His First Gun 
DEAR FOREST AND STREAM: 
[N the year 1867 I was 12 years old 
and a desire to hunt seized me, but I 
had no gun. Luckily a neighbor gave 
me a flint lock Harper’s Ferry musket, 
which though clumsy and heavy served 
my purpose. To get powder and shot 
I had to coax my mother to buy some 
when she sold eggs and butter. I 
would say a present day 12-gauge shell 
contains about as many shot as I got 
then and a little more powder. d@ tried 
to shoot at birds with only a few shot 
so as to make as many loads as pos- 
sible. Of course I could not hit any- 
thing even as close as 15 ft. Finally 
with all the shot gone, a little powder 
left and with no prospect of mother 
buying more, I contrived to cut lead 
into small pieces about one-eighth inch 
square. 
I loaded the old musket with all the 
powder I had, rammed a good wad of 
flax on top and went to the woods. 
Presently I saw a chipmunk on a log 
and began to creep up close enough to 
shoot when the little fellow ran under 
the log and out of sight. 
I crept up to within six feet of 
where he disappeared and lay down, 
pointing the gun in his direction, ex- 
pecting him to come out, which he did 
presently and Bang! roared the old 
musket. I noticed blood on his fur as 
he disappeared under the log. AsI had 
nothing to load with, I decided to dig 
him out. Finally I spied him, as I 
thought, dead, but when I reached and 
caught hold of him he bit the second 
joint of my forefinger and i have a scar 
yet that 55 years has failed to erase. 
I was out of ammunition for a while, 
as mother did not divide butter and egg 
money with me until New Year’s Day. 
It was then the custom to shoot the 
old year out. All the neighbors did 
this, so mother bought me a few loads 
of powder and the fun began. I loaded 
the old flint lock, ramming plenty of 
flax on top of the powder. Everybody 
was shooting and in my haste to hear 
the old “fusee” roar, I forgot to take 
out the ramrod and fired only to dis- 
cover my error when I went to load. I 
surely was discouraged, I tried to find 
a straight stick or small branch to 
make a ramrod, but couldn’t. It was 
on New Year’s Day, I think, that my 
Grandfather paid us a visit. I showed 
him my musket. He said it was no 
good and if I would come to his home 
he would give me a Smooth Bore or 
Deer Rifle. I could shoot ball or shot, 
but it was a flint lock, nevertheless. I 
was elated and sometime later went for 
the gun about 8 miles distance, which 
I walked one day and returning the 
next with the treasure, a gun about 4 
ft. long. Everyone said I would have 
Page 415 
LS 
In writing to Advertisers mention Forest and Stream, 
: 


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1924. E. M. Co 




























é = 
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EVINRUDE MOTOR COMPANY 
178 Evinrude Bldg., Milwaukee, Wis. 
Gentlemen:—Send me your latest, illustrated catalog. 
Name 
Street Address 



Town 
STITITITiiiiiiliiit terre Elle 

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