BAITED BREATH.--That of the boy who had "wums fur bait" in his mouth.

* * * * *

OCTOBER JOTTINGS.

Attracted by the dulcet strains of a brass band, a day or two since,
PUNCHINELLO ascended to the summit of the N.E. tower of his residence,
looking from which he beheld a target company all with crimson shirts
ablaze marching up the Bowery. Then, glancing over towards Long Island,
he observed that Nature was already assuming her russet robes, which
circumstance, combined with that of the target company, reminded him
that the shooting season had just commenced. A few hints to young
sportsmen, then, from so old a one as PUNCHINELLO, will not, be hopes,
be taken amiss--not even though, in shooting phrase, a miss is generally
as good as a mile.

Before taking the field, look well to your shooting-irons.
Fowling-pieces are far more apt to Get Foul while they are lying away
during the off season, than when they are taken out for a day's sport by
the fowlers.

On releasing your gun from its summer prison, always examine it
carefully, to ascertain whether it is loaded. This you can do by looking
down into the barrel and touching the trigger with your toe. If your
head is blown off, then you may be sure that the gun was loaded.
Otherwise not.

Should your gun be a breech-loader, always load it at the muzzle. This
will show that you know better than the man who made it, or, at least,