FOREST AND STREAM. 
[March 28, 1908. 
510 
Here They Come, Here They Go. 
This has certainly been applicable to the U. M. C. and 
Remington Squad in their travels for the past week, 
which have been marked by long night-rides and short 
day-stops. 
Between Biloxi and New Orleans is the country- where 
the razor back hogs” predominate. Some suggested 
they were built along the lines of drinking milk from 
a jug, but it was the province of one of the typical 
natives to put us right on the hog question. His ex¬ 
planation was that hogs such as were raised in the 
North would be absolutely without value to the owner 
in southern Mississippi; that they were bred and raised 
not for weight, but for speed; that a hog must be able 
to outrun a negro before he could be of any possible 
value to the owner; and this accounted for the wind- 
splitters. 
New Orleans.—We met many of the shooters of former 
days. They were at the park in a body, and showed 
Annie Oakley their appreciation of her entertainment by 
presenting her with a most beautiful bouquet, with com¬ 
pliments of the City Park Gun Club. We also met the 
manager of the park, Billy Denier, who with his brother, 
Tony, were the originators and leading lights for many 
years m the Humpty Dumpty. He is known and ad¬ 
mired and respected by every old-time trap shot. All 
will be interested to know that he is bearing his years 
easily and gracefully, and looks as though he might 
extend a greeting to the shooting fraternity who visit 
New Orleans for many years to come. 
Here we also met the Athletic Ball Club, of Phila¬ 
delphia. If any person should happen to put their head 
out of the hack window and inquire, you tell them for 
us that the Athletics are as good a bunch as ever trotted 
the pike. Chief Bender, Jack Coombs, Doc Powers, 
Plank and Nichols, all accompanied us to the shooting 
grounds and participated. They all put up most cred¬ 
itable scores. Bender and Coombs put up better than 
90 per cent. In the afternoon we accompanied them to 
the ball park as their guests and witnessed a good game 
between the New Orleans and Athletics. During the 
game, Annie Oakley, whose baseball education has been 
sadly neglected, but whose heart is in the right place, 
broke into the game at the wrong time with a bunch of 
applause; this when the New Orleans team put a run 
over the plate. Jake Coombs, one of the Athletic pitch¬ 
ers, who had taken a day off and was chaperoning Annie, 
looked around with an injured expression, and Annie 
discovered she was “in wrong” and apologized. At this 
point the Athletics went to the bat and immediately 
landed a foul tip over the grand stand. Annie was de¬ 
lighted with the possibility of the Athletics getting in 
some runs before the ball could be found or brought in 
by the proverbial small boy from the street. Again lake 
straightened her up on baseball rules; but the sensa¬ 
tional finish was thrown in when she insisted that the 
batter run direct from home to second, as it was much 
nearer than around by first base. At this Coombs as¬ 
signed a look of resignation, and quietly remarked on 
the side to Frank Butler, “We will let it go at that.” 
In the evening, by invitation of Capt. John Streckfbs, 
of the palatial steamer J. S., which boat has been run¬ 
ning short excursions out of New Orleans since Sep¬ 
tember our entire party took a moonlight ride on the 
old Mississippi, along the wharves, docks, levees war 
vessels, freighters and passenger steamers,'from all’quar¬ 
ters of the globe. It was most enjoyable, and we cer¬ 
tainly have Capt. Streckfus to thank for an evening of 
pleasure. 
Natchez, Miss.—Here we met such old friends as F. 
C. Sanford, A. E. James, Col. Baker (a noted rifle shot). 
1 his city has materially improved since our last visit 
four years since. It now has a population of 20,000 
people and real estate values are still advancing. The 
Baker- McDowellHardware Co. was extremely gracious 
to us, and we made this our loafing place; in fact, pulled 
Baker-McDowell Hardware Co., was extremely gracious 
° r>Mi plr l^ tea t ^ iere * n th e morning before the shoot. 
,/ ]l by Hecr again counted for 100 straight, and Geo. 
Maxwell placed 99 mud pies in his game sack. There 
is something in this Southern atmosphere that is cer¬ 
tainly conducive to the straight habit. 
Jackson Miss.—An attractive city of 12,000 inhabitants 
capital of the State. Like most of the Southern cities 
it is growing rapidly. Here we were welcomed by 
Messrs. Smith, Atkinson and Abbott. The day was bad. 
