The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-04-08

- 49, III ~
In my younger days / was an enfhu-
sia-tic entomOiogi>t. and one summer
vacation | was delighted To receive an
invitation from a bachelor cousin. Fred
Vernon. 10 spend a week or two
with him in a distant county.
Fred was agent 70 squire Althofpc. who
owned pretty nearly the whole III The
parish In which he lived: and as the
Squire spent = good part Of his time
away from home. l knew | should be
able % roam about the place very much
as liked, and should therefore have
ample opportunities of adding ID nv
collection Of butterflies and other in
seets. Fred and l had been a school
together, and were much more intimate
than Is usually the case with relations;
but we had somehow lost sight Of each
other since. and on my part | was very
glad Of an opportunity Of renewing the
Old friendship.
Al the time Of my visit TO Blankshire
the Squire was away on the continent:
and on the morning after my arrival
Fred. having some leisure Time al his
disposal. proposed that We should take
a ranb'e round the park. and finish up
BY visiting the Squire's kennels. The
park was q magnificent place. fully six
hundred acres in extent. and well wood
Cd. Grand old oaks. graceful lines
and handsome chcstnuts were dotted
here and there with picturesque irrcgu-
larlty. while on each side Of the Hall
were clumps 81 the finest clm-trees
had cycr seen. on which. for ares past.
ynst numbers Of rocks had built their
nests. A certain portion Of the park
Itself about . third Of the whole ex-
tent. was surrounded with high iron
railings: put down 20 keep in The
deer. ~ which there were about one
hundred. Within the park wa 4
small lake. about twenty acres in ex-
tent. teeming with fish. surrounded on
sides by giant trees. aud fringed
with beds Of waving reeds; while
farther out into the water were
Atches Of lilies, yellow and white.
whose blossoms floated placidly on III.
unruilled surface.
On the other side ofthe park. stretch
ing TAR away inland. was an extensive
heath. gently nndnlating. and covered
here and there with patches OF gorsc
and rough grass. which afforded covert
Ior numerous cartridges and hares and
rabbits. Altogether, the estate was 4
perfect s~portsman's paradise; while for
me naturalist il offered unusual attrac-
hons, ~ being the home Or many diff
'erent n Of plants and flowers. and
supplying food and shelter to insects OF 1
kind. {,
a. for the dogs l saw al the knnnel. F.,
have never forgotten hcm. Each ]
had Ia y special department.
M an assistant 70 see after 1t. Much :
y Inc spaniels and settlers interested
4 was q Bit OF a sportsman as
tsll as > naturalist II must confess |
nat q pack Of splendid bloodhounds h
Truck me most Of all. Their wise. v
olemn-looking faces, with their grace a
uiiy pendulous cars, as line and as soft h
: silk. were indeed q study. This pack. n
was told. wa not only celebrated for 8
\ appearance. but also for its work. j
I.heN were trained 10 follow a trail. Of v
as well ~ qurdruped. with the A.
'ost undertaking certainty; and their n
fesencc in the Squirc's kennels did Il
i,ore - check poach ng than an army r
Y g-amekeepers. While we were adj 81
iarlng the hounds. the kennelman told d
\ several tales IN illustration ~ this q
4 few morning after our visit TO the m
Fred told me. as we sat III IL
Feakfast, that he had some estate bust ri
~ - transact at a town some miles d
v which would require him ID 10 n,
om home nearly the whole day. "A
VIZ come with him. he said. IL q
'ose; but once nc the town. he must rs
asc ne % my own devices; aud he m
med that | should find il rather dun. 10
IN thanks for his offer. assured m
n that | would much prefer al cnto- 70
expedition by myself on the W
'a,h - hanging about the town: but la
we same time l suggested that. ~
\ services would render him any help.
M"u'u gladly sacrifice my own com II
Y 70 NJ. With q laugh, hc said that pu
would only be IN the way II / came I'll
" nm; and We settled the matter mi
NY and then. tcl