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HIRTY years ago this
spring my wise father
built a flat-bottomed sloop,
45 feet long on the keel
and 17 feet wide, with
an enclosed cabin that has
square windows Instead of
portholes, and a head
room of six feet all over
it. This cabin is 21
feet long, and consists of one large
room with four wide berths, and a toi
let room and a kitchen on either side
of the centerboard, at the forward
end.
Father named the boat. Macy, after
an old friend, and has had her con
tinuously in commission since she was
launched; and Andrew Sammis, her
first captain, is still in charge—a bit
gray now, but still the same careful
and trustworthy skipper as of yore.
With the opening of the ducking sea
son in October she goes into what we
call winter commission, and when the
end of the season comes around she
Is hauled out, thoroughly overhauled
and prepared for the summer work.
A few years ago we built an overhang
ing stern on her and installed a gaso
line engine, so that we are no longer
the slaves of the wind god. The
“Macy’s Baby,” as the stoolboat that
carries the battery is called, is al
ways at her stern, and this, with the
addition of two skiffs and one or more
dinkies for use in the Ice, makes quite
a formidable tow for the old boat.
■When we have more than a day or
two to spend in the quest for the
wily duck, we send the Macy out early
to get a good place, and have a cat
boat meet us at the dock to sail over
to her. Generally we catch a train
that arrives at Babylon at half-past
three o’clock, and we reach the dock
ten minutes afterwards.
Lay aside for a few moments your
I
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THE DECOYS M
troubles and worries, and come with us down to
kill some brant. It Is half-past one o’clock, and
I look up from my desk and see my father’s smil
ing face as he says: “Come, Buster, It Is time
to start.” In a moment I have put on my coat
and hat, and we are on our way to the Wall street
entrance of the subway, as happy as ever two
schoolboys starting on a holiday were. We meet
you on the platform, and I relieve you of your
bag or gun as we board a Brooklyn train. We
change at Atlantic avenue to the Long Island
train, and soon are at Jamaica, where we change
once more to the local steam train and while
away the next hour in swapping stories. The
train stops at Babylon, and we pile out on the
platform and into the dilapidated hack that
takes us down to the dock. As it is early in the
season and the days have not yet shortened
enough to make it Impossible for us to reach
our destination before dark, the Macy is awaiting
us, anchored just off the dock, and we see our
good George coming off in the little skiff to speed
ily set us on board.
As you board the skiff you will not have to ask
George, "Are there any birds?” for he will say:
"Brant? Why, there’s 5,000,000 of the cusses in
Cedar Island cove. We’ll have some o’ them crit
ters, and don’t you forget It." Captain Andrew
greets us with a cheery “Good day, gentlemen,”
as we reach his side, and you enter the cabin
to find upon the table a pleasant welcome in the
shape of a generous drink for each of us. My
father’s hearty toast, “Glad to see you on board,
sir,” makes you feel at home at once.
We promptly lay aside our “store clothes” and
don our old shooting things, as the men get the
anchor up and hoist the sail, and are soon in
the cockpit enjoying the fresh air. Our progress
is slow and stately, due to the flotilla behind us,
but we have only about four miles to go. Notice
now the third member of our crew, a big, tall,
fair-haired man with a smile that never comes
off. This is Ansel, a newcomer to the Macy in
comparison with the skipper, for Ansel has been
with us only 20 years. He is a very important
personage, for he is the engineer, chef, mate, gen
eral utility man and fun-maker for us all. Hark!
There is his voice now calling us to dinner.
You sit down before a smoking leg of lamb and
dishes of vegetables, with an appetite to which
you have been a stranger for a long time, and
eat and eat of the good things before you until
you are astonished at yourself. Topping off with
some of the chef’s famous pudding, and helping
yourself to a good cigar from the box on- the
centerboard trunk, you are content. I take the
wheel to let the men go below to eat their dinner,
and by the time they have finished we arrive at
the place where we will test out the battery in the
morning.
At ten o’clock we turn into our berths ready for
an early call to breakfast At four o’clock we are
called, and by the time we are dressed the break
fast is piping hot on the table. We hurry through
our meal to let the men eat theirs, and while
they are fixing out the battery and stool, we
take a bit of a nap.