Bam was falling, but in view of the fact that the crowd 
was anxious to see the shoot, we went to the park and 
about six hundred people were present. Among the 
spectators was Jim French (Wild Jim), an old scout 
tra Y . er » who, with his niece, Miss Neva, are giving 
ritie exhibitions throughout the country and selling a 
?*• hls J, lfe - He was formerly with the Buffalo Bill 
VVUd West Show, and was acquainted with Frank Butler 
French incidentally remarked that he knew Butler when 
lie was a boy. This so delighted Frank that he em¬ 
ployed French to circulate through the crowd and spread 
The news of his early acquaintance, that the age limit 
might not be sprung on Frank. 
Meridian, Miss.—A city of 20,000 people, claims to be 
the largest in the State. Here we backed in on some 
good Indians that we had met before—A. J. Teter John 
Bibs and Ben Feibleman, keeper of the local life-saving 
station, for friends, in conjunction with one of the neat¬ 
est news and cigar stands in the South. 
It was here the writer was attempting to locate the 
home of one of the local shooters, and made inquiry of 
a small boy asking for directions. The boy looked up 
with a smile that was bland, and remarked, “You go east 
two blocks until you come to a church—you know a 
church when you see it, I suppose?” The general gig- 
gle from the crowd broke in on the directions, and I 
am still hunting that home. 
It was here that Frank Butler put in twenty minutes 
explaining to a gentleman how he came to miss a tar¬ 
get, imagining the gentleman was interested by the look 
on his face. The man handed him a pencil and slate 
and Frank at once discovered that he was deaf and 
numb, and refused to write out his hard luck story 
On our way from Meridian to Columbus, an old Con¬ 
federate soldier got aboard the train. Col. Anthony dis¬ 
covered in a few minutes that they had fought to¬ 
gether in the same regiment and under the same com¬ 
mander. 'I he recounting of reminiscences at once com¬ 
menced. 
Inquiry from the Colonel: “Do you remember when 
those \ ankees^ charged over our breastworks at the 
light in the Wilderness? They had about ten men to 
our one. They completely annihilated our company 
with the exception of two men, and we are the two left 
to tell the tale.” 
“Yes,” was the answer, “and I guess all that saved 
us was the fact that we got a leetle too quick; in fact, 
before the fight was fairly under way.” 
At this point Frank Butler giggled and was rewarded 
by a glassy stare from the Colonel, whose eyes looked 
very much like those of a balky horse. 
Again comes an inquiry from the new-found com¬ 
panion: “Colonel, do you remember the time those 
Yankees charged our right, when they attempted to 
bayonet me—the time I left the iron ramrod in my gun 
and strung t’ree Yankees like you would string dried 
apples?” 
Marshall here chipped in with the remark, “Colonel, 
you told us yesterday that you were the one that strung 
the Yankees on the ramrod.” 
The Colonel sparred for wind for a few moments, and 
remarked, “Don’t get smart, now. I did not use the 
same ramroid that he did.” 
This was accepted as a fact by all except George 
Maxwell, who quietly got up and left the party with 
the inquiry, “What do you know about that?” 
Hatcher, the Dead Shot powder man, here got in his 
oar, and said, “Uncle, when the forces were about 
equally divided, wasn’t it a fact that the Yankees were 
usually victorious?” A gasp from both the Colonel and 
his friend—the latter recovered first from this shock, and 
answered: “My goodness, man, when it was an even 
break on number, we never quit smoking our pipes to 
whip those Yankees.” Billy Heer remarked that he had 
a few G. A. H. friends North, that told him differently. 
The old Confederates looked up and suggested, “He 
never saw a Yankee that would not lie like a reception 
committee.” As he disappeared from the car door, 
having arrived at his home station, Colonel Anthony) 
with a faraway look, said, “There goes a dear, delight¬ 
ful, lovable, entertaining old Southern gentleman.” 
Frank Butler looked around again with his “Sapolio 
grill.” The Colonel noted same, and said there were a 
few Yankees left that he should have killed instead of 
some of the best of the four or five hundred that he 
single-handed and alone had started for the celestial 
sphere, during the unpleasantness between 1S60 and 
1865. This broke up the pink tea. 
Columbus, Miss.—Arrived here at 5 A. M., after an all 
night ride without a sleeper. This is the most enthus¬ 
iastic town, from a shooting standpoint, that we have 
met. We had about two thousand spectators. The 
street car dials showed 1863. They were interested from 
start to finish. Miss Oakley finished her exhibition in 
a round of applause, and she was presented with a 
beautiful bouquet of japonicas. The writer was also the 
recipient of a bouquet, as the lady expressed it in 
presenting it, “For the nice things that I had said in 
my speech prior to the commencement of the entertain¬ 
ment of their city and citizens.” Among the spectators 
were about three hundred young ladies in natty blue 
uniforms. These blue birds were a certain hunch that 
spring was in close proximity as they marched up in 
double file. 
