Aug. 4, 1900-] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
The ex-Tfapshootef. 
Once upon a time there was an elderly lady, who incidentally 
was a grandmother, a trait much more common to the elderly 
ladies than to the young. Her dearest relative on earth was a 
grandson, a precociously bright boy about fifteen years old, \yhose 
exceeding brightness she had discovered ab initio, and her discov- 
ery was well supported by the testimony of his father and mother, 
who had recounted to her several tliousand ol his brightest bor. 
mots, and to such friends also as could be inveigled into listening 
to them. • 
Those who were not factors in the boy's pedigree alleged with 
Tnuch solemn fervor tlmt he was a "fresh kid," whatever kind of 
animal that may mean; but they no doubt were prejudiced against 
him, for his father, who knew better, proudly alleged in the midst 
of friendly gatherings that the kid '"took after" himself, while his 
mother more fondly but no less proudly alleged that he "took 
after" her. , - 
Seams and lines checkefed grandma's face attd neck, and be- 
tween the lines one could read that she, in her youth, had been 
bewildermgly beautiful, a belle of belles, a typhoon of lovers' hopes 
and despairs; also that in her youth she had been a true sports- 
woman, riding through the country and across country, going all 
the gaits, wliether the occasion was the pursuit ol fox, deer, 
etc.; but age had brought with it a mellow demureness which 
might easily be mistaken for apathy. Nevertheless she knew all 
that was going on within her ken and interpreted with adniiraMe 
accuracy much that was going on without it. 
Bud, the grandson, loved his grandmother. She often besought 
him to go Jishing, but he was so passionately fond of sitting at 
her feet on an ottoman, reading to her from some book which had 
in its plot a heroine, a hero, a villainous father and a wild 
horse that he had no time to spare for any of the frivolities of life — 
all of which properly became a good boy with a big head and ^ 
narrow chest, with thereto a general physical weediness. 
They were very happy comrades. She would knit socks of 
wondrous shape for the heathen while he, sitting at her feet, 
wbuld descant on the world and its wajs, and she tound his com- 
panionship both pleasant and instructive. While reading betimes 
of some .of the most thrilling love situations he wonld pause to 
expound kindly their meaning to her, for which courtesy she 
was duly grateful, and as he looked up to her for approval she 
would, through her glasses, gaze intb- the liquid depths q£ his vio- 
let eyes and thank him sweetly. 
His craving for literature was so great that he ventured to 
search his grandfather's trunk one day and was rewarded by find- 
ing an old manuscript, which he forthwith dutifully showed to 
grandma, who exi:tressed great surprise that she had not found it 
her.self, inasmuch as she had kept a pretvy close continuous lab 
on all her husband's papers, particularly those which she had 
i^eason to believe were not strictly related to business. Each had 
a curiosity somewhat greater concerning it than they displayed 
toward the contents of any book, and when grandma requested 
Btid to read it he acceded with commendable promptness. 
He was at that age when his voice rasped around an alto, goose- 
honkish pitch for two or three minutes at a time, when it most 
unexpectedly and startlingly switched off into a weird bass and 
vice versa, and as he read with much false emphasis and forcing 
of sounds through his nose, the words of any author as he uttered 
them were blended with music. Behold him then sitting at the 
feet of his revered grandparent and reading as follows: 
"Bombay, Jan. 1, 1800.— At the very outset, let me declare that 
I am an ex-trapshooter. It is easier and more inexpensive for the 
average shooter to become that kind of a shooter than any other. 
But I retired because I had won enough money to burn. I 
retired full of the wisdom which comes from the years of active 
practice and dealing with all kinds of men. My winnings were 
riches to such a degree that I had the SlOO bills baled and "pressed 
as cotton is baled and pressed and piled up in the outer woodshed 
to save storage. In writing the following I therefore write as one 
disinterested : 
■'In the many years of my trapshooting experience I grieve to 
note that there was a certain small, undesirable class of shooters, 
or alleged shooter.s, which from year to year never entirely disap- 
peared. I say 'alleged' advisedlv, for if some of this class had the 
skill they had not the heart; others who had the heart were de- 
hcient m skill, and if they had both the skill and heart they had 
a most inexplicable mental perversity which caused them to see 
and imdersfand everything awry if at all against their own inter- 
ests. This class had such remarkably high standards for itself that 
they were finally formulated into one, to wit.: Everything must 
c-ome our way and the rest of the world can go hence." 
