Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-14
A COON HUNT.
lsome Experienced That "a Good Many
Kenfncikians Have Had In thei'
n ibe rrnnkforl Commonwealth. /

3From the Frankfort Commonwealth
3 The tedium of newspaper practice
Hcombined in jotting local news with
aheayy editorials on war, politics aud his
Htory. demanded such surcease OF labor
VAS was consistent with few hours Of
country life. SO, jumping into the Jer-
Msey wagon of a farmer, we ratified away
lover the pike to picturesque cottage OF
Ia friend, embowered amid lofty hills and
+ Mgirt by the placid waters Of the famous
MKentucky. The sun had but hid his
Uace in the west, and the night shadows
Mwere growing apace, casting long arms
Mover the valley and across the water,
when we alighted at the door of our cor
dial host, whose chubby face and adj
Hpose limbs betokened that life dealt
Hlightly with him. Such face, too,
Z characteristic of humor and jollity, broad
Has the face of the town-clock, and his
Z abdomen measuring six foot one way
= five foot 'tother," and perpetual smile
q lurking on his lips that would cure the
hypochondria in half the time given to
Wizard oil
Well-we had determined on pro-
+ gramme for the night that would have
Hput spirits in member of Good Tem-
s plars and raised a yell Of delight from n
IDigger Indian--nothing less than coonl
hunt A regular old Kentucky coon|
HUNT, with Loub, Fifer, Belle and Prince
#ringing music out of the woods and strik- 1
3ing terror to the souls of the wild var
l3mints." Who that has the spirit of al
7Kentuckian in him, but has felt his|
blood warm and his nerves vibrate inl
readlng the story of the coon chase, thel
n tally ho!' the trail, the stirring of thel
8grizzly, brindled animal, the pursuit, thel
3cutting of the tree, the crash, the leapl
of the dogs into the bush, the fght,I
3the yells, the growls and scratching, the!
Hfnal death-cry of the game little animal,
Wand the boasts of the boys how Loub|
4 grabbed him, how Belle had him by!
8the throat" how Prince made him yell.
3All these we had in anticipation MS wei
3called these dogs around us after al
hearty supper. and prepared for the|
Hhunt. There was Loub, large dun-col-I
8ored hound, with sharp nose and clean|
8limbs, quick, crisp voice, and a sureI
ascent that was certain to keep on theI
atrail, and ever reliable. When LoubI
( spoke something was about. She never
& spoke in jest. By her side was Fiter, q!
8hound with black coat and yellow limbs
n voice that was round and full as theI
3notes of a bass drum, and made sweeter|
3music than the roll of the bugle. HeI
Twas not sure, having habit of chasingl
8opossums, rabbits and foxes, but in the|
a coon fight he was always there. ToI
Hcomplete the quarto were Prince andl
HBelle, two nimble terriers with sharpl
Hteeth and desperate courage, not much|
1|on the trail, but famous for having van
8quished in fair battle the biggest coonl
Never seen in SaffelIs neck o woods.
Z Three contrabrands of mature age, andl
Xexperenced in all the details and mlnu-l
y tie of woodcraft---one especially noted
for never refusing to ascend the tallestI
3trees-were added to the party, and With
II lantern, pair of telegraph climbers,
|and matches, we were equipped for the|
+ start The moon hung low in the west,
Nwith its crescent cleaning on the hills,l
Hand failing'to penetrate the deep shad-
y ows of the hollows.
n Arrived ON the hunting grounds, wei
8turned sharply up a jagged, rough hollow,
Uthrough whose base rippled the clear
Hwaters of Richardson's branch. Thel
8dogs were hied to the front and quickly|
Hiisappeared in the darkness. Stumbling
lover rocks and logs, through bushes and
8breakes, we made slow headway for half
Ia mile or more, ere the first sound OF the!
Hchase broke upon the night air. Then,
Mround and full far up on the cliff to the|
Wright, sounded Fifer's deep voice.
Y Hi, boyl Hunt him, fellow yelledI
hour adipose comrade.
"A Then we waited to hear the sharp re-
4sponse ofLoub. Several minutes passed
q in profound silence. Then again brokeh
Hout the bass yell Of Fifer No yelp fromi
XLoub could be detected.
dat dog foolin' US. He arter nufinl
q but buck rabbit" calculated contra
x band whom we shall cali Josh. Oats
p SO; ole Loub aip't spoke git. Sbe knows
Adars amt muffin dar wgth catchip," said
s IA darkey noted as yellow Sam.
Y As Loub still kept silence, we copcip-
1ded i,a,st the chase was not yet ripe
Most likely Fmef was nosiinIg rabbit or
3developing a cold fox tra::!. Resgmin!gI
= progress, we travelled another half M
Nwthout having warning cry from thek
&dogs, telling that the game had brokeE
Scover and was making Cor safe retreat.
HThe ground was growing rpugher, moreT
Y wild, and the somber hills lifted theirt
3 shaggy tops high on either side. We sad
'3down on the banks of the little stream
land concluded to give the dogs time to!
&scour the vicinity. The hooting OF anI
*owl on dead branch of aneighboringI
Itree companioned well the loneliness
<of the spot, and the darkness that elqngl
Hover it, pierced only by the stars abogeS
land the fiickering rays of the lantern at
"hand.
"Dar nowl Hear datp suddenly ex-
5claimed one of the darkies.
. The sharp bark of dog could bel
1faintly detected, though, as it seemed,
"a great distance, almost out of hearing.
q Don't We hear ole Logb2 She's treed
''a coon, shore. Yer can trust dat dOgI
Hall de time, an he'll nebber tole yer n
exclaimed the enthusiastic contra
%band.
The distance was so great and the|
4yelp Of the dog SO obstructed by theI
hills, that some trouble was at FIRST ex-|
Experienced in locating the direction fromI
(which the sound came. Leaping to oEf|
feet and straining every faculty of hear
ing, we were finally convinced that II
was up the ravine to the front. Them
1began a scramble over rocks, bushes,|
4bsiars, into gullies, over narrow ledges
4up steep banks and through pools Of
+ water in the exciting chase, Onward
< we went at rapid pace, every momeEt'
hearing the quick yelps Of Loub grow
ing clearer. and louder and more musical
'at every step. The blood coursed through
the veiEs With swifter speed, the pulseI
beat quicker and We Gheered with theI
Eloudest, rs IL became more ana RsoTe eyi-|
Hdent from the round notes of Loub that
nshe had treed some ''varmint' Of thei
3four-footed species. Then came the yig1|
B oross yelps Of Fifer, as he Joined his|
mate, ana segt.Yp his echoing cry.
rurning sharp point, bursting through
n clump Of grape-vines and saplings,
land climbing the sharp side Of hill wei
came upon the half frantic dogs at the|
afoot of a tall, but rather slender, ASH
tree. Tbs bark had been half-stripped|
from the roots w. the teeth Of theI
Ehounds that seemed 10 thus EeIt iheir|
4 l. a. Il