This story, initially titled \u201cOld Haw,\u201d ran within the April 1953 situation of <\/em>Outdoor Life.<\/p>\n AS I WHILE AWAY<\/span><\/strong> my time within the sundown of life, right here within the stunning Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas, I typically sit within the shade of a grand outdated oak exterior my cabin door. Here I doze and consider the previous and the great instances I\u2019ve had with my canine and gun. It\u2019s been an extended life, virtually seventy years of it, and a cheerful one.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sometimes, as I daydream, I see in my thoughts an extended, dusty highway, and on it a farm wagon drawn by oxen. Two teenage Iowa farm lads are perched on its seat, and every is making an attempt to rush the oxen, for they’re anxious to get to city and the day is drawing to an in depth.\u00a0<\/p>\n I first noticed the image of that dusty highway numerous years in the past as I listened to my dad inform the story of the boys. He was one in every of them; if I ever heard the title of the opposite I\u2019ve lengthy since forgotten it.<\/p>\n The lads had been despatched to the gristmill with a load of corn to be floor into meal. They had directions to remain all night time and return early subsequent day, for the journey to city was all of seven miles, an excellent afternoon\u2019s journey for plodding oxen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Upon reaching the mill they unyoked the oxen, fed them, and began directly for the little village. Its title was Newton, and it promised the boys some distraction, for they knew little of something however exhausting work and exhausting instances. The yr was 1867 and the Civil War was not lengthy over.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the village the boys separated. Father, who was fifteen, wandered alongside till he got here to a blacksmith store that bore an indication, \u201cSi Miller, Gunsmith.\u201d The hour was late and the store closed, so the boy peered by its window. There was an assortment of firearms in racks alongside the wall, and shortly his eyes fell on an exquisite long-barreled Kentucky rifle.<\/p>\n He had longed for a rifle prefer it a couple of years earlier, when he\u2019d saved his mom, youthful brother, and three sisters from ravenous by trapping rabbits and quail, whereas his father and two older brothers have been within the military. The lad had seen loads of wild turkey and deer however had no luck trapping them.\u00a0<\/p>\n Avid for a better take a look at the Kentucky, he determined to return to the store early subsequent morning whereas the miller was grinding his corn. When he seemed by the window once more, subsequent day, the smith was boring out a musket barrel, changing it for shot. Many troopers carried their muskets house from from the conflict, had the rifling bored out of them, and so acquired an affordable scattergun.\u00a0<\/p>\n The smith lastly seen the boy, smiled, and beckoned him in. \u201cWell, sonny,\u201d he stated, \u201cwhat can I do for you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The lad spoke up and stated he\u2019d like to take a look at the long-barreled rifle within the rack behind the bench.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cGladly, son, gladly,\u201d stated the smith, putting the rifle within the boy\u2019s palms. Then he added: \u201cShe\u2019s a genuine full stocked Hawken, son, caliber about .40. She was a flintlock once\u2014made in St. Louis and carried in the fur trade by mountain men. I swapped for her. Changed her to percussion ignition, rerifled her, rebuilt her stock. Touch her hair trigger and she\u2019ll drive a tack as far as you can see it. I\u2019ll sell her, lock, stock, and 36-inch barrel, with a pound of Fg powder and bullet molds, for only $7.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The boy seemed glum. \u201cMister,\u201d he stated, \u201cthat\u2019s more money than I\u2019ve ever had in all my life. For my summer\u2019s work I have here only a silver dollar.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSon, you got a rifle?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNo sir.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll be durned,\u201d stated the smith. \u201cWith all this game hereabouts and you have nary a shootin\u2019 iron?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right, sir,\u201d the boy admitted. \u201cDuring the war I kept Mother and the kids in meat with my trappin\u2019 while Pap and my brothers were fighting the Cause.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWell, son,\u201d stated the smith, \u201cyou look like a good lad and I\u2019ll tell you what I\u2019ll do. I\u2019ll set that Hawken away for you and you pay for it a little at a time. Whenever you git four bits, just hand \u2019em to old Si.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n So the deal was made. The boy handed over his silver greenback after which began for the gristmill.