Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-04
An EXTRAORDINARY FOX HUNT.
Cid Time Sport i'm Trtgg County,
ky.-A Faster IL tde than John tsfi-
fChicSgo Field,

Cid Time Sport I'm Trigg County,
ky.-A Faster Ride than John tii.
pins.
(Chicsgo Field.l
ANY nan who will deliberately shoot fox Is,
In my humble opinion. no sportsman: Claiming,
as dc, that to hunt the WHY Reynard as We
DO down south and IN England IS the most ex-
citing and eXhilafating or our sports besides
rsguirng more pluck and Judgment than any
gong out 10 hattle-no one knows how he will
come out. The grandest hunt ever took part
ID was down In the Colon. Trtgg county, Nv,
few years ago. George $. Wharton and the
Hillmans are noted for their magnificent pack
or HOUNDS, and. as the estate OF the latter con-
sisis OF $4,000 acres OF Wild lands, all kinds of
game is abundant foxes IN particular
Matt Mckinney, the most thorough sports.
man ! ever met, and kinsman of niue
furnished me with mount, and formed
one or the party. AS is the custom I'm 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
or the English breed, though noticed one Soli-
lary long bodied boT-legged beagle with ears
nearly touching the ground. ] asked Matt and
joel now was II that such creature should be
alloWed 10 accompany those other fine dogs?
he laughed and said: THAT is the grandeSt
mound Ia America; we all call him AEers, and
MS voice Is as well known ia TTigg county as
your Isce is Ia Nashville; and Just as soon as
you near MIN cry remember his voice and follow
MN, needless OF all Others, and II You can keep
up WITH him you'll get the brush 10 a moral
certainty. l then took a look at my horse: a
powerful horse, Joel's Oh Gray Eagle, app3r-
ehm ny, up 70 my weight, and as highstrung as
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, 50 we headed for the bun on
the river. The dogs were trained TO remain
perfectly quiet While in leash, so as not 10
iVhTn tlnAf nz- .lOe
the slips were removed never listened to such
a chorus In my life; every one OF them seemed
intent upon finding scent. Round and round
they rushed, among the thicketS aud weeds
then over the fence enclosing field, but no
tracks were found.
Said ! 10 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"
on our right, and distant perhaps fifty yards,
was piece OF woodland, and from that drec-
ton, In few minutes, came long, deep howl
ss though the perpetrator OF 1t was invoking
the goddess Diana 60 favor his undertaking.
"Ilhat'5 old AkeTs.' cried Mark and 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 or getting lost;
well find you II you do
The other dogs scampered of after the beagle.
aud we after them, but In less than a quarter
OF a mile the cry OF the pack ceased ana we
pulled up The moon was nearly down, aud Ia
The WOODS the darkness shut the dogs out rom
view: out AkerS opened again louder than ever,
and was away this time for good and the pack
III ie!i cry with him; such music as their voices
made, echoed and re.echoed as they were
among the hills, thrilled through my veins Ike
sparkling Wine; cares, fears and troubles were
forgotten, and but one idea was left-to follow
Akers.
The country was not very rough though the
Underground, fallen timber, and occasional
gullies kept me on the lookout. j at first
thought that we were on the track OF red foX
from the straight run he made buC, after run
ming him about an hour, changed my opinion.
as lie now began doubling and lodging over SO
small piece OF ground that j pulled up to let
ny morse 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 OF them, an Old man with gray nair5
remarked that for upward or fifty years he
never let q pack Of hounds pass or a dance
take place near his house without taking q
hand and that he made less as good craps us
any body"
again Reynard started IN a bee lire. and OF
all the racing l ever saw this beat it; up hill
and DOWN, now over fence or fordlDg creek,
through briers and sapltngS. tearing my clothes
Until was nearly Ia state OF nature; but on
we went. Being better mounted Jnan 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, (the horse would not
should say.) | found i was gaining on the
dogs, and that was satisfaction enough. How
far We had run / 90 not know; my horse was
BEGINNING 10 show fatigue, and yet had not
caught the fox. In a few minutes more we
emerged from the woods, and / could see the
dogs crossing ploughed Held Just ahead OF me.
had to pass little farm house, and the way
the women standing In the door hallooed and
laughed at me was a caution. One girl Saia
Come In here, mister, and I'll lend you pair
OF dads breecheS."
l 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 -
said |: '.Let's swop horses, and Ill give you
s. to boot
Good enough said he ana 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 In 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 lIngiing
like sleigh bells.
Daddy II raise old Cain about nv swopptng
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 hyelier
pace, and all was going well. but the cry or the
hounds was getting weaker; In 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 a mile be.
hind him. He would bark, give a long yelp,
and then be quiet for a few minutes The
plOug1D0y SAID In MS Wn0ie knowing or til at
mound he never heard him speak that way be-
fore. There must be something up With him,
sure.
We had just descended a very steep hill into
narrow gorge, through which brook rippled
its CRYSTALLINE water, and where the mule would
stop TO drink. Here saw a sight that some
reader OF this may question, out tt 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 trou, and the fox, with his tail drag
g1ng the earth hot more than twenty yards in
front OF him, as tired as TIE dog. | cheered and
hunahed, which stimulated Old Akers 10 one
more effort, which ended In his catching Rey-
hard and ! getting the brush. then turned
back With the ploughman (the dog following
10 the house, where the women laughed at me,
borrowed the old mans breecnes. staid all night
and next morning mounted my rested horse,
and rode back to old Mats, after ride unsur-
passed by John Gllpins.
How TO Buy a Horse.
An old horSeman, speaking or this subject,
says:-If you want TO buy horse, don't believe
your own brother. Take no mans woTd for t.
Your eye is your market Don't buy horse Ia
harness. Unhftch him and take everything of
but the halter, and lead him around. III he has
a corn, or is stiff, or has any other falling you
can see tt. Let him 60 by himself little ways
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