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RECREATION 



DELIGHTS OF AR.CHERY. 



Editor Recreation : 



The strength of muscle, the grace, and the 

 steadiness of nerve soon acquired by those 

 who use the bow, especially commend it to 

 the ladies as their most valuable means of 

 recreation, and the vim and vivacity which 

 a few weeks of daily practice will produce 

 will fully compensate for the time and en- 

 ergy spent in learning to shoot. 



What could be more delightful and invig- 

 orating to the weary business man, after his 

 day's labor in the city heat, than a long sum- 

 mer evening spent in friendly strife on the 

 archery range ? 



"Linger awhile, and watch the pleasing sight 

 Of archers striving in a bloodless fight; 

 They mingle as they pass from end to end ; 

 Each is a foe, but every foe a friend ; 

 In days of old far other was the strife, 

 The target — hosts of men, the wages — life. 

 Then, it was strength of pull which did the 



deed; 

 Now, steady aim and careful loose succeed. 

 Sinews are tough as in days of yore ; 

 The bows are drawn with skill unknown be- 

 fore ; 

 The arrows are not messengers of hate, 

 Though fledged with wings which bear them 



swift and straight; 

 And, as they speed with smooth and rapid 



flight, 

 They cut the air like threads of living light, 

 Steal from the sun itself a golden ray, 

 And woo the gilded center far away ; 

 No sport among the 'rivalries of peace' 

 Defies so bravely fashion's vague caprice ; 

 Each new invention has its little day, 

 This boasts a past which never knows decay; 

 Pride in its lineage, glory in its song, 

 The deeds it tells to history belong 

 A legacy of English yoeman's skill, 

 The growth of trained strength and tutored 



will. 

 Long may it live ! — fair sport without alloy. 

 Supplanting war and pain by peace and ioy!" 



E. B. W. 



GAME LAWS IN' OHIO. 



Editor Recreation : 



After reading your editorial ?bout that 

 Port Jervis editor saying that the game laws 

 were a set of fool laws, I will state as fully 

 as I can the situation concerning those "fool 

 game laws" in this county of Belmont, State 

 of Ohio. 



The warden of this vicinity has enforced 

 the game laws with such vigor that hunting 

 is almost out of the question. 



So many of the farmers have put their 

 farms in his care relative to the enforcement 

 of the game laws that no hunting is allowed 

 at all. 



The farmers seem to have come to a realiza- 

 tion that if they do not do something very 



soon, game of all kinds will be extinct. 

 They have all agreed to issue no permits at 

 all ; only a very few farmers will. And in 

 consequence the people of the mining district 

 have boycotted some of them. I have known 

 of some farmers that came to this town with 

 country produce to sell, go home without 

 selling any at all. 



There are no squirrels in this vicinity for 

 several miles distant to warrant a man going 

 in search of them. 



Before this state of affairs every man who 

 wanted to could hunt without leave or license 

 where he pleased, and we have the conse- 

 quence — no game. 



There are not any game fish here worthy 

 of mention — a few black bass and white suck- 

 ers and mullets. The suckers and mullets 

 suffer in winter from the onslaught of per- 

 sons with clubs and axes on the ice. 



I know of some three or four persons who 

 stunned some two or three dozen fish 

 through the ice last winter. The result was 

 that there was no fishing at all this summer. 



There are several persons around here 

 who claim that the present game laws are 

 no protection to the farmers. Now, anybody 

 with good common sense can readily see that 

 the present game law is a protection to the 

 farmer if he will study the present situation 

 in this vicinity. 



The persons who talk this way do not wish 

 to obey the game laws at all, but try to down 

 them all they can. The warden here is O. T. 

 Borham, of Bellaire, Ohio. 



Harry Kent, Steele, Ohio. 



BOOK TIME. 



BY R. B. NATTRASS. 



Now is the time for books ; 



These late November days, 



When thro' the woodland ways 

 Noiselessly the brooks 



Steal thro' still valleys to the sea; 



Upon whose shores in epic majesty 

 Rolls surge upon surge — 

 Days the cold rain 



Upon the window pane 

 Beats autumn's dirge ! 



Gone is the amorous south wind that once 



made 

 A silver bell of every flower in the glade; 



Instead the frosty north wind moans 



All thro' the night in low, sad monotones.- 

 Well, let him roar, 



And rattle like a beggar at my gates, 

 I'll close my door 



And greet the company my pleasure waits! 

 For here upon the shelves there is 



Joy for the coming hours 

 As pure and sweet a bliss 



As I have found in summer flowers. 