_ "What kind of men do you suppose they were, Bud?" grandma 
inquired most benevolently. 
"Kickers," Bud replied 'sententiously. 
"La, how- did you guess it?" and grandma gazed on the prodigy 
with wonder.' ■ 
"•Why, it was at the hiettd' of the manuscript, but I forgot to 
read it. But let us return to our mutton;" and Bud continued: 
others. If the thinkers stopped thinking and the workers stopped 
working and the backers stopped backing the kicker could not 
then kick unless he kicked because they had ceased effort. 
"What is the chief grievance of the kicker? Why, that he failed 
to win or that his chance to win is not a reasonably sure thing. 
Is not that sufffcieni to convict the management of dishonesty and 
incompetency, the handicappers of stupidity, incompetency and 
general crookedness, the referees of favoritism, negligence, dis- 
honesty and ignorance, that shooters with a 'pull' got the best 
of it, and the kicker, who goes arotind with a heart as pure as the 
golden rule, 'gets the worst of it'? 
"The kicker never considers the matter of skill and nerve and 
endurance a.s they apply to himself and others, and as to the gen- 
eral matter of equity, one might as well ask the kicker to look 
beyond the firmament as to ask him to understand it. Alas! in 
his efforts to better the institutipn so that his own success is 
THE THREE WINKERS OF THE GR.'^lND PRIX DU CENTENATRE. 
E. G. Murphy, D. Macintosh. Marquis de Villaviciosa 
assured and therefore so that the sport is truly pure, he con- 
stantly is met by the ignorance and dishonesty of the multitude. 
"As to a kicker's grievance, it is an exception from other 
grievances, since, as he views it, no proof other than his asser- 
tion is necessary to establish it or to show that it exists at all 
outside of his imagination. If a kicker suspects wrong and a.s- 
serts there is wrong, that should be quite enough for the rest of 
the world in the way of evidence. It is true that those who shoul- 
der the labors and tlie responsibilities of the competition are the 
ones who receive the odium of the saintly class of kickers, because 
being' the workers they are the most conspicuous and the most 
responsible. Competition, as the kicker views it, is not for the 
general good, but for the personal success of the kicker. 
"Yet promote the average kicker into the position of manager. 
Could he fill the office? No. Place him in the position of handi- 
capper. What about it? He doesn't know the first principles of 
handicapping. He would shirk the responsibility, for there is 
quite a difference between the moral courage which prompts a 
man to do right publicly, regardless of what any one may think, 
and the kicker's currish snarling in private without any responsi- 
bility whatever. Place him in the position of referee. Where 
then is the independence of action, the moral firmness and force 
of will, the perception of equity between man and man, the knowl- 
edge of the principles of the competition? Yes, where are they? 
"Who has ever heard of a kicker doing such things? If you will 
go to any constitutional kicker or one of any good standing as a 
kicker and ask him to do any of these he may refuse on a high 
arette, *'! thought that this was an interesting Monte Cristt» 
story from the way it began. It seems to be all subject and no 
predicate. Kicker, kicker, kicker. I wonder what it all means?" 
"Those were good old days when I was one," grandma replied 
in a preoccupied manner. 
"Were you ever a kicker, grandma?" the kid asked in aston- 
ishment. 
"You shouldn't ask such bold questions my child," grandma; 
replied as she stopned knitting and gazed at him with motherly 
benevolence. After a moment she bridled up with much spirit as; 
thoughts of the good old daj-s recurred and continued: "All the- 
same, I don't mind telling you that I have a record of 7 feet and 
11 inches, which was considered a pretty good high kick in my 
day I suppose there are lots and lots of people who can beat, 
that now, for the world regularly improves, I am told." 
"The kickers are no better to-day than they were a hundred 
years ago," remarked the bright boy. 
Bernard Waters. 
Midsummer Tournament. 
The fifth annual midsummer tournament at Tolchester Beach, 
July 25 to 27, was unfortunate in respect to weather conditions, 
rain falling nearly all day on Thursday, and part of the day on 
Wednesday. 