Charlie Le Compte, Kentucky’s popular Du Pont 
powder representative, with Billy Long, of the U. M. C. 
and Remington companies, came to us at this point and 
will remain for some time. We are certainly glad to 
welcome them as traveling companions. 
We had as our guest of honor Gen. S. D. Lee, a cou¬ 
sin of Gen. Robert E. Lee. The general was in command 
of artillery under Gen. R. E. Lee, and at the present 
time Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate Veterans. 
His home is in Columbus, and he is honored and re¬ 
vered by the South as an entirety, and especially by 
those who are favored by his personal acquaintance. 
Columbus is a city of 12,000 people, situated on the 
'lombigbee River, and contains, for its size, more beau¬ 
tiful homes than any other city in the South. It has a 
universal reputation for hospitality and good fellowship. 
John Maxwell, Jack Morgan and the Banks brothers are 
the leading sportsmen. They are good Indians, and 
did everything possible to make it pleasant for us. 
We note through the columns of the press the death 
of our old-time and honored friend John Watson, “the 
noblest work of God, an honest man.” Not an old-time 
shooter in America who has had the pleasure of knowing 
Uncle John, as he was familiarly termed by his friends, 
will read this unexpected announcement without an ac¬ 
cumulation of dampness in the eye and a deep sigh of 
regret. To the family we extend our heartfelt sympathy. 
We condole with you in this your bereavement. As he 
was our close and esteemed friend, permit us to mourn 
with you at the bier. Would that there were more men 
the type of John Watson, \ipon this mundane sphere; 
it would be a better world. “Peace to his ashes.” 
With regret we left the beautiful little city of Columbus, 
Ala. The reputation enjoyed by the citizens for soci¬ 
ability and hospitality is certainly deserved. In old 
Mexico, where one of the salutations, when they desire 
to be especially courteous to strangers, is a most pro¬ 
found bow, and an assurance “that their home is your 
home." That was the way we were made to feel in 
Columbus. 
Corinth, Ala.—We had time here to look the town 
over. It was market day. Corinth was surely a busy 
little city. Passing along one of the streets, Annie 
Uakley discovered a very large timber wolf skin hanging 
by the side of a furrier s door. She wished to confirm 
the fact that it was a wolf, and turned to an old negro 
who was standing there, and asked, “Uncle, could you 
tell me what kind of an animal that was?” The old 
darkey grabbed off his hat, and bowing low, said “No, 
missy, I shore don’t know, but there am a paper pinned 
there what will done tell you him’s name.” The card 
read, Hides bought and sold.” 
In hunting up the mayor to get a special permit to 
shoot, Frank Butler got into a court of justice. They 
were trying an old darkey for illicit distilling. The 
judge asked the old man his name. “Joshua, sir” was 
his reply. The judge being in a facetious turn mind, 
asked the negro if he was the man they spoke of in the 
Bible as having made the sun stand still. “No, sah, I is 
not de one dat made the sun stand still, but dey done 
accuse me of being the one dat made de moonshine.” 
Frank Butler declares that he was present and heard this, 
but he has been acting chairman of our reception com¬ 
mittee so long that he is sure a hot pace maker for 
Ananias. Col. Anthony insists that as a matter of fact, 
Frank has dropped the distance flag on the gentleman 
that the Bible assures us was so careless in handling the 
truth. 
Florence, Ala.—One of the tri-cities, Florence, Shef¬ 
field, and Tuscumbia, the latter having the distinction of 
being the home of Miss Helen Keller, who has revolu¬ 
tionized the teaching of the blind and made ail things 
comparatively possible for them. Florence is a delight¬ 
ful little city of 12,000 people, has now fully recovered 
from the boom days, when it was predicted that the 
tri-cities would be 9 ne and that there would be 500,000 
people in the district. This, based upon the iron in¬ 
dustries, immense plants established and general natural 
resources. Florence has a good gun club, and they are 
certainly most enthusiastic. Messrs. Moore, Robinson, 
Harris and Brook were the “chief boosters,” and they 
were certainly courteous to us. Mrs. Dr. Brock is much 
interested in this line of sport. She is most expert in 
the use of a shotgun and accounted for 23 in a possible 
25 hard targets. She shot in fine time, centered the 
targets and handled the gun like a veteran. We predict 
“good news” from this little lady if she continues to give 
the sport her attention. 
