And speaking of plain and fancy shoot- , it brings to mind the often discussed estion, were the old-time Western gun- n as good as modern fiction writers would ve us believe? { doubt it. GLAmMorous BuT UNTRUE First of all, read the authentic literature the period, and you'll usually find that 1en Wild Bill Whoosis decided to rid the nmunity of some particularly contentious yracter, he more than often waited until > said character was sitting with his back a door, deep in the problem of whether should make a one-card draw. Then "ild Bill filled the doorway, roared to the sid that his opponent was a low-down, ‘ty, lying so-and-so, and supplied the inctuation with one single shot—right in e card player's back at a distance of about e feet. The great majority of Western lings were done at very close range. arksmanship wasn’t usually a factor; more CORNING HOTEL © FULLY LICENSED PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. A. P. ANDERSEN ANDERSEN’S LUMBER YARD Lumber and Builders’ Supplies General Contractors Canada Portland Cement Prince George, British Columbia ASSMAN'S FUNERAL CHAPEL Service with Dignity Phone 172-L-1 PRINCE GEORGE, B. C. Headquarters for Travellers and Tourists COLUMBUS HOTEL L. ZIMMARO, Proprietor Hot and Cold Water Bath and Shower — Fully Modern Licensed Premises & Prince George, B.C. THIRTEENTH EDITION often than not it was trickery and the element of surprise. If you look through the pioneer section of some of the Western museums, you'll be surprised to see some of the weapons the bad men used. Wild Bill Hickok, for instance, carried a little old-fashioned .32 Smith & Wesson more likely to be a “man irritator” than a “man stopper.” Wyatt Earp, famous Marshal of Dodge City seldom used a revolver. In a mix-up he relied on a double-barrelled English shotgun, and, up to the time of the Battle of the Stockade, he had hardly need for that. Earp’s favourite trick was to walk up to a belligerent cowhand, fix the culprit with an eagle eye, then jerk the cowhand’s gun out of his holster and hit the owner over the head with it. Then he would return JOHN SHIRRAS Deputy Commissioner B.C. Provincial Police Vancouver, British Columbia Chairman, Committee on Rules and Procedure, Pacific Coast International Association Pistol Tournament. see the gun to the stupified lawbreaker and tell him to “get out of town!” “If you shoot a man you make him a hero,” said Earp, “bump him over the head with his own gun and you make him look foolish.”—Sage advice from an old frontiersman. The fiction writer’s Western sheriff or badman, however just, had to be an un- erring shot—from any position with any weapon. A good example of this sort of thing (although it hasn’t a Western locale) comes from the pen of good old Ernest Thompson Seton, fellow-Canadian whose woodcraft books have enthralled youngsters —of all ages—for nearly 35 years. In “Two Little Savages” (and don’t mistake me—it ranks as one of the best boys’ books of all time), E. T. S. falls into the familiar error of making his marksman superlative, instead of just good. Here’s how old Caleb (‘20 years ago I used to be a pretty good shot”) Clark demonstrates his skill with the “little white-handled Colt.” “Caleb got When in Our Town Be Sure to Visit THE PANAMA NEWS We have an interesting book and souvenir display. We also sell magazines, including “THE SHOULDER STRAP”. e PANAMA NEWS LIMITED PRINCE GEORGE B. C. The quest for the best ends at the PRINCE GEORGE CAFE "Where Friend Meets. Friend’ * Prince George, British Columbia RUSH TRANSFER & STORAGE CO. F. M. WALLS, Proprietor Light and Heavy Hauling - Warehousing Furniture Moved, Packed, Shipped and Stored High-Grade Coal Massey-Harris Implements ome Gas and Oils PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. Phone 51 NICK AVGERIS RAW FURS P.O. BOX 191 PRINCE GEORGE B.C. NORTHERN UPHOLSTERY W. BLAUFUSS, Proprietor e Upholstering and Repairing PRINCE GEORGE B. C. NECHAKO BAKERY QUALITY BAKERY PRODUCTS 3 PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. CHICKEN INN HARRY CHOW, Proprietor WE SPECIALIZE IN CHICKEN DINNERS A Good Place to Eat We Serve Good Coffee Page Fifty-three Prince George B. C.