Mr. Hood Waters, who shoots under the name of Schultz, was 
badly handicapped by a sprained ankle, which necessitated the use 
of crutches. Considering this regrettable disadvantage, his scores 
show that he shot remarkably well. ' ■ ■ 
Malone, Jr., who is a son of Mr. J. R. Malone, shot in the 50- 
target race on the second day, and scored 45, tiein^ with Mr. J. 
A. K. Elliott, and demonstrating that he is a chip af the old 
block. He is only eighteen years Old, and has been busy with his 
sUidies durmg the past live years at college, at Rock Hill, EUicott 
City, his few opportunities for practice bemg in the days' of va- 
cation. 
Among the visiting shooters were Messrs. T. A. R. Elliott, of the 
Winchester Co.; J. J. Hallowell, of the U. M" C. Co.; S. Burnham, 
of York, Pa. : A. Sikes of Little Rock, Pa. ; J, Ruff, of Westminster, 
Md.; Frank Stearns, Richmond Va. ; J. George and J. Goodman, 
Centerville, Md., and John England and W. Bird, Dorchester, Md. 
All present enjoyed themselves thoroughly and hoped fo be 
able to return another year to the next tournament. 
Tolchester Beach is a fine place for holding a tournament. 
Jn the average for the two days at targets Mr. J. A. R. Elliott 
■was the highest. 
Wednesday, July 25, First Day, 
No. 7 was at 10 pairs a: 
mark, use of both barrels: 
Events: 
Targets : 
Reif 
Jory 
Hill ... 
Bonday 
Wise .. 
the 
last 
: event 
was from 
the 
30yd. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
20 
15 
15 
15 
14 
9 
9 
9 
11 
12 
12 
10 
9 
12 
13 
14 
13 
13 
13 
14 
18 
13 
11 
9 
13 
13 
13 
12 
15 
14 
18 
14 
15 
12 
14 
14 
15 
13 
13 
13 
14 
14 
15 
12 
14 
13 
13 
12 
10 
9 
Tl 
9 
13 
8 
12 
12 
12 
13 
13 
12 
11 
12 
11 
10 
13 
10 
12 
12 
U 
U 
14 
n 
'7 
14 
14 
13 
12 
15 
14 
12 
14 
12 
7 
11 
14 
12 
11 
12 
12 
12 
11 
J2 
9 
14 
12 
11 
9 
13 
14 
12 
14 
4 
14 
4 
13 
14 
14 
14 
15 
14 
12 
"s 
10 
15 
12 
ThtJfsday, July 26, Second Day. 
This was live-bird day. and Mr. J. J. Hallowell on the day'* 
competition carried off the highest honors, losing but one bird 
in the whole day's competition. The scores follow : ' ' 
Miss-and-oiit, entrance $2: Hallowell 9, Bonday 9, Reif 9. Elliott 
l'end''ir"?'Mf;v^f'"R'^ 7, Stearns 7, Leitz 4, \Vest 4. H^ard 2 
J^eader Hicks 1, Burnham 1. 
A'liss-and-out, entrance $2: Hallowell 9, Leader 9, ' Bonday 9 
Burnhani 9 Schu Itze 8 Elliott 8, Stearns 7, Hazard 6. Wall 6 
West 5, Bird 4, Leland 3, England 2, Seitz 1, Reif 2 Hicks 0 
Miss-and-out one barrel, 26yds. rise, gun below' the elbow, en 
trance $2: Hallowell .3, Stearns .3, Schultze 3, Elliott 3 Burnham 
2, Leland 2, Bird 1, Leader 1, Wall 1, Seitz 0 Bonday 0 '^"'^''^"^ 
„ ?e'^'en birds, $0 entrance, one barrel: Hallowell 7 Hazard 7 
L 
D. MACINTOSH. 
Winner of first Grand Prix du Centenaire. 
RETRIEVING A LA FRANCAISE. 
"As a class, the kickers. At& di-vided i'nto staliivatt kickers and 
weakling kickers, and these may be subdivided into kickers for 
revenue, kickers for honors, kickers for both and kickers who do 
not know any better than to kick and whose nature it is to kick, 
and who couldn't be broad minded if they wished to be so. 
"The kicker for revenue cares nothing about the true merits of 
any case. It is indeed an insignificant affair from .which he can- 
not, by hook or by crook, unearth a grievance. 
