yards away, but don't 

 try to hit anything. Don't shoot at anything. 

 That distracts attention from the loose. 

 Keep shooting in that manner without a 

 target until the perfect loose and the per- 

 fect "hold" become mechanical, involuntary, 

 natural. Then try the target, and not until 

 then, and I promise you that you will sur- 

 prise the Archers next August. 



Mr. has two of the most essential 



things nearly perfect, and because of them 

 he scores despite some serious drawbacks. 

 His hold is firm, not strained, and his final 

 draw is made quietly while all is firm. If he 

 would keep his cheek out of the way of the 

 string by a two inch lower draw, he would 

 grow in power rapidly. There is not, there 

 cannot be any reason why you should not 

 grow as rapidly as he. You have more 

 strength, as quiet nerves and a mind as in- 

 clined to learn from others. Don't imitate 

 him or any one else. We each have glaring 



faults. "s draw is wrong, his loose 



good. 's draw and loose, including the 



"hold," which is part of the loose, is good, 

 but it is too high, and loses him many a shot 

 by the chafing of the string upon the jaw. 



My draw and loose are good, but the loose is 

 too quick, except when I am in especially 

 good condition, because of a lack of strength 

 in the left arm to "hold" steadily, and thus 

 insure the smoothness and quietness of the 

 final one-half inch draw. 



I am interested in your Archery future, and 

 if these suggestions should help you along I 

 shall greatly rejoice. Please do not think 

 me impertinent or egotistical. I can't shoot, 

 but I do know how. I have studied the art 

 until I feel as sure of my knowledge as I do 

 of the multiplication table. Do not let the 

 successful shooting of some one, who scores 

 well despite his faults, lead you to adopt his 

 faults. 



Please do not attribute all this to an "old 

 crank's hobby." 



With the hope of a good New Year to you, 

 I am. X— Y— Z. 



THE ST. LOUIS MEET. 



The following extract from President 

 Weston's recent circular letter is interesting 

 at this time : 



There is not much more to be said in regard to our 

 last year's meet in St. Louis; but I copy a little 

 from Spalding's athletic almanac, comparing our 

 shooting with the Indians and other outside peoples. 



"The archery contest was a disappointment. We 

 have been led to believe that the Igorottes, the 

 Africans, the Pigmies, the Cocopas, and the Ainus, 

 who have been living for years with the bow and 

 arrow, and with whom shooting with the arrow is 

 an everyday occurrence, would exhibit the most 

 marvelous target shooting that had ever been wit- 

 nessed. The target, actually four feet by six, was 

 placed forty-two yards away, and, astonishing to re- 

 late, only two of the entrants pierced — hit — the 

 target. The exhibition of archery shooting by the 

 savage tribes was very disappointing, particularly 

 to those who a few weeks later had the pleasure 

 of seeing the American archers use their bows and 

 arrows." 



I am giving the following dealers in archery 

 goods free advertising for our good. Last year 

 many did not take up the sport for the reason 

 they could get no bows or arrows. E. I. Horsman 

 & Co., New York City, can still furnish you goods, 

 as they did 25 years ago. The Peters Arms Co., 

 of Cincinnati, deal in archery. A. G. Spalding & 

 Bros, are carrying a better stock of archery goods 

 than they have carried for several years. They 

 are also getting out an "Archery Guide," which every 

 archer should own. The fact^ that our own Mr. 

 L. W. Maxson has prepared it, is proof of its value. 



Mr. F. S. Barnes, of Forest Grove, Oregon, 

 makes fine American yew bows. 



A JOINTED BOW. 



Mr. Henry Clements, the artist, and Mr. 

 James Pryor, of Flushing, L. I., are both en- 

 thusiastic archers and have been making 

 some interesting experiments in the manu- 

 facture of home-made bows. Mr. Pryor has 

 secured some hard, dark-colored tropical 

 wood, which he is using with great suc- 

 cess. 



He also. makes a jointed bow that may be 

 taken apart and packed in small space. He 

 promises to give the result of his experi- 

 ments to Recreation before long. 