To Florence we award the palm for the largest crowd 
we have had on our tour—over 2,500 people were present. 
It was made a gala day in the three cities. Cars came 
crowded, also carriages and automobiles. The grounds 
being easy of access, pedestrians were there galore. The 
applause for Annie Oakley was continuous. They mar¬ 
veled at her feats of marksmanship. At the conclusion 
of her exhibition the little lady held a reception. It 
was with difficulty we got her in the carriage and to the 
train. As we were at this point working on a limited 
schedule. We want to come back to your city. When 
another Southern tour is mapped out, Florence will be 
on our route* sheet. You are certainly the “big noise.” 
The run from Florence to Memphis was fine, good 
track and train, an innovation. 
During the exhibition Annie Oakley shoots the ashes 
from Frank Butler’s cigarette. The young lady re¬ 
marked, “Mr. Butler I should think you would be afraid 
to have your wife shoot so near you.” Frank’s reply was: 
“He did not worry since he had cancelled his life in¬ 
surance, of which his wife was beneficiary; that he had 
been riding over the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Rail¬ 
way for the past week, and that if a man lives through 
that experience, he need have no fear in other direc¬ 
tions.” The country between Florence and Corinth is 
beautiful. The peach, apple, apricot and crabapple trees 
are now in full bloom. Farmers are plowing for cot¬ 
ton, and spring work is certainly opening good and 
proper. We also noted another feature that would have 
gladdened the heart of Teddy and entirely eliminated 
from his mind the race suicide theory. It was the size 
of the different families. 
Memphis, Tenn.—We have been here before. Always 
glad to get back. Here you find an aggregation of such 
bright faces as Brodie Finley, John Turner, Abe Frank, 
Bill Thompson, Baird Snowden, F. N. Buckingham, Jim 
Canale, W. II. Jouner, C. F. French, Breght Goodbar, 
Brinkley Snowden and Fontana Martin. How does that 
“roil of honor” listen to you? Now, laying all “kidding” 
aside, this bunch is the “.great big noise.” The “cream 
raises on them every morning, and they have to be 
skimmed like milk.” What did they do to us? Let 
me tell you. At the close of the shoot they pulled off 
a banquet to us at the Chickasaw Club. The table was 
banked with flowers. Violets and jonquils predominated. 
On a wire extending full length of the banquet table 
were the three symbolic letters “U. M. C.” constructed 
of flowers and suspended over our heads. The effect was 
to staft the red corpuscles playing leap frog and jumping 
the different hurdles as they chased each other through 
the veins. This was a banquet enjoyed by every one 
present, and was pronounced a red-letter evening by all. 
We always leave Memphis and its congenial bunch with 
regret. 
Dyersburg, Tenn.—About ten thousand people claim 
this for home, and it is certainly one of the most pro¬ 
gressive little cities in the South. A gun club, second 
to none in the State, is located here, composed of 
crackerjack’ target shots. The day was made to order 
and we had about fifteen hundred people as spectators. 
They were certainly enthusiastic. The Dyersburg Gun 
C lub will give a tournament June 10, 11 and 12. There 
will certainly be a crowd there. 
Union City, Tenn.—“Three cheers and a tiger” for this 
city and a bunch of resident trap shots, which I think, 
includes all voters. The day was bad, cold and dis¬ 
agreeable. P. C. Ward, of Walnut Log; Messrs. Barton 
and Parr, of Dyersburg, arrived early in the morning. 
My old fiiend Dick Edwards was much in evidence, and 
his brother Harry is certainly a good “running mate” 
for Dick. Their wives have adopted the slogan “Our 
husbands’ friends are our friends.” You certainly feel 
you are “welcome as the flowers in May” the moment. 
you enter the door of their homes. They are of the old 
Southern type. There is an atmosphere of cordiality 
and a welcome which is extended by the Southern people 
to their friends that you find in no other part of the 
world. When once invited to their homes there is ab¬ 
solutely no end to the length of the latch string ex¬ 
tended to you. I am glad to advise my Northern friends 
that Dick and Harry, in conjunction with their good 
wives, will attend the Indian shoot, and also the Grand 
American Handicap. They all came over to the hotel 
to extend the glad hand of good fellowship to us. There 
was Harry Gibbs, Josh Adams, Cully McCree, Charles 
Reiser, Charley Deitzel, George Moody, Herman Deitzel 