\u00a0<\/p>\n Soon the 2 lads have been on their means house, their toes propped excessive on the dashboard, and so they took turns prodding the oxen with an extended gad. My grandpa was a tight-fisted farmer who didn\u2019t consider in losing cash on firearms, so Father was apprehensive about what would occur to him for spending his hard-earned money.\u00a0<\/p>\n The different boy spoke up: \u201cLook at what I swapped for while I was in town. Gave my old key-wind watch for it, even up.\u201d He reached into his shirt and drew out an exquisite .31 caliber Colt\u2019s cap-and-ball revolver. \u201cHain\u2019t she a dandy?\u201d he stated. \u201cBet I can bark a squirrel every shot with her.\u201d He began to roll the cylinder by cocking the hammer and letting it fall. Suddenly there was a crashing explosion. The lad yelled, dropped the pistol, and grabbed at his hand. Blood was flowing from a neat gap by the palm.\u00a0<\/p>\n Father tried to calm him. But he set free one other yell and jerked open his barn-door britches. The ball had handed by the boy\u2019s hand and into his leg!\u00a0<\/p>\n Dad instructed me it was fairly a predicament for a boy to be in. He turned the oxen round and headed again for city and a physician. Late that night time two mighty sick boys arrived on the farm, one wounded, the opposite heartsick.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dad stated he by no means heard the top of that episode, significantly his take care of the gunsmith and his father would have given him an excellent larruping besides that his mom interfered. A yr later he received proud possession of the Hawken rifle. His pap relented some when wild turkey and occasional venison discovered its technique to the household desk.<\/p>\n MY FATHER<\/span><\/strong> fashioned a powerful friendship for outdated Miller, the blacksmith, and eventually sure himself over to him as an apprentice. He labored seven lengthy years studying the commerce.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meantime he started to accumulate a popularity as among the best rifle photographs in Jasper County. Finally he arrange his personal smithy in somewhat settlement named Metz, received married, and began to boost a household. <\/p>\n He received to be an incredible hand on the turkey shoots. Along in mid-November every year riflemen would are available from all elements of Jasper County to participate within the annual shoot, and all hoped they\u2019d be ok with their lengthy rifles to take house a tom gobbler for Thanksgiving dinner. Father instructed me quite a lot of tales concerning the shoots, and the one I like greatest occurred about 1885.\u00a0<\/p>\n On the appointed day, Father was all set to go. He\u2019d spent appreciable time, the night earlier than, casting lead bullets, chopping sq. patches of linen material, and cleansing out the pockets of his outdated buckskin coat. In these pockets he stowed his bullets and percussion caps. I keep in mind how cautious he was in selecting his bullets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before leaving for the shoot he labored on the barrel of the outdated Hawken till the final patch got here out clear. Then, along with his powderhorn hanging from his shoulder and the Hawken within the criminal of his arm, he crossed the Skunk River to the taking pictures floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was crowded with roughly dressed males, a few of them farmers, a lot of them brawny laborers who have been engaged in constructing the Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific Railroad. There was appreciable tough discuss and horseplay, and the jug was a lot in proof. The promoter of the shoot had set out refreshments consisting of crackers, cheese, and chilly meat. There was a barrel of exhausting cider and a gourd dipper prepared for all, however many of the backwoodsmen most popular the little brown jug.\u00a0<\/p>\n The taking pictures vary was an open house about 150 yards lengthy with a patch of timber for a backstop. In these days you shot immediately on the turkey you needed to take house, at ten cents a shot. Rather, you shot at its head, for it was positioned in a field with solely its head exhibiting, and the packing containers have been lined up at a variety of about sixty yards. The first man to attract blood on a head received the turkey.\u00a0<\/p>\n FATHER SAID<\/span><\/strong> a turkey head made a mighty small goal for open iron sights. It was particularly troublesome when the hen was gobbling, for the gobble saved the top in movement and made it exhausting to hit.\u00a0<\/p>\n When Father walked into the group quite a lot of good-natured chaff was handed his means.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou-all look who be comin\u2019! No one but Haw Ramsay!\u201d\u00a0(His given title was Watson, however the nickname Haw had caught by this time.)<\/p>\n \u201cHow many of them-air turks you goin\u2019 to tote home?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Haw, an\u2019 wet your whistle. The jug brings them birds in real close to your sights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n And so it went, for these have been the times when males labored exhausting, fought exhausting, and drank exhausting. Father discovered himself a seat on a tree stump and loved the banter, chuckling sometimes when a tipsy man rammed a bullet into his rifle with out remembering to place within the powder. When the gun didn\u2019t go off, the shooter\u2019s mood did.