"The kicker for honors has much the same procedure as the 
kicker for re\-enue. 
"The constitutional kicker, whose selfishness dominates his 
mind, finds everything wrong if he fails to win and betimes finds 
much to denounce even when he does win. 
"As a class, the kickers are clamorous babblers for honesty in 
others; Jherefore it is a just inference that they are more honest 
than all the rest of the world. j-:; • 
"The most resolute of all kickers arfr those who have for a time 
heen the recipients of free ammunition, but whose free am- 
munition has been cruelly stopped. Sometimes a shooter who has 
had such an experience is sourly predisposed to consider that 
all other shooters are dishonest and given over to professionalism; 
also according to his, own intricate manner of reasoning that all 
shooters who are expert enough to heat him should be barred, 
while all shooters whom he can beat should be encouraged as 
being the true and correct amateurs. 
"If the rest of the world does the work and assumes all the re- 
sponsibilities the kicker does his full part by kicking thereat, if by 
any mischance he does not make him.=;elf a tieneficiarv. Be if 
Known, your true kicker lenves the work pnd respuii.'iihilities to 
moral .ground that he has a. grievance, or he may be truthful and 
admit that he can't do any of them, and if, regardless of his fit- 
ness, he should consent and there really was an opportunity for 
his services, how much confidence would the rank and file, of 
sportsmen have in his ability? ' 
".Ynd yet it would seem that the ancient guild of kickers would 
organize, tal<e up the good work and carrv it on with that reo-ard 
for the general good and with that pure lionestv which now is so 
regrettably absent, and with that responsibilitv which they leave 
to others, thus showing the world what is what. And still, even 
then there might be kickers, for the world might kick 
'Men who are new in matters of competition and who therefore 
have not the discipline of mind which comes from repeated vic- 
tories and defeats, or who have not had time to learn the tenets 
of sporting etiquette, may kick in a way, but thev improve with 
time, borne men 3 re childishly confident of winning-. Shameles= 
and garrulous boasting before competition, beside being- wearisome 
to others is a difEiciilt matter to face afterward, if the boaster 
loses, and is something of an incentive to the discoverv of a 
grievance. Some men are born with grievances 
Hi,"A'i'' Y'-'^^"^"- ™^ a moment and ponder over 
the thought which IS given to perfect the sport throughout tiTe 
country, the time which is given and the work ^hich is done 
freely for sport's sake, the responsibility which is back of it all and 
the prestige and good will which this responsibility command^ 
and if he were then to say ^It after all is well done ' it verv 
likely that some of the birds in the trees near hlm'would dn'p 
^'1?0sh!" exclaimed the fresh kid as he deliSVeTriTghtTf ci'<.- 
Frfday, July 27, Third Day. 
The main event was the merchandise at 50 tars-pt^ 
o^i^e 'lef^"T^1°sc^ort^':-'"^ ^^^^^^ l" 
Events 
Lupus making 
tied, with ljut 
Targets : 
Lupus 
Stearns . . . , 
Leader 
Schultze ... 
Elliott 
Devall 
Malone . . . 
West 
Bonday ... 
George . . . . 
Godman . . . 
Reif 
King ...... 
Maloiie,, Tr. 
Roff 
An drew . . . . 
1 2 
15 15 
9 10 
7 9 
12 13 
6 8 10 
3 
4 
5 
15 
15 
15 
13 
14 
14 
1.^ 
11 
12 
14 
13 
13 
14 
15 
12 
15 
1.5 
15 
12 
6 
12 
14 
13 
13 
11 
10 
10 
14 
12 
9 
9 
11 
8 
7 
S 
'9 
's 
'7 
16 
7 8 
15 15 
13 13 
13 13 
12 11 
15 13 
13 14 
IB 14 
9 10 
.. 12 
11 11 
7 7 
9 10 
15 50 
13 46 
15 44 
13 44 
:12 42 
14 45 
.. 39 
12 .. 
IX 34 
.. 42 
11- ^8 
9 
- 3» 
v. 45 
■ ■ 40 
The Forest anb ^t...m p.,t p.es.s each week on Tuesdav 
Correspondence mtci.ded lor publication should reach mlt fL 
Iste-st hy moBtlay m\^ii\^ earii^r sis practical;,!?, 
