A Big Scare

Mark Twain tclls tbo following story "y a fellow passenger, who, buntcrod bout bis timidity, said hc bad never teen scarod since the time that he loaded n old Qucen Aimio"s musket for bis 'ather, whoreupon he related the foliowng: " You sco the old man was trying to rach me to shoot bla k birds, and beasts ;bat to.e tip the yuiing com and Buoh bings, mj that I could be oí' sou about tbo farm because I wasn't big enough to do much. My gun was a single ehot-gun, and the old man oarried an old Queen Annie musket that weighed about a ton, niaking a. report like a thunder-clap, and kickud like a male. The old man wanted me to shoot the musket soinetiines, but I was afraid. One d iy, though, I got her down, and taking ber to the hired man, askod liim how to Load ber, because the old man was not h) tho ttelds. Jlira:u said : 'Do you see thom markg an tl;e stock - an X and a V 'i Well, that uieans teil balls and fivo slugs - that's her Load.' " ' But how much powder ? ' " ' Oh.' he says, ' it don't matter ; put in fcuir bandsfoll.' So I loaded her up that way, and it was an awi'ul charge - I startcd out. I loyeled hei al a goud inariy birds, but evcry tini I went to pull the trigger i shut my eyes and winkud. I was afraid of hei kiek. Towardg sun down I fetched op at the house, and there was the old aan rosting on the poroh. " ' Been out huüting, have you F ' " ' Yes sir,' says I. " ' Didn't kill anything sir- didu't shoot ïer off.' "'Iwas afraid she'd kick.' (I knew very well that she would.) " ' Cinnaus that gun ! ' said tho old nan, mad as sin. 'Do you see that saping?' "I Buw.it, and began to drop back out of dütiger. The noxtmonu al T hettrd an earthqüake, and saw the Queen whirling end over end in tho air, and tho old man pinniag around on one heel, witli 011e eg up and both hands on his ia w, and the bark trom thiit tree. The old man's shouldcr w:is set back four inches, and ligjaw turncd black and blue, and he nvl tu luy uy for thrco days. 1 haven t jecn Bcareá sinoe."