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CHAPTER I.<br />
QUICK SHOOTING RECORDS.<br />
From the time I was twelve years old I was considered a very fine<br />
shot with a rifle, although I did but very little shooting, and, in fact,<br />
did not know that I was any more than a common marksman; yet in any<br />
contests while a boy I always won.<br />
One day in June, 1884, while passing a shooting gallery, my friends<br />
called me in for a match to pay for shots: I beat them all shooting, my<br />
score was 11 consecutive bull's eyes, while none of my friends had<br />
made half that score. The boys said I did well, to which I jestingly<br />
remarked that "that was common shooting for me; just throw up an<br />
apple and I will hit it." The apple was thrown up, and I hit it, which<br />
was as much of a surprise to me as it was to any of the rest. I then<br />
borrowed a 22-calibre Stevens rifle and practiced shooting at objects<br />
thrown in the air, first shooting at tomato cans, afterwards at smaller<br />
objects, and finally at marbles and various other small objects. By<br />
practicing half an hour a day, within a month I could hit 70 per cent<br />
of the glass balls which were thrown in the air. On July 4, 1884, I<br />
shot a match with James Robinson, at 'Pratt, Kansas; conditions, 10<br />
glass balls each at 21 foot rise, he using a shot gun, I a rifle; I lost<br />
with a score of 4 to 6. This is the only match I ever lost with a rifle<br />
against a shot gun. The trouble with me was, this being my first match,<br />
I was thinking more about the stake money than the shooting. Besides<br />
the stake money which I lost, I had to treat all the boys who attended<br />
the match; they all laughed and had a good time at my expense.<br />
The next day after my shoot with Robinson, I sent to P. Power &<br />
Son, of Cincinnati, for a 32-calibre Winchester repeating rifle. I con<br />
tinued practicing with the Winchester for about six weeks, when I<br />
challenged G. W. Washburn of Kingman, Kansas, to a match. (Mr.<br />
W. was at that time champion of Kingman County.) He to use a shot<br />
gun at glass balls from a Moles rotary trap, 21 yards rise, I to use a<br />
32-calibre Winchester, balls from a straight trap, 10% yards rise, 50<br />
balls each. In the toss up I won and preferred to shoot second. The<br />
score was a tie on 47 balls; we shot the tie off at 10 balls each; again<br />
we tied on ten balls straight. The match was continued at 10 balls more<br />
each. By this time things had become a little exciting. Over<br />
$1500 was bet; many were betting $4 to $1 against me, thinking that I<br />
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