August's Rifle
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August Kloppmann was born in Germany in 1865. When he graduated from Butcher's College in Hamburg he took his new wife, Emilie, and immigrated to the United States. In Europe you couldn't be free or own land unless you were rich, royal or extremely lucky but in America anyone could become a citizen and work and own land, it was a wonderful country.
By 1892 August and his wife were in Chicago and had a new daughter, Emily, and they were heading north to Wisconsin to homestead and buy land for a farm. A few years later August had his 400 acre farm and another daughter, Anna. August farmed, butchered, hunted, fished and did many other jobs to earn money, America was a great land, but you had to work hard to succeed.
When the Spanish-American War reared up in 1898, August, who took his citizenship seriously, volunteered. What August did or if he ever saw combat is a mystery but what is known is that August returned to his family and farm and brought his war rifle, an 1884 Springfield 45-70, home with him.
August raised his family, his two daughters, and they in turn grew up and raised families who grew up and raised families. By the time WWII ended August was well on in years and his farm was more of just a home than an actual farm, the land was still there but the animals and the machines were gone.
The boy first met August in the early 50's when the boy was only five. August was a white-haired old man with a clay pipe and talked with a broken accent and, actually, kind of scared or awed the young boy. What really got the boy's interest and overcame his fear, though, was an old rifle leaning in the corner by the couch the old man sat on. It was longer than the boy was tall and it was like a magnet drawing him to it. The boy, even at that age, already loved guns!
The next time the boy visited the old farm, August was gone, passed away at 86 years of a life in his new homeland. The boy spent many summers from then on with his grandmother, Emily, who had taken care of both her family and the farm with her father, August, for all those years. Emily and the boy would spend many summers at the "Farm" and the boy dragged that old rifle around almost everywhere he went until he was a teenager. He also had to learn every other gun Emily had, and there were a few because you didn't grow up in Northern Wisconsin in the 1900's without guns. They were simply a part of rural life in those days and Emily was well versed in their uses.
When the boy got discharged from the service he visited his Emily often and as the time had come, she passed her guns on to him. He was awed that she respected him and his values enough to pass treasured heirlooms on and he never forgot their past. This, then, is August's Rifle. Chris
Alright, I've had enough.If you don't start writing short stories and putting them in book form you'll be keeping this stuff from those that would love to read it. Oh, I'll be your manager too.Lets do lunch and work out the details.
Shoulda Probably thrown that Tasco on that old gun? Or upgraded to a Simmons at least!
Some of Chris's writings have and will end up on Sixguns "The Branding Crew", a time honored place for guest writers going back to the days even before a former Vice President invented the internet. (At least the ones that he doesn't post in "liars and braggers")
Al
Al: This is about my Great Grandpa August and it's as true as I know from what I learned of old August from my Grandma Lee. His was a very rugged and action filled life but I couldn't put all that in this one, his exploits are for later musings and I will tell you when I'm spinning yarns, as in Old Two Bears! Are you coming or going from Margaritaville? If back, glad to see you agin. Chris
Al, Before posting anything Chris and I have to work out the details.I, being his manager(maybe). Or go ahead and we'll work it out later.By the way Al,have you been by that barn between E-burg and Blewett lately? Got some pics in the snow Thanksgiving there but the wind turbines all over have sure ruined it.
Don, is there a fee in this manager deal, I ain't no rich boy hankerin to spend all my royalties. I think I'm getting in pretty deep here! Chris
Dead deer that I didn't shoot, wind farms at the old homestead, what next?
Leaving for the "Land of Deer" in a couple of days.
(guess I should post this over on the dog thread)
I sure hope you don't think you're going to be sipping Tequila and Margaritas while the rest of us sit up in the cold shivering our butts off! Have fun, Chris
No fees just want to see my name in print and brag to what friends I have left.And Al, where is the land of deer? Not the happy hunting ground is it? Because I've had friends go there and havent seen them since, must be great hunting?
Old mexican word for "Land of deer" or "Deerland". Be a pretty nice place to dissapear to.
PS --Mojitos, Fine Cuban rum, and cuban cigars mix in nicely with the marguritas!!
By some fresh shrimp on the beach, up to the room, butter, garlic, Paridise!
Off topic?
Just when you think you like someone they go and do something like that.What about those of us that are molding and getting rusty here? How about the left over rum? a shrimp tail for the unfortunate? Some sand in my shorts?(Chris actually wants the sand).
Not sure what left over rum looks like, but I'm sure it's pretty scarce...And I bet the child molesters at TSA would be pretty unhappy with old shrimp tails...Sand, ontheotherhand...
