The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-23
Serena.
Two nights Chase of the Cunning Fox AM
the Sly Old Coon by Moonlight.


of the sporting fraternity of this usually quiet
town, The exceptionally beautiful weather
that fingers with us for II little time, delight
ed the tillcrs of [hC soil and seemed 10 have Il
cheering effect on all things earthly. The
bright and balmy moonlight nights were such
as we usually see at tins season of the year,
and none but those who love to follow the trail
of the fox and the hound, can conceive the real
enjoyment to be had of II full bright moon
and soft, still night.
These beautiful nights fired the hearts Of the
" Bows of Serena and made them impatient
for a hunt
Their souls, proud spirits,
Could no longer brook delay;
They sought their fiery stccd,,
And started to the fray.
general" Hank Parr
His buglc loud did sound,
Which brought the hunters
And the hounds around
He blew a blast
Such rs cr>t threw down
Old Jcricho's substantial town.
Mounting his steed venerable PAGER,
Called Ncb for short
Full name Ncbuchadnazzer.
The hunters mounted and, wheeling into line.
Presented Il sight-to the world sublime!-
II. X Parr bold chieitau of the "clan,'
And K. II. Poolcr, his right-hand man.
Doctor Chase, deep learned in physc lore,
\ bottle of Might Blooming Cereus' bore
4 - l,l
And "Joc," astride Il gaunt old paccr;-
j. d. H.-'twas an awful sight, they say
To see him canter off on Hanks old gray"
Immediately after roll-call the hunters, hav-
ing mounted their fiery and untamed seeds, y
were seen galoping over the prairies towards
The residence of the venerable Edward Temple,
an English fox hunter of more than Il quarter
of century's experience upon the pralries
and in the woods Of Serena whose residence
stands close by the romantic and classic banks
of Indian creek.
Before reaching Temple house the barking
of the dogs brought the hunters to "A halt. APP.
parentlv they had started game Of lormida-
bic nature Il WIS soon discovered that coon
had been freed. One Of the hunters nlmbly
climbed the tree and dislodged his cOonship
Our surgeon-who, by the way, had never
witnessed a hunt of this kind heore-seeing
the "man up IA Tree" took him for grizzly
and springing upon his horse fled the scene
and was only brought back by the comforting
sound of the Generals bugle.
Taking to the woods along the banks OF In
dian creek, the dogs were not long in starting
a fox Our General says, Now boys, fol
a racket-there goes the game and the yelp
ing of the hounds indicated that there was ne
mistake On went the fox: up big Indian
creek thence to little Indian towards the town
line bridge, keeping to the bluff; then turning
started on the back trail. The hounds hao
gone out of hearing and death like stiffness
pervaded the forest not even the rustling of 1
leaf being heard.
Twas midnight; on the bluffs around
The cold, round moon shOnc deeply down.
when suddenly the silence was broken by th'
voice of that jolly old hunter, Mr. Temple
Boys, here s your camel" For the fox haC
passed within few feet of him.
On came the dogs on the back trail, thei
barking sounding louder and oudert till shortly
they went by us like IA flash. The fox being
hard pressed made several turns by Curyea'
milldam and then ran into the rocks on Crool
lake. There we left him, calling oil the dog
and taking our departure for home, wei
pleased with our hunt Of Wednesday night
November 18th.