Annie Oakley Scrapbook

THE DAILY CHRONICLE

VISIT OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES TO THE AMERICAN EXHIBITION.

The Princess of Wales and a large party paid an unexpected and informal visit to the American Exhibition at eleven o'clock yesterday morning. The party included the Princess of Wales, Prince Albert Victor, the Princesses Victoria, Maud, Louisa of Wales, the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, Prince George, Colonel Montague, and several ladies and gentlemen in attendance. The Royal party at once proceeded to the "Wild West" Camp, where they were received by Colonel W. F. Cody ("Buffalo Bill"), Mr. Nate Salsbury, and Major John M. Burke, and after visiting Colonel Cody's tent they proceeded to the Royal Box. At the request of the Princess, Miss Lilian Smith and Miss Annie Oakley gave their exhibition of shooting; and the Grand Duke Michael then shot at a number of balls thrown from the trap, and with Miss Oakley's guns, making a capital score. The old Deadwood stage-coach was then brought out, Colonel Cody himself holding the reins over the six big Spanish mules attached thereto. The Princess and her party were then driven by Col. Cody round the arena several times. The Princesses were perched on the top of the coach. The attack on the coach was not made by the Indians, but by the more trustworthy and discreet Cowboys, thus affording the party an idea of the sensation of being attacked on the plains of the Wild West by road agents or highwaymen. The party appeared greatly to enjoy the novel experience. The gentlemen were furnished with mounts, and enjoyed the mimic buffalo hunt. The exhibition art gallery and trophy rooms were subsequesntly visited, Mr. Whitley, the secretary, and other officials being in attendance; and the Princess of Wales made two trips on the switch-back railway, and afterwards her Royal Highness went twice down the Toboggan Slide. The Royal party, after walking through the grounds, left at 2 p.m. with the general promise to revisit the Exhibition at an early date.

The Trap and Trigger.

Miss Annie Oakley has engagements to give exhibition shoots before the Hurlingham and London Gun Clubs, of the Great British Capital.

Miss Annie Oakley wears her laurels beautifully. Success and the flattery that is sure to attend it have not turned her head. Her plain, natural manners, her sterling character, and the exemplary attachment that subsists between her and her husband win respect for her everywhere.

Mr. Butler writes of his wife, Miss Annie Oakley, now in London, "Annie shot at some blue rock pigeons here the other day. She did not do very well." Then he goes on to say. "The blue rocks here are not like ours in America. They are smaller and swifter, and they go like lightning. The worst of them are better than the best in America. Any man who can bring down 80 out of a 100, can make a fortune here. I don't believe there is a man in America that can do it."

"The Scott gun is never talked of here," says Mr. Butler, writing from London to a Cincinnati friend. He adds: "You hear of nothing but Grant, Purdey, Lancaster and Dougall guns among shooters here. They don't know anything about the Scott gun, and some other English guns that are so popular in America."

The Rifle.

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY, the crack shot of the Wild-West Show, now in London, gave a private performance at Nothing Hill Gun Club last month, before the members and a select circle of their friends. The programme, including several marvellous feats with the rifle and shot-gun, was gone through in fine style, and gave the greatest satification to the many excellent shots who had assembled to witness it. At the end of the regular programme a member threw a shilling in the air which Miss Oakley hit with a bullet.

The president of the club presented Miss Oakley with an extremely handsome and valuable gold medal.

THE FIELD.

SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1887.

SHOOTING WITH BOTH EYES OPEN

Sir-- I am sure a large number of your readers will feel indebted to Miss Annie Oakley for her kind reply to your inquiry as to her mode of shooting. She would, however, add very much to the value of her information if she would say whether the stock of her guns is perfectly straight with the barrel, or bent slighly sideways so as to bring the barrels into a line with the centre of her face, instead of the right eye only. If her stocks are not so bend, I confess I am utterly at a loss to understand how she, or anyone, can equalise the aim from both eyes at once. Like your first correspondent, I am desirous to teach my son the best mode, but do not know whether to order a straight stocked gun, or otherwise.

Z. A.

SIR,--First of all, permit me to thank Miss Annie Oakley for so courteously replying to my letter, and informing your readers that she shoots with both eyes open when aiming with gun, rifle, or pistal. As a witness of her skill at the "Wild West," I expect, when accustomed to the flight of our blue rocks, these birds will have a bad time when-ever that lady pulls the trigger.

Unless she dispenses with the back sight of her rifle, I cannot under-stand how the aim is to be taken without first closing the left eye or neutralising its vision.

Unknown to some friends who believed they always shot with both eyes open, I have tested them by asking them to "try the mount" of a gun. The results were frequently amusing. I closed my own left eye, placed the gunner at he opposite end of the room, nad then said, "Aim quickly at my right eye." Some, in doing this, actually closed their left eye unwittingly, others half-closed the left eyem and very few kept both eyes equally wide open. Those keeping both eyes open seldom aligned their barrels exactly with my own right eye, even when aiming with their own guns.

Beyond stating that I can shoot either with one or both eyes open, but make far better work with only one eye aiming, I think it is quite possible for men to become brilliant shots using both eyes; but then game must be plentiful and practice regular, otherwise, even with the assistance of Gilbert's two-eyed sight, I fancy, make the bigger bag if he closes the left eye. To either it is most essential that the shape of a gun is "exactly their mount."

OLD RAP.

THE BAT,

THURSDAY. -- Joined the liver brigade this morning, not because I suffer with a complaint of the liver, but because I was anxious to try my new gee in the cool of the morning, and when, as I imagined, there would be few equestrians. But, alas! for me, the Row was crammed, and all the girls looked so nice, having adopted a new riding gear. The skirt is the same dark, tight-fitting style, but worn with a well-cut covert coat over a coloured shirt, fastened round the waist with a belt of white webbing like a saddle girth, and a white sailor hat, with coloured band. I cannot understand why the young folks don't adopt this costume for the evening rides; it must be cooler, and I think, looks awfully smart. Now, Miss Annie Oakley, at the Buffalo Billeries, though a bit daring in her dress, looks very well on her horse, and her get up is that of the real Wild West. Nice as she looks, I wouldn't care to copy her.