\u00a0<\/p>\n Soon a nice large tom was positioned in a field and Dad paid his dime for a shot at it. Calmly he positioned a bullet within the palm of his hand, pulled the stopper from the powderhorn along with his tooth, and poured simply sufficient powder over the ball to cowl it. Then he picked the ball out, cupped his hand, and poured the cost into the barrel muzzle. Next he positioned a patch throughout the muzzle, put the bullet on it, and rammed the cost down the barrel. Finally he set the hair set off, cocked the hammer, and positioned a copper ignition cap on the nipple.\u00a0<\/p>\n There was a sudden hush among the many spectators, then one spoke out: \u201cLook, old Haw\u2019s goin\u2019 to fire. Bet he don\u2019t draw blood nor feather.\u201d<\/p>\n To this Father paid no thoughts. He threw the gun to his shoulder, drew a bead on the small head, and paused till the hen had completed its gobble. The instantaneous the top was nonetheless, he touched the hair set off. There was a whiplike crack and that turkey\u2019s gobble was stilled eternally.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOld Haw has drawed first blood!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cAw, Haw ain\u2019t so good. My old Betsy can outshoot him anytime. Bet a dollar he can\u2019t do it agin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Dad approached the speaker and instructed him to place up or shut up. The guess was made and he ready for the following shot. It was as correct as the primary. He was the possessor of two nice birds and a silver greenback.<\/p>\n Now the promoter got here up and instructed Father he\u2019d need to bar him from additional taking pictures. \u201cYou\u2019re too durn good,\u201d he stated. \u201cI could lose a lot of money on them birds the way you\u2019re scoring.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Then one of many railroad laborers, who had fired twice with out success, stated, \u201cHaw, how about me using your gun? Mine needs freshin\u2019 out an\u2019 don\u2019t shoot true like yours.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSure, my friend,\u201d stated Father, \u201cif you\u2019ll let me load up for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWell, now, that\u2019s good of you,\u201d replied the laborer. \u201cPowder and ball costs, now-days. Load \u2019er up!\u201d<\/p>\n FATHER TOOK<\/span><\/strong> a bullet out of his coat pocket, held it up, and punctiliously examined its trueness. Then he loaded the gun. The laborer drew a gentle bead and touched her off. No rating\u2014a really unhealthy miss. The ball didn\u2019t as a lot as kick up filth.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLoad \u2018er again,\u201d stated the laborer. \u201cThis time I\u2019m goin\u2019 to take that turk\u2019s head off.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But he didn\u2019t; his second shot was as unhealthy as the primary.<\/p>\n Now one other man spoke up: \u201cLoad her for me, Haw. I kin beat him\u2014he\u2019s got too much redeye in his belly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But when he took his flip he received the identical consequence\u2014no rating. He grew to become ugly about it, and stated the Hawken couldn\u2019t hit a barn door.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNo?\u201d stated Father. \u201cYou take that coonskin hat off your head and hang it behind yon oak tree. I got a dollar says I can put a hole through it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDone!\u201d stated the man. \u201cThar ain\u2019t a gun made that\u2019ll throw a ball through that tree.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Dad loaded up. Then, with a fast movement, he picked up an ax and drove its bit deep into the oak. He stepped again, took goal, and fired. There was a clang because the bullet hit the ax blade, ricocheted off it, and went by the outdated cap. It made a gap large enough to thrust a hand by.\u00a0<\/p>\n The crowd actually roared when the proprietor of the ruined headpiece paid off his guess. So Father shouldered his birds; with $2 in his pocket he felt he had carried out an excellent day\u2019s work, and he left for house.\u00a0<\/p>\n Years later, in telling me concerning the incident, he held up his proper hand and requested me if I noticed something improper with it. Indeed I did; the thumb and knuckles have been off form, and the hand seemed prefer it had been badly damaged. \u201cWhat happened to it?\u201d I requested.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAn aftermath of the turkey shoot,\u201d he stated, and defined.\u00a0<\/p>\n It appeared that he was forging horse footwear within the store the next week when the door was darkened by an enormous, rawboned man who requested: \u201cBe you Haw Ramsay?