National Republican., 1875-11-19
PIEDMONT FOx-aUHTERs.

ikBWOUI VA UOu I 6t1Os
tconftssss frsn Fsra Psss, s
post and bivouae fire. In . long. low building, In
front Of which the horses arefmpatientfy waiting,
th,,r future Iidsrs are pssp.ring fps bgsnsss
spread with corn bread and shole, hot rolls and
coffee, not to mention waffies and scrsm bled hen
nd az II was d
. county seat Of North Carolina, ten miles from
as PORTION 81 @ sSs
hunters IN the company OF their hospitable hosts,
planters Of the soil and princes Of good fellows.
and ss1era on several horn:
taken inside the house. "A hustle with the grooms
and horses at the doors, and the start is made.
THE xAsTxz OF THE HOUNDS
taxes the lead and calls his dogs by the occa-
in the clear ar and lis Strikes % sympat6etic chord
in the breast Of every man whose blood has not
been utterly dried up with the stagnant heat Of
marrow roads, up and down hills, through brooks
swollen by the rain Of the previous evening,
ducking heads 70 escape the larger branches,
and catching showers OF moisture from the leaves
and smaller limbs, was undoubtedly contrast to
those of the party whose principal exercise for
the previous twslvemonth had been driving
Quill for six hours daily But If there was one to
whom the invigorating activity was not god
send and in whom the absence Of social restraint,
perhaps, did not inspire gratitude, he did not
mention It, or he would immediately have been
sat on Sy STy O the P
for o Jury since the Beecher trial. Some one
sMore that even the old clothes and the battered
habilame Of those who rejoced in ''the pride Of
place. It met with little response. However, the
equestrian who ambles over asphalt payements
tion Of the ladies' can experience .nothing OF the
glowing pleasure Of free gallup across the ooun-
RIDE OF TEN MILES
on roads and through fields of corn and stubole,
by plantations Of Tobacco over fences the younger
hounds occasionally breaking out In the sup
posed discovery Of fox, soon recalled, however,
by their owners horn; q cold trail now and then,
which even deceived the older noses for q time;
every mile presenting some new feature or pecu-
a,,sy Of & brought the party as Length .1
wide field Of corn, In rich bottsm land, along
which skirted the Dan river, the mist rising from
gray light Of the morning; on the other sidS
forest. For some minutes the dogs had been sp%f
parently playing with some exciting object on
noses TO the ground, until, Of sudden, several Of
the leaders seemed to get their heads together for
an instantis consultation. and with yelp that
and no mistake. Such q cry as these strange
beasts give! There Is no withstanding It Not q
bark or q howl, but long yelp, full Of music and
SOUND; not IKE that of wiid animal IN search Of
prey, but more like cry Of srdor and enthusi-
ssi%, only e b heard q % spprsciatsd: Their
straight line in which the dogs run, the hunters
declare the fox to be 'red, the hardest kind to
tirelessness. Reds have been known to run ffty
miles In this country, leading the chase
OVER THREE COUNTIES.
and into Virginia, and then escape. As long as
the scent is fresh, however there Is calling the
dogs of. "On with the race y Is the cry. The
ha~a thor .f
the men, perhaps, and carry their riders through
branches and brake and over obstacles which
make come Of the city men ssudder. Two, three,
louder ut intervals showing the fox TO be doubling
Now he is evidently cireling, and the hunters
nave orersiaas5 I'll % the bounds which are In the
upifted arns 70 protect the eyes, trusting to get
through BY sticking close to the saddle. Now he
length the dogs are no longer heard and Il IS oniy
necessary to partially scatter to catch the first
sound, for from his tactics 90 far It Is apparent
Se geuSn sSooss sond n
they are again, heading right in the direction
which had previously been travelled. An old field,
almost aim, barren. ser separates The ne wood. fGr half
in front Of them the fox magnificent red, Looping
for dear life, but still fresh and defiant his long
y brush W. waving as he runs II the hounds would
make short work OF it, but they are
RUNNING ENTIRELY BY SCENT.
Noses to the earth, and giving continuous cry.
Again they double in the woods after crossing
the OLD held, and in few moments their deep
wait. Gradually the sound approaches, growing
louder as they come. Three Of us are stading a.