The skipper calls us when he sees the men
have the stool nearly all out, and you and I put
on our sweaters and a dark coat, take our guns
end shells, and get into the skiff, to be rowed to
the battery. The
battery, or "box,”
as it is more often
termed, is set
pretty well to the windward of the bulk of the
decoys, with just enough of them around it to
hide it from birds coming down on the head; and
in getting in we pick our way carefully through
the decoys and step from the skiff well over to
ward the center, so as not to get any water in
the boxes. On the deck of the box we have 12
iron decoys that are cut off on the bottom, so as
to loom up higher than those on the water, and
these we distribute around, heads to the wind,
to make the box lay level. We each have a rub
ber cloth and an old sweater to lie on, and a
cloth-covered rubber pillow for our heads. Ad
justing these comfortably, we load our guns,
cock them and place them against the side on
our right hand, taking care to keep at least two
inches of the barrels over the end of the box, so
that in case of an accidental discharge there will
be no hole blown In the box. Long experience
in battery shooting has taught me that the long
er the barrels of a gun are, the safer it is, and
I heartily recommend 32 inch barrels.
Being all ready to He down, with only our eyes
above the level of the water, and await the com
ing of our quarry. Two men with sharp eyes can
keep a pretty thorough watch, except just be
hind them, and birds coming from that quarter
generally swing off to one side or the other of
the stool so that they can set their wings and
light among the decoys headed up to the wind.
You, as the guest of honor, are in the left-hand
box, and just as the sun is rising I see a bunch
of brant comirg in over the beach from the
ocean where they have been roosting. If they
are headed in our direction, and I think they
will pass near enough to see our stool, we He
very close, and occasionally I call them; but the
moment they see the stool —and you can always
tells this, because they give a sort of dart up in
the air and, if they are cbming in, settle down
again headed toward us—l make no further calls,
but say to you: “They are coming in on your
side. Lie perfectly still until I say ‘Now!’ and
then give it to them.”
It is one of the most Inspiring sights in the
world to see a bunch of these lordly birds head
ed for the stool, and a great many people are
deceived as to the distance they are off, on ac
count of their great size—often losing a chance
by raising too quickly. I watch them with one
eye above the edge of the box as they set their
wings and'come gracefully to the stool, and when
they are in good range, I say: “Now! Let’s
try ’em!” and we sit up with our guns in our
hands and fire. As they are on your side and
headed up to windward, you will get the best
show', because I must shoot at the tail of the
bunch and will not have as good a chance to
catch a double as you. You can count on my
killing right and left however, and as my second
bird starts to fall, I see you have three down.
“Well done, my friend. We are not going to
be skunked to-day. There are five ofthem, any
way.”
We both reload our guns, and I take my cap
i in my hand and swing it until I see an answering
। signal from the Macy. This means that they are
to come down in the skiff and pick up
our game.
There are three things of great im
portance in battery shooting; the
first is to be able to kill when the
bird is in range, the second to be
able to call, and the third to know
how to use the “flopper.” Naturally
the query rises to your lips, “What is
a flopper?” It is a bundle of worn-out
mittens, tied together with a bit of
string, that I keep in my hand as we
lie in wait for the game, and it is
used to attract the attention of birds
that are passing too far away to see
the stool. As lam about to explain
the use of the queer contrivance, I see
Now we lie close, and they come straight for our
stool. If I were to flop even once after they have
seen the stool, they would be off like a shot and
It is just here that the science of using the Hop
per means so much. This time they head up on
my side, and, when I give the word, w r e fire, you to
kill two, while I am lucky enough to double with
each barrel. When George arrives with the skiff
and we tell him 11 are down, he smiles all over.
I call to George to bring father down when he
comes out to pick up again, for your day would
not be complete without an hour or two in the box
with that peerless sportsman, who is today, at the
age of 77, one of the best shots I have ever seen.
We kill again, and George comes down with fa
ther. As I get into the boat, father steps into the
box with agility equal to mine, and I leave you to
an enjoyment that has been the dearest privilege
of my life. We have scarcely reached the Macy
when you swing again, and I take up the glasses
to watch with interest your good work.
As noontime comes we get the Macy underway
and drop down to the box, to reward you with a
cocktail when you come aboard, and have all readv
a smoking lunch of Ansel’s best. After lunch we
take turns in the battery, and, when the time
comes to take up, we count a row of brant along
the washer and find 35. We return to Babylon in
ample time for you to catch your train, and we do
not let you go until you promise to come again.
