The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-03-22
FOXES AND WILDCATS.
nov TIE SPOR TSafLsN OF FdIR-
FIELD 400 FOR" THEaf.
a Notable Hunt by Some Notable
hunters, Which is Almost Rival OF
the Celebrated "Fox- Chase in reas-
terVillen
WINNsBoRo, S. @.


than unite those of any other call
ing. Sectional lines and prejudices
ore unknown to him. He cares
nothing for differences of political
creeds. He is not troubled about
defining the several casts of society,
and is, I think, the only specimen of
humanity who really does not ex~
p"rience antagonism Of race. Hence,
1t is common in your section, to see
sportsmeh intimate and hunting
with the rea-sh:ia,, and here it is
equally common to GO hunting with
the black- sh;iu.
There is, then, a "fellow- feeling
which makes us wondrous kind"
and which draws us toward each
other, and makes us anxious to COM
municate, even though long lis
tances separate us. With no apollo
gy, then, will 1 to tho hunt.
Upon beautiful November
morning, two years ago, T was
standing in tho Winnsboro and
Columbia road, which passes about
on o hundred yards in front of my
house, and turning my eyes, saw
approaching on horseback, two gen
tlemen, whom I recognized as
Colonel-. and Parson E--n,
both of whom kept hounds, and
delighted in either deer or fox
hunt. "Would you like to take q
hand in a cat~hun5?" was my salu~
tation, as they rode up. "When,
and where 2" calculated both in the
same breath. ''This very evening.
and upon Dutchman's Creek" care
there any there: and how do you
know?' continued both, considera
ply Interested. For, although they
had slain several deer, and trailed
innumerable foxes (both red and
gray, wild cat was something
seldom heard of this far up the
country
"They are there" said I, "for
whilst cunning for partridges yes
terday, discovered hugo tracks,
which [ know belong to them.
1--WE are yours till death, only wait
until we can proceed to town for
short time" "All right, gentlemen,
L will have dinner ut 12 o'clock
to-day, rs we will have to ride six
miles to the ground"
At half-past twelve we were in
the saddle, followed by fifteen as
fine hounds as ever heard horn
blow, all of my own "cry'--for my
friends we're not allowed the delay
which would have been necessituted
had they gone for their dogs.
In that "cry,' or pack, were
Rouser, Lee, Butler (not Ben),
Trimbush, Wash and Hampton, ali
dogs of note, any one of whom |!
would have been star in uny pack. |
Rouser, or "Old Rouse" as he is
still familiarly known in these parts, :
is an old veteran. now in his 10Th
year, and has been sin at the death i
of 400 foxes, and assisted in the /
killing of several deer and numer.
GUS cats. What he doesn't know Of
fox-hunting, therefore, isn't worth
learning.
We had proceeded about four
miles on our way. and were engaged
in conversation, being careful to
keep the dogs '1in," so that they
would not start q fox~-for the !
thickets on either hand nbounded
with them---when we heard noise.
not unlike the angry mutterings Of
a thunderstorm, and looking in the
direction, saw sold Rouse" who
Ind taken advantage of our con~
versat,on to slip off and jump a fox
--straining every nerve in full view
of gray, and making directly for
ns. 1t is needless to say that all
efforts to restrain the pack were
futile, for as tho fox crossed our
path within few pnces of where
we stood, and in plain view of every
dog, they sped after him in q killing
run, and with that eagerness COM
mon to all dogs OF good blood un-
der similar circumstances. Know
ing that we would have no dogs for
The cat hunt until Roynard WAS dis
posed Of, md being really unable to
resist the contagion ourselves, we
joined the chase, and cheering on
The ravening hounds to- : their utsJII /,
most speed, in. thirty>five minutes
bud him tied up behind my saddle. 4
"Let us now hurry for the cat
4 ..I~