The Cave by the Beech Fork: A Story of Kentucky-1815

wen mounted his horse and started off toward

acticing every day, and you have done yours by making me t

do more for you-something

be difficult to beat me," said Owen, taking the rifle which Be

down twenty birds in twe

inly I

dn't mi

uestion? You heard me tell father all

ear you say so again. It makes me feel so m

sily pleased, I can repea

me! I do hope you'll win," sai

ed off, while Bertha continued to repeat: "O

much, who had been of such service to him during the three weeks of practice

s, and here those who wished to compete registered their names. The whole was enclosed by a temporary fence, strong enough to withstand the pressure of the crowd. This provision was necessary to preserve order, for as many as f

ings of equal distance, gradually widening out from the center, called the bull's eye. It was conside

burst forth from the excited crowd. If he had won honors on a former occasion, his na

lar Flat was not the name of the individual thus welcomed. It was a low tract of land about thirty miles from Grundy's farm, and received its name from the fact that it was overgrown with

Green Briar was a rocky and barren locality, which produced nothing but briars, interspersed here and there with patches of sassafras bushes, and where the people, it w

e plentiful, and if the blackberry crop had failed, while an old chum remarke

ade of "home-spun;" he wore a felt hat, and his legs were cased in calf boots; both of which things were considered luxuries in the back woods of Kentucky. This remarkable personage was no other than the son of Old Bowen. It was sim

Owen's turn

red Martin, as Owen left his sid

ng power, and an unlimited stock of suggestions for applause whenever the cheering ceased. The motley crowd sway

ck, overhanging eye-brows, and remarked in a dignified way that the contest was not for boys. Owen was

" said he, "then, sir, I shall have to

eyes upon Owen. "Fifteen! why it would disgrace the whole contest, bring discredi

th after this spontaneous outbu

required age on the different not

very impudent brat that owns a rifle would hand in his name, bullets would be flying around here in every direction, and there would be as many sons of America slain, as perished in the battles of Lexing

was about to leave the platform, when t

ged by the prolonged yells, Owen paused, although he could not summon strength enough to face the judge again. The yelling ceased; and whil

st little feller ebbar you seed, and dis niggar will chaw his head off if he don't be de fust in de-de-de-" here he pause

to come, so the sable orator threw both arms above his head and leaped from the stump. His speech, however, gained the da

rawn, stood panting like engines. The leader of the party dismounted, and shouldering his long deer-rifle, strode through the crowd with giant-like steps. What a picture of

-snake; while his dark moccasins completed his wild but attractive costume. He was pre-eminently the king of marksmen. Old and young elbowed their way through the crowd to catch a glim