Page:The lady or the tiger and other stories, Stockton (Scribner's 1897 ed).djvu/65

Rh He had shooting-gloves; and he had little leathern tips, that could be screwed fast on the ends of what he called his string-fingers. He had a quiver and a belt; and when equipped for the weekly meetings, he carried a fancy-colored wiping-tassel, and a little ebony grease-pot, hanging from his belt. He wore, when shooting, a polished arm-guard or bracer; and if he had heard of any thing else that an archer should have, he straightway would have procured it.

Pepton was a single man; and he lived with two good old maiden ladies, who took as much care of him as if they had been his mothers. And he was such a good, kind fellow that he deserved all the attention they gave him. They felt a great interest in his archery pursuits, and shared his anxious solicitude in the selection of a suitable place to hang his bow.

"You see," said he, "a fine bow like this, when not in use, should always be in a perfectly dry place."

"And when in use, too," said Miss Martha; "for I am sure that you oughtn't to be standing and shooting in any damp spot. There's no surer way of gettin' chilled."

To which sentiment Miss Maria agreed, and suggested wearing rubber shoes, or having a board to stand on, when the club met after a rain.

Pepton first hung his bow in the hall; but after he had arranged it symmetrically upon two long nails (bound with green worsted, lest they should scratch the bow through its woollen cover), he reflected that the front door would frequently be open, and that damp draughts must often go through the hall. He