All right you guys, I don't need any left over rum, prefer the drippings of the corn or sour mash, like my shrimp peeled, no tails and iced with just a dash of hot sauce and lemon, and I have had enough sand in my shorts to last a lifetime! So, Thanks, But No Thanks, thankyou very, very much. Chris
I forgot to mention you should be more sensitive to Al and his condition. Anyone who thinks walking around on a beach carrying shrimp in a bag and thinks he's deer hunting has to be humored a bit. We will will probably hear about all the deer that got away so be prepared. He is just having withdrawal symptoms because he's away from the rain in the Northwest. Chris
In that picture on the beach,do you see any sunbathing girls? I see only males of the species at this "deer land" place. Personally,I would look for a beach with less shellfish and more "wildlife" scantilly clad wildlife, unless Al is??????you know just wants to travel to go through the TSA searches? Whadya think?
I don't know what you are thinking , Don, just because he likes shrimp and catches strange bug things in his driveway doesn't mean anything, and as far as the beach pictures go, he was just out there before the crowd got there. I have to stick up for him so he likes my stories! Maybe the shrimp was bait for the deer? chris
I'm a little stressed with the weather being what it is,Crown Royal isn't on sale yet and I can't seem to catch a keeper Sturgeon lately.My Christmas lights aren't on the house yet and I'm contemplating repainting the hotrod this winter don't know what to get the wife etc....Sorry about the comment questioning your manliness...guess I'm jealous have a great trip and oh yeah, leaving John Wayne airport last Oct they swiped my hands looking for explosive residue,I asked what would happen if I had been reloading and didn't get it all off.They then patted me down.Me? you think they would had done a better job at profiling.I'm gonna shut up and get back to work now.
If you would have been nicer to Al he maybe would have brought you some of the Mexican king stuff, Chaves Regal!!!!! Chris
God Bless you Al. From your best friend Don
Boy Don did you ever give in easy! Al's going to think we're pushovers now. But without looking real close, I don't see Al in those pictures? Those could just be postcards. Chris
Only on this site do we go from a great story that you wrote to fantastic pics of aquatic wildlife.I'm currently washing the boat getting ready to go on an extended excursion to find these creatures. My goal is to capture as many as possible and bring them home for proper observation and interaction.Possibly one day returning them to their native environment.Things to observe first and foremost;do they breed in captivity? can they be trained for domestic chores, cooking,cleaning etc..Oh no, here comes the wife gotta go........
I think it was you guys who hijacked my great story topic and turned it into a deer hunting expedition. I try to maintain a much more spirtual storyline, ignoring the baser instincts that so often permeate our minds when we confuse hunting and great literature about the outdoors. As much as I admire deer and hunting them, I put all that (?) of my mind when writing. Those are some nice deer though! Good luck with that fish survey, I think you will find it rewarding. Chris
Don: I think Al may have decided to stay deer hunting and we may be on our own here, I also think I need my own story topic so you guys don't mess up my great stories with silly deer hunting or fish tales. I will have to be more selective in who I let comment on my artistic endeavors! Anonymous so you two can't retaliate.
Your story was fantastic and its the kind I like. Your fortunate to have known and been a part of your family history.And here Al bastardises your beautiful story with sleeping dogs, dead shrimp(from the gulf oil spill) and scantilly clad females on a boat(thankyou for that one Al)I would like to formally apologize for Al dragging me in on that one and it will never happen again.As a peace offering I will be sending a Barska 14x30 scope for your lever action.Its a wonderfull scope that is clear as can be and easily adjustable.Sometimes it adjusts itself without touching it!Truly a marvel in this world of overpriced optics.If you have trouble mounting it let me know,send me the measurements and I can weld up a mount.Don
I suppose I will have to accept an offering of a scope. I don't know if Barska was the guy that invented the telescope or what, maybe you could clarify that. I ain't much on optics, if it ain't close enough to to reach out and touch it ain't close enough for me to shoot at! That in no way is a slight on the offer as that would be very impolite so I will mount it on my crossbow or somehere? P.S. Does That scope have lenses? I know there are some that use invisible glass and they are so clear you can't believe it! Like I said, I ain't much on scopes, but give me a good fiber optic and I can see for miles! Anyway, this is getting way off track again, I need to go reload some .000250 MM Zingers for the upcoming mosquitoe hunt in the spring. Hey, maybe I can mount that scope there.... Chris
Don: This is why Al loves the airport so much!
Al wears those x-ray glasses made by Barska! I told you they were great optics.I sent them out today expect a slight delay with the holidays here.I find it best to leave the gun outside the night before you hunt. If you don't it will fog up a little.It doesn't effect the performance any just a little difficult to see. It happens when you have fine optics they all do it.I'm sorry I don't have the original box but the guy I bought them from no longer had it.When they are turned up to 40 power they look blurry,its just because they are so clear at long distances.When I look at the moon with them its totally clear!I find it difficult to look at the moon for too long with them because the rifle I had them on was very heavy(W.W.II vintage and japanese)It shot really good at long range.150-200 yards.I hope you like it as much as I did,let me know when you get it.yer bud,Don
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