Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-08-14
IN. Oh, it IS such fun! There i

Can. On, IL as SuCR tun! There Is
such futter, and a fuster, and a
cackling when the fowls wake up and
fino out who's come to see them. The
only pity is that you can't cut off with
them all. [ used to like quality in my
food, and plump puliet is tenderer
than an old cock but still, when I
was sharp-set, I went in for quantity :;
and, besides, it was such a lark to car
ry off, right before his agitated wives,
an old chanticleer that few hours be-
fore had been strutting about as if he
were monarch of all he SURVEYED.
I've told you about flesh and fowls-I
don't remember having ever tasted fish
but l was fond of fruit as YOU are
Oh, the goosegogs, I've eaten, walking
up and down the garden paths as quiet
ly as the dew was falling. They hung
so low, [ had only just to open nv
mouth. Peaches, and apricots, and
nectarines, and greengages were harder
to get at, but [ got them for ali that :;
and once T squeezed into a winery, and
just didn't [ walk into the green and
purple grapes
Cub-hunting scared me a little, but /
soon got to enjoy being chased 1t was
such fun to know that the dogs was at
fault, and to hear Stole away shouted
ever so far behind. And then all those
big men and horses pounding away
like mad after little me- I didn't
think very much of them, but still, 1
liked the red-coats thinking SO much of
me. [ soon found out that OF English
society. Except during the hunting
season, woe betide the man who me-
naced my lite or my comfort [ re-
cruIted my energies during my long
vacation, but really I soon began to
long for the excitement of Yoicks !!
IdGlyho !! Ha2'k foraOord and all the
rest of it, once more. Little as [ was,
[ could set my wits and yind against
all those big creatures, and battle
them. Foxes are grateful to
fox-hunters for the fun they
give them, but they have not
very respectful opinion of their hun
ters' intellect Those dogs, too, that
such a. fuss is made about-Ringwood,
Sweetlips, Jowler, and the whole bark
ing of the pack They may give tongue,
but [ could give them cheek. Why,
I've swum across a river and then doub-
led back into it, and the hounds have
swum across within sight of me, poor
innOcents
6 was trapped once; but that was
only that might DE sent to country
IN which foxes were scarce. En- route
l was left IN hamper at London
wharf. Of course, as J had the chance,
L got out, and oh, what fun it was
All the clerks except one were cock
neys; and they rushed up to their
country brother for protection. They
thought should eat them-thank you !;
I've better taste. I tried hard, though,
to bite the young man from the coun-
try when he caught hold of me by the
brush and the scruff of the neck, and
showed me back into my hamper.
How many times have | been hunt
ed? My dear boy, / cannot count. /
have tricked human, and wnat is far
mOre-though it isn't much, after all
canine sagaclty, oftener than [ can tell.
The funniest hunt can remember was
when L ran up waterp1pe, and got on
the leads of Quaker's house. The
front door was open, and the hounds
swarmed all over and about the house,
except where [ was, after me- The
good man demonstrated when he saw
his chairs knocked down ). but the Mas
ter OF the Hounds answered-how [
laughed to myself Rubbish, my good
sir; we must get the fox He didn't
get me, however. Afterwards, I have
heard. the Master of the Hounds sent
the worthy. old Quaker a note of apollo
gy and fat turkey, to which this was
the reply
Friend, I thank thee for thy fat
turkey; but 1 would not have thee and
thy quadrupeds within my walls again
nay, not for fifty fat turkeys"
AT last, however, ran my last run ;
and when found that, try as [ might,
the dogs were constantly gaining on
me, [ ceased to think fox hunting fun.
[ remember a grip and a worry, the
yelping of dogs, the flashing of whips ;
and then [ remember nothing, until
came to myself-all that was left OF
myself, the beginning and the end
fastened to this old stable And now [
must vanish utterly, turn into dust, see
this green world no more, even with
dead eyes. All mel at, al"
In more vernacular language, I sang
out, ''Oh, OH" as 1.-THE cane stingin e
Is writhed itself round my shoulders
because [ had gone to sleep over my
task. RICHARD Rowe.