TO DRAW AND HOLD TRADE
“Most of us,” said Mr. Shovelton, “are looking out
for ourselves; I think we’ll all admit that. The
trouble with most of us is that we don’t do this
intelligently; we are always thinking of ourselves
and our own interest only; and that’s where we
slip a cog. Let me illustrate:
“I buy fruit to carry home; I’ve done that so
well, a good many years, and for a long time I
bought around in various places. Then one day
some years ago I stopped at a store where I liked
the looks of the fruit and where as I noticed a mo
ment later, the paper bags were a little heavier
than those I had been accustomed to find.
“And when this dealer had put the fruit in one of
these bags he didn’t simply tw*ist the neck of it
and hand it over to nie so in a form inconvenient
to carry. He folded the top of the bag over and
rolled it down to form a handle —a grip piece; and
then he tied this bundle around securely with
twine, thus making it up altogether into a bundle
that was secure and handy to carry.
"Os course I liked all that, and I found that he
always did up his packages so or putting on some
times a wood and wire handle; but always he made
the package secure and handy for me. He had
some thought for me, and I’ve been buying of him
ever since; and if he should move I’d follow him.
I_would go out of my way to trade with him.
“The moral is this: Any small storekeeper, if
his goods are right, can build up a trade and hold
it and increase it if he has the intelligence and the
human quality that prompts him faithfully to con
sider not himself alone but as well the wants and
interests of his customers.”
a bunch of brant
leading through the
bay to the north of
us, about a mile
away. If they keep
their present course
they will pass us
without seeing our
stool. Something
must be done to at
tract their atten
tion. Quickly I flop
the flopper up above
the level of the box
two or three times,
rarefully watching
for any sign that
the birds have no
ticed something. If
there is no such
sign, I flop again.
Ah, this time they
have seen It, for
they rise in the air
and head toward us.
JUST LIKE EM.
Zill/
First College Student—Don’t you
think some people ask a good many
fool questions In letters?
Second College Student—Yes. Now,
my father always wants to know If
Tm a bank.
Ellen Terry’s Joke.
When Ellen Terry was presented
with a Founders' gold medal at the
New theater, New York, recently—an
honor conferred in recognition of her
great services to dramatic art —she
was called upon to make a speech of
acceptance. It so happened that the
actress was exceedingly hoarse and
she was therefore forced to cut her
remarks short. So she told this story:
“A friend of mine once bought a p&-
rot and gave much money for It with
the understanding that It could speak
fluently, but when he reached home
with It he found to his dismay that
the bird was dumb. So he took It
back. This parrot cannot say a word,’
he said Indignantly to the bird fancier.
Tt can’t talk at all.’ ‘Talk!’ the deal
er exclaimed. ‘Come to think of It, I
know It can’t, but it’s a devil to
think.’”
Advantages.
"You must have found the arctic cir
cle very unpleasant.”
’’Yes,” replied the arctic explorer;
"but It has Its advantages. The cli
mate Is disagreeable, but the people
aren’t always worrying you about
proofs."
For HEADACHE—picks’ CAPUDINE
Whether from Colds, Beat. Stomach pr
Nervous Troubles, Capudlne will relieve you.
It’s liquid—pleasant to take—acts immedi
ately Try it. 10c., 250 , and SO cents at drug
Stores.
Latest Quotations.
"How would you like a game picture
for your dining room? A brace of can
vasbacks, say?"
“No cheap stuff for me. Paint me
a picture of a dozen eggs.”
The Chicago Fire could have been pre
vented with one pail of water, but the
water was not handy. Keep a bottle of
Hamlins Wizard Oil handy and prevent
ths fiery pains of inflammation.
Have to Pull Them In.
Ella —There are just as good fish
in the sea-
Stella —But you have to have a pull
to land them.
Taylor’s Cherokee Remedy of Sweet Gum
and Mullen is Nature’s great remedy—
Cures Coughs, Colds, Croup and Whooping
Cough and all throat and lung troubles. At
druggists. 25c, 50c and SI.OO per bottle.
Can a woman become a member of
the Daughters of the Revolution just
because her ancestors murdered the
king’s English?
Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets regulate
and invigorate stomach, liver and bowels.
Sugar-coated, tiny, granules, easy to take.
Do not gripe.
The measure of what we love and
admire is the measure of our own
worth. —Dobson.
Garfield Tea purifies the blopd, cleanses
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And many a man never realizes the
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IF YOU HAVE A SICKLY
YOUNGSTER TRY THIS FREE
Th* family with young children that Is
Wlthofit slcknfegs In the house now and
then, 43 rare, and bo It Is Important that*
the, head of the'house should know what
to tlo in th* little emergencies that Arise.
