Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-22
a COON HUNT nv a FENCY
COUNTRY

Really 'tiS astoniShin' what a monstrous ight
of mischief there is in pin. of rum II one Of
'em was to be submitted to analyzation as the
great doctors call it, it would be found TO con-
tain all manner of devilment that ever entered
the head of man, from cussin' and stealin up
to murder and whippin' his own mother, and
nonsense enough to turn all the men in the
world ont of their senses. If mans gol
batlncss in him. it will bring it out, just rs
safrass tea does the measles and if he's good
for nothin' sort of fellow, without no bad
traits in petikler, it'll bring out all his great
ness 1t effects different ways-some it makes
see double. and some it makes SO blind that they
can't tell themselves from a side Of bacon
One of the worst cases of rum f0olery that I've
heard of for long time, TUX place in Pins
vile last fall.
Bill Swceny and Tom Culpeper is the two
greatest old coveys in our settlement for coon
huntin' The fact is they don't do much Of any
thing else, and when they can't catch nothin
you may depend ont coons is scarce. Well. one
night they had every thing ready for regular
burst, but OWN to some extra good fortin.' =
Tom had got pocket pistol, as he called it, OF
reg'lar old Jimmakey, to keep Of the runiaiic&.
After takin' a good startin' horn. they went
out on their hunt, with their light wood torch
blazn' and the dogs barkin ana yellin' like
forty thousand. Every now and then stopp;n'
to wait for the dogs, they would drink one
another's health, till they began to feel We
ry comfortable, and chatted away bout one
thing and another, with, Ut mndin' which
way they was gwine. Bimeby they cum to a
fence. Well, over they got, without much diff
iculty.
who's fence is this?" said Bill
"Taint no matter" sez Tom, "let's take some
thin to drink"
After takin' drink they went on. wonder
in what on airth had cum of the dogs
Next thing they cum to was terrible muddy
branch. After pullin' through the 5riers and
gettin' on t'other side, they tux another drink,
and after g'wine little ways they cum to a
mother fence and monstrous high one this
time
what in airth is we got to, CuIpeper?" sez
Bill. II never seed sieh heap Of branches
and fences in these paris
"Why," SEE Tom, Its all old Stnrlid's doins
you know he's always buildiH' fences and ma
kin internal improvements, as he calls 'em.--
But never mind we's through EN- now"
Reckon we isut," sez Bill, "here's the all
firdest fuIica yet" ..F ..5. --.-
Sure enough. thar they was, right agin au-
other fence. By this time they begin to be
considerable tired and Timber in the joints, and
! it was such terrible high fence. Tom drop
ped the last piece of torch, and thar, they was
in the dark.
Now you is done it," sez Bill
Tom know'ed be had. but he thought it was
no use to grieve after split milk, so says he
Never mind, old hoss, cum ahead, aud I'll take
you out, and the minnit, kerspash, be went
into the water.
Bill hung on the fence with both hands
like he tho't it was slewin round to throw him
| off
Hello, Toni sez he, "whar in the world is
/ you got tor"
Here is" Aez Tom spoutin' the water out
Of his mouth, and coughin. like he'd swallowed