Annie Oakley Scrapbook

The Shooting Times,

AND KENNEL NEWS.

OFFIVES: EAST TEMPLE CHAMBERS, E. C.

LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1887.

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY.

"LITTLE SURE-SHOT"

We have much pleasure in presenting to our readers the above protrait of Miss Annie Oakley ("Little Sure-Shoot"). Those of our readers who have seen this clever little lady in her performance at the "Wild West" will not need reminding of her skill and address, whilst those who have not can be strongly advised to journey to Brompton forthwith for the pleasure of seeing a charming markswoman at work.

The Society Times

AND TRIBUNE.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1887.

A lady correspondent writes us as follows:-

"I noticed in your last paper a few lines regarding Miss Annie Oakley. I met Miss Oakley at Wimbledon Camp on Tuesday, and I must say she is a splendid little lady. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales must have thought the same, for he pushed his way through the crowd and shook hands with her very heartily, and asked her many questions regarding her health. I asked her, after he went, what she thought of the prince. Her answer was short, and to the point:-- 'We have no finer man in America.' Her ways and manners are entirely different from some of the other members of the Wild West who have visited the Camp."

THE BAT, JULY 26, 1887.

LILIAN SMITH, the shootist, came to Wimbledon last week and tried her hand at hte running deer. She made two misses and then got home twice--on the haunch. After which she retired, observing that the rifle loaned her was a heavier one than she was used to, and that she would return with her own some other evening; which she forgot to do, as also to pay for the result of her shoot.

THE AMERICAN FIELD

NOTES.

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY'S shooting has caused her popularity to increase rather than diminish with the London public. She gave recently a private performance at Notting Hill, before the members of the Gun Club and a select circle of their friends, with the shotgun and rifle. Shooting at twenty-five Blue Rock pigeons, from five group traps, twenty-five yards rise, using one ounce of shot, she scored eighteen, and two fell dead out of bounds. Referring to the performance the Evening News says: The programme, including several marvelous feats with the rifle and shot-gun, was gone through in fine style, and gave the greatest satisfaction to the many excellent shots who had assembled to witness it. The items which attracted most attention were the breaking of six balls thrown in the air within four seconds, and the breaking of three balls thrown in the air at the same time with a repeating gun. At the end of the regulat programme Captain Leighton threw a shilling in the air which Miss Oakley hit with a bullet. Then came the pleasantest part of the day's proceedings, and one that cannot fail to render Miss Oakley's membories of her visit to England very gratifying. The president of the club pre-sented her with an extremely handsome and valuable gold medal, larger than a five-shilling piece. On the obverse was engaved a highly artistic view of the Gun Club's grounds at Notting Hill. The members are seen in the tent, an attendant is springing one of the five pigeon-traps in the foreground, a well-known shot is standing behind with gun leveled, and a number of pigeons are visible in the air. On the clasps of the medal Miss Oakley's name and the date are inscribed, the whole forming a beautiful memento of a good day's sport.

BOTH EYES OR ONE? - The question of shooting with both eyes open or with only one eye has been occupying the columns of our English cotemporaries for a long time, and remains unsettled, although the majority of those who have written on the subject believe in shooting with both eyes open. In a recent issue of the Field, London, Mr. Charles Lancaster, the English gunmaker, writes: As no doubt most of your readers are aware, nearly all Americans shoot with guns with a great deal of bend - i. e., about 3 in. - which allows the gun to come well under the right eye, instead of using straighter stocks, with a proper amount of cast off to suit the person for whom the gun is intended, so as to allow the perfect alignment for the right eye. The original gun I built for Miss Oakley, as ordered for her from America, was 2 7/8 in., and little or no cast off; but afer trying this gun at my private shooting ground, it was found she was shooting a great deal under her birds, and at my suggestion, to remedy this, it was restocked very much straigher - viz., 1 3/4 in., and cast off 3-16 in. This gun weighed nearly 7 1/2 lbs., and although lighter than her other guns, was found to be handicapping her for the shooting she had to do, and I therefore built her another gun weighing only 6 lb. 14 oz., with 28 in. barrels, and which was stocked 2 in., and cast off 3-16 in. With this gun Miss Oakley has succeeded in doing some very fine shooting - viz., killing twenty-two starlings out of twenty-five shot at 23 yards rise; and I feel convinced, from the way in which she has shot the very best blue rock pigeons up to 30 yards' rise, that before the lady leaves England she will make a splendid score at our leading clubs. I am now building a pair of 20-bor breech loading hammerless guns for Miss Oakley, specially designed for exhibition shooting.