You need not say anything more now. The discussion will get along
beautifully without you, for you will have drawn, (1), the man who
very much prefers E.C., which he warrants to kill at a distance no
other powder can attain to; (2), the man who uses E.C. or Schultze
for his right barrel, and always puts a black-powder cartridge into
his left; (3), the detester of innovations, who means to go on using
the good old black-powder for both barrels as long as he lives; and
(4), the man who is trying an entirely new patent powder, infinitely
superior to anything else ever invented, and is willing to give
everybody, not only the address of the maker, but half a dozen
cartridges to try.

You cannot make much of "charges" of powder. Good shots are dogmatic
on the point, and ordinary shots don't bother their heads about it,
trusting entirely to the man who sells them their cartridges. Still
you might throw out, here and there, a few words about "drams" and
"grains." Only, above all things, be careful _not_ to mention drams
in connection with anything but black powder, nor grains, except with
reference to Schultze or E.C. A laboriously-acquired reputation as a
scientific shot has been known to be ruined by a want of clearness on
this important point.

"Shot." Conversationally much more valuable than powder. "Very few
people agree," says a well-known authority; "as to what is the best
size of shot to use, and many forget that the charge which will suit
one gun, and one description of game, will not do as well for another.
Usually, one gun will shoot better one size of shot than will another,
and we may safely say, that large bores shoot large shot better than
do smaller bores." This last sentence has the beautiful ring of a