A child With a serious aliment heeds a
doctor, it is true, but Jn .the fcajorlty ot,
Instances, as any doctor talons. the child,
suffers from some intestinal trouble,:
usually constipation.
There is no sense In giving It a pill or
a remedy Containing an opiate, nor is
flushing of th6 bowels to be always jec
ommended. Rather give it a small dose
of a mild, gentle laxative tonic like Dr,;
Caldwell’s' Syrup Pepsin, Which by Clean--
Ing 'out the bowels’and strengthening the
Miss Bangs and Miss Whifon’s
School for Girls
WITHIN EAST ACCESS of all parts of the city, and of the great libraries
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THOROUGH AND CONSERVATIVE TRAINING, moral. Intellectual and
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FACULTY LARGE, each teacher a specialist; and pupils assured the indi
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PRIMARY, PREPARATORY AND ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS; also a W
unique department known as the UPPER HOUSE, for graduate and special -
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BEST ADVANTAGES of New York available for th* study of Music, Art.
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PHYSICAL EXERCISES. Special attention given with the object of promot
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MER CAMP in New /Hampshire.
THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL has been bo pronounced that it has re
ceived the highest commendation of the leading educators of the country as
well as of the highest officials of the U. S. Government; Mias Bangs and Miss
Whiten refer by permission to the presidents of ten colleges and universities
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Denominational Puzzle.
The wife of a prominent Unitarian
clergyman is still wondering what her
cook meant. She was a new cook, and
there was every reason to believe she
was a good cook. At any rate, she
had unquestionably served In good
families, and she brought the best of
references. Nevertheless, her new
mistress did not hesitate to give has
a few instructions.
“One thing I want you to remem
ber, Nellie,” said she, “Is the way we
like our oatmeal. Don’t leave It we*
tery. But we don’t like It hard and
dry, either.”
“Trust me, mum,” responded the
cook, confidently. “I’ll get It right
never fear. I've worked In Unitarian
families before."
His Light.
Ella— He says that I am the light
of his life.
Stella —That’s gas.
Some men will do anything for th^
sake of a little newspaper notoriety.
PILES
“I have suffered with piles for thirty
six years. One year ago last April I be
gan taking Cascarets for constipation. In
the course of a week I noticed the piles
began to disappear and at the end of six
weeks they aid not trouble me at aIL
Cascarets have done wonders for me. X
am entirely cured and feel like a new
man.” George Kryder, Napoleon, O.
Pleasant. Palatable. Potent, Taste Good. .
Do Good. Never Sicken. Weaken or Gripe.
10c, 25c, 50c. Never sold In bulk. The gen
uine tablet Stamped CC C. Guaranteed to
cure or your money back. 020
CHEAPER THAN INSURANCE. ~
Mexican Mustang Liniment is made
of the'best oils and penetrates qtdckly,
soothing and healing the affected parts
IT makes good all losses occasioned
by accidents and is cheaper than any
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IT will take a curb off your horse or
cure him of the heaves.
IT will cure him of cracked heels or
grease heels.
No matter how long-standing or
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25c. SOc. $1 a bottle at Dru« & Gen’l Store*.
Make the Liver
Do its Duty
Nine times in ten when the fiver u right the
stomach and bowels are right.
CARTER’S LITTLE
LIVER PILLS
gently but firmly
Cure. Con-WITTLE
etipation, lIVER
Indigea* PILLS,
tion, \\— SHMMB
Sick ~
Headache, and Distress after Eating.
Small PiH, Smalt Dose, Small Price
Genuine mutbeu Signature
1 ■- -■ -T=3
W. N. ATLANTA, NO. 9-1911.
; little stomach muscles, will Immediately
correct the trouble.
/ This Is not alone our opinion but that.
of Mrs. N. H. Mead of Freeport, Kans.,
. whose granddaughter has been taking it
’ successfully ana *f Mts. X R. Whiting
’i of Lepa, Wls., who gives It to her children
and fakes it herself. It Is sold In fifty
■cent And one dollar bottles at every
drug store, but if you want to test it In
’ your family before you buy It send youij,
Address to Dr. Caidwell -and he will fon
j ward a supply free of change.
For the free sample address Dr. W. B.
' Caldwell, 201 Caldwell building, MonU
i' cello, HL