\u201d Father stated he was and the person went on: \u201cSaw you at that turk shoot an\u2019 figured you was a purty good man. Now, I\u2019m the best man in Polk County, so I come over here to Jasper to fight you and see if you\u2019re as good as me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Father reached behind him to undo the knot on his leather-based apron, and because it fell to the ground he smashed the person proper in his leering mouth. The blow knocked him clear by the doorway however he was again on his toes when Father reached him. They clinched and rolled down the hill into the village road. There they broke aside and placed on a livid battle, with nothing barred, together with eye gouging, butting, and kneeing.\u00a0<\/p>\n DAD TOLD ME<\/span><\/strong> he\u2019d had some coaching in sparring and it got here in mighty helpful. At final he noticed an excellent opening and put his proper fist exhausting on the bully\u2019s jaw, and the Polk County man went down for good. The village loafers put him on the following prepare out of city.\u00a0<\/p>\n A couple of days later, Father was on the forge, making an attempt to work along with his damaged hand, when he seemed as much as see some one standing within the doorway. It was the bully. Dad\u2019s coronary heart sank, for he was in no form to struggle the person once more. Nevertheless, he rolled up his sleeves and ready to defend himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the massive man held up his hand and stated, \u201cPeace, friend. I jist come back to shake hands with you, for you whupped me fair and square, and you\u2019re the best man in Jasper County. Shake, Haw Ramsay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n They shook palms heartily and the massive man strode away, by no means to be seen once more in Metz.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Dad,\u201d I requested, \u201chow come those riflemen missed at the shoot when they were using your Hawken?\u201d<\/p>\n Father chuckled. \u201cPerhaps,\u201d he stated, \u201cyou keep in mind how cautious I used to be, molding these bullets the night time earlier than the shoot. Well, son, I used to be casting \u2018split\u2019 bullets. I put somewhat piece of paper between the molds, with simply sufficient lead across the edges to carry the halves collectively so\u2019s it seemed like a daily bullet. Then I put the cut up bullets in a separate pocket of my coat.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I loaded for the boys I put a cut up bullet within the barrel in such a means that the rifling threw the halves aside when the gun was fired. No telling what path they\u2019d take.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou see, I never relished the idea of being beaten with my own gun, so I was always prepared.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n I went to different turkey shoots with Father, and on many a hunt. He used to say a person needn\u2019t fear about his son\u2019s future if the boy beloved a gun, a fishing rod, and the outside. Old Haw has been gone for twenty-odd years, and I\u2019ve missed the outdated fellow. I hope he\u2019s had many an excellent turkey shoot within the joyful searching grounds.<\/p>\n What grew to become of the muzzle-loading rifle that figures so prominently in Orie C. Ramsay\u2019s story, \u201cOld Haw\u201d? Curious about its destiny, the editors put the query to Mr. Ramsay.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFather left his Hawken rifle with a family for safekeeping when he moved our family to Kansas in 1886,\u201d he writes. \u201cSome durn-fool kids received maintain of it, dismantled it, and dropped it down a effectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve consoled myself since by constructing two replicas of plains rifles; each with curly-maple shares; right here\u2019s an image of them. I made each half myself-lock, inventory, and barrel-in spare time, and it took me a complete of twenty-two months. And I had fashionable energy instruments -lathe and drill press, for instance\u2014that the pioneer gunmakers like Hawken by no means heard of.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBoth rifles are about .31 caliber. I rifled them myself and they’re ex tremely correct at 100 yards as they need to be for squirrel searching right here abouts. You\u2019ll discover that one has a full inventory (wooden out to the barrel muzzle), the opposite a half inventory. Both varieties have been used within the outdated days.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMountain males most popular the complete inventory and an extended barrel; buffalo hunters on the plains favored the half inventory and a shorter barrel, as a result of the rifle might be loaded extra simply on horseback.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe scope, a modern improvement that Dad never dreamed of, is a Weaver 4X. The lower rifle has a peep sight, but at 69 I feel I need the scope. At that I can outshoot anyone here in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas\u2014my muzzle-loaders against their modern guns.\u201d<\/p>\n This textual content has been minimally edited to fulfill up to date requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nThe Hawken<\/h2>\n
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