Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-05
An EXTRAORDINARY FOX HUNT.
Cid Time Sport i'm Trigg County,
ky.-A Faster IL tde than John tsti.
as
(Chicsgo Field.

II
Ky.-A Faster IL ide than John tii.
pins.
(Chicsso Field.l
ANY man who will deliberately shoot q fox u.s.
In my humble opinion. no sportsman: Claiming
as dc, that to hunt the WHY Reynard as we
40 down south and IN England is the most ex-
citing and exhilaIatfng or our sports besides
requiring more pluck and jud yment than any
other. To enter upon one OF these chasesf is ike
going out TO batue-no one knows how he will
come out. The grandest hunt ever took part
IN was down In the Colon. Trtgg county, Nv,
rev years ago. George 5. Wharton and the
Hillmans are noted for their magnificent pack
OF hounds, and. as the estate OF the latter con-
siSiS OF $4,000 acres OF Wild lands, all kinds OF
game is abundant, foxes ia particular.
Matt Mckinney, the most thorough sports
man l ever met, ana kinsman OF mine.
furnished me With mount, and formed
one OF the party. AS is the custom In this part
OF the country. we made very early start; the
moon was shining as bright as day As George
wharton blew Lis horn at Mats gate. He was
followed by some fifteen couple OF as fine hounds
as ever opened after game. Most OF them were
OF the English breed though noticed one SOIL
tary long bodied boT-legged beagle with ears
nearly touching the ground. ] asked Matt and
joel how was IL that such a creature should be
allowed TO accompany those other fine dogs?
hound Ia America; we all call him Akers. and
MS voice Is as well known ia TTigg county as
your lace is IN Nashville: and lust as soon as
you hear him Cry remember HIS voice and follow
MIN needless or all Others, and II You can keep
up with him you'll get the brush 20 moral
certainty" / then took a look at my horse: a
powerful horse. Joel's old Gray Eagle, appsr-
Thoroughbred.
Foxes have a decided fondness for yellow
legged chickens, and are ordinarily found az
That early hour lurking about some hen rooSt
watching an opportunity TO bag a dainty NOR
sci for breakfast, Sd we headed for the bun on
the river The dogs were trained to remain
perfectly quiet While in leash so as not 10
brighten the fox II close by, but the moment
the slips were removed never listened to such
chorus In my life; every one OF them seemed
intent upon finding scent. Round and round
they rushed, among the thickefS aud weeds.
then over the fence enclosing field, but no
tracks were found.
Said to Matt: HAS Akers got to work
YET"
ITO be sure; there he goes now. with head
down and his tail almost dragging the ground
He never speaks unless he means business"
or our right, and distant perhaps fifty yards.
was piece OF woodland, and from that drec-
ton, In a few minutes, came long, deep howl.
ss though the perpetrator or IL was invoking
the goddess Diana 20 favor his undertaking.
That's old AkerS," cried Mark aud Joel.
"Mark him, George, and mind what say. Fol-
low him as long as your nag Will hold up under
you: You needn't be afraid OF getting lost;
wei find you II you do
The other dogs scanpered of after the beagle.
and we after them, but In less than a quarter
or mile the cry or the pack ceased, ana we
pulled up. The moon was nearly down, aud In
The woods the darkness shut the dogs out from
and was away this time for good, and the pack
III full cry with him; such music as their voices
made, echoed and re.echoed as they were
among the hilis, thrilled through my veins Ike
sparkling Wine cares, fears, and troubles were
forgotten, and but che Idea was left-to follow
Akers.
The country was not very rough, though the
underground, fallen timber, and occasional
gullies kept me Oh the lookout. i at first
thought that we were on the track OF red fox,
from the straight run he made; huJ, after run
q i n GTrlV trf
as LIE now began doubling and lodging over SO
small piece OF ground that pulled up to let
ny horse take wind 1t was now broad day
light, and noticed that several OF the neigh
boring farmers had come out to Join the
chase; one or them. an old man with gray nair5,
remarked that for upward OF fifty years he
never let pack OF hounds pass or a dance
take place near his house without taking a
hand, and that he made LESS as good craps us
any body"
Again Reynard started IN a bee line, and OF
and down, now over fence or fordlng a creek,
through br1erS and SapllngS. tearing my clothes
Until vas nearly 10 state OF nature; but on
we went. Being better mounted tnan they,
soon left my companions behind and was con-
graduating myself that bodily had SO far Jared
well, when zip, something struck me on the
forehead; away went my WOOL hat carrying
with 1t a scratch which wore In those days.
could not stop, however, Ghe horse would not,
should say.) | found / was gaining on the
| dogs, and that was satisfaction enough. How
far We had run / DO not know; my horse was
beginning TO show fatigue and yet had not
caught the fox. In few minutes more We
emerged from the woods and / could see the
dogs crossing ploughed Held Just ahead OF me.
had to pass a little farm house, and the way
! the women standing In the door hallooed and
laughed at me was caution. one girl SaiG:
Come In here, mister, and II lend you a p liz
| OF dads breeches."
paid no attention TO them but urged on nv
| faded steed until we struck the above men
| lioBed field. Here he let down. What was
! TO do? Fortunately, | saw Hancock -
| ploug hing.
said l: "Lets swep horses, and Ill give you
! s. to boot
"Good enough said he, and l changed my
saddle on TO- not horse, out mule.
had never ridden one before, yet I deter
mined to follow Akers and George Wharton II
Ii cost me my neck. Again Ia the saddle,
started afreSh. On | went as fast as his
donkeyship would so. The young ploughman
took the fever also, and behind me he came,
the collar and traces OF his harness Jlngiing
like sleigh bells.
daddy II raise old Cain about my swopplng
the mule" said he; $50 I'd jess as well take In
the hunt and let one raising do for both" AS
soon as he came up my mule struck a hyelier
pace, and all was going well, but the cry or the
hounds was getting weaker; Ia fact, one or Two
had dropped out, beat like my horse.
On and on we went, oVertaking some more Of
the pack, until finally none was left but AkerS
and We seemed not more than half q mile be-
hind him. He would bark, give long yelp,
and then be quiet for a few minutes. The
ploughboy said Ia his whole knowing OF that
hound he never heard him speak that way be-
fore. There must be something up With him,
sure.
We had just descended very steep hill into
a narrow gorge, through which brook rippled
its cry stall like water, and where the mule would
stop TO drink Here saw sight that some
reader OF this may question, out it is nevertne-
less SO. Old Akers gave cry similar to the one
made on finding scent In the morning. looked
Tor him, as the sound was so close By; and there
he was Juggling up the hill opposite TO me, 60
ing In slow UroI, and the fox, with his tail drag
ging the earth hot more than twenty yards in
front OF him. as tired as tie dog. L cheered and
hurrahed, which stimulated Old Akers TO one
more effort, which ended In his catching Rey-
hard and i getting the brush. ] then turned
back With the ploughman (the dog tollowlng)
10 the house. where the women laughed at me,
borrowed the old mans breecheS, Staid all night
and next morning mounted my rested horse,
and rode back to old Mats, after ride unsur-
passed by John Gllpin'S.
How I'd Buy a Horse.
An old horSeman, speaking OF this subject,
says:-If you want TO buy horse don't believe
your own brother. Take no mans woTd for IT,
Your eye is your market. Don't buy horse In
harness. Unhitch him and take everything off
I1