2 cross sroad when out leaps Reynard from the
bushes and again heads Tor US. Suddenly he sees
US and stops disconnected. In the instant that he
sits on his haunches before US he has some light
ming calculations to make. We could easily have
killed him with pistol shot, or, but for fear of
injuriDg the dogs which were close behind in the
bushes, have ridden him down with our horses,
which were wild with excitement. "He whs hesL
tates is lost" sometimes Reynard has to cross
that open field, which is certain death If the
hounds ever get their eyes on him, or he has to
run the gauntlet down the road, which is lined
with the bushes from which his pursuers may mo-
mentarily leap right on him, with chance, how
ever, Of straight race for the cover whence he
started, where his residence is and his anxious
gauntlet, and makes spurt down the road which
would task o thoroughbred to beat. He main
tains an advance Of fifty yards over the dogs. We
have clear chase after, but
WITH DESPERATE ENERGY
for life he bounds over the ground, until with an
apparently triumphant swish Of his much coveted
tail darts into the cover. Here, again, the hounds
overrun the scent in their ardor, giving the red
another start, until the time the return to tho
trail he is safely esconsced In his little bed where
o corps of sappers ana miners could scarcely ex-
tract him in day, labor.
stonal halts for refreshments, cross-road quad.
rifles on horseback, and now and then an amateur
circus, with Tom and Ned as Miles Celeste and
Rosaline In their daring acts Of catching swallows
in midair, with their nery untamed steeds on the
deadstand still. A young lady, far famed for her
beauty, known as Angelina, attracts others Of
the party, who ride ten more miles on the chances
Of "Eitting cussed out or q good licking" as q
gentle native remarked, and the frst days ride
ts ended p -'-'I'
1 CHANGE OF BASE.
In this manner was the week passed at Mnl-
berry Island, and when Saturday was reached, IN
accordance with the programme arranged. tne
wagons were prepared, an sdieu hidden 10 the
island, and the party In high spirits started for
the plantation Of Major Anderson, some twenty
There second cordial welcome awaited us. One
year before portion Of the party had been the
guests Of the hospitable lady and gentleman OF
newed and new ones made with cordiallty which
evidenced its sincerity. We were soon ready for
the royal dinner which was announced. ln un-
sar esfds Sshind II at @ulbsrry. This was but tam.
porary disappointment, for the Major "put boy
on o horseh and started him TO the village OF
needed toys, and dinner had hardly been con.
cluded before the boy was back with them.
Sabbath was quietly passed In inspecting the
mpiis ine cattle lea and stocF. and beautiful pair Of
tame red foxes, and other sights worth seeing
An early supper, an hsur or two OF conversation
into camp In fox country some twelve miles dis.
tant. The spot had already been selected BY Mr..
James Peay, the drdHf courier, and after . cor
dial good bye 70 the hostess, We started for the
log cabin, which was TO be our home FOR soma
days, and which Immediately after our arrival
was, by unanimous vote christened
AKoKLyILLE.
The palace at Versailles Is one thing, and 80 d
a log cabin In the Wilds Of Carolina: they are NOT
the same, however. One point OF diference,t 4!
the windows. Those Of Versailles are furnished
with fine French glass; those Of the Carolina
cabin are not furnished with fine French glass
and for the reason that the only windows arc also
doors, they are not furnished with glass at all
Versaillee, viz: That glaziers bills are not q
heavy which would be materially increased, pro
viding the pigs and hounds had to run In and oul
the windows at Versailles. There are othei
points Of difference which are too numerous u
Il viii be readily perceived, however, that TIT
wilder the country the more plentiful the foxes
and so It happens that after securing the countie
Of Rockingham and Stokes, the Piedmont clut
Is temporarily located IN cabin Of Guilford. tn,
family, consulting Of eight or nine, yields thu
front and back pariors for the accommodation o
the distinguished strangers. A huge fireplace
flled with blazing logs, furnished ample yentils
ton and some light, supplemented, however, BY
tallow dip or two, for the benefit OF the buttol
players, who, regardless Of consequences, blindes
and straddled, raised and called, as II their futur
hsppiness depended on buttons. Twenty cigar
In full blast, throwing
HAZT DIZZINESS
the scene more like meeting OF brigands In thei
forest retreat, gambling among themselves owe
their ilLgotten gains, than company Of friendl
famfliars In search Of recreation and pleasurt
while the buttons absorbed the others, the write
CLEANED ne history Of ne proprietor q the s.oi