The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-07-07
My Two Gray Foxes.

| NOT long ago, writes a Virginia lady.
my husband went fox hunting, and met
with a den of wee little fox babies, at
the most three days old, which he
brought home Graded in his silk pock-
| et-hankerchief This caused me utter
consternatlon, for what could be done
with such tiny little things? l happen
ed to put them into the rocking g-chair,
and called my Kitty that had one little
bairn of her own. Pussy looked at them
In amazement when the little things
croodled against her. She commenced
nursing them at once, 80 that her own
little kit divided its nourishment with
its little brother and sister fox, to the
astonishment of every one. They grew
and thrived in my rocking chair, 50
that l had no more command of it as
my own for at least three months, for
they all took possession-Kilty, kit and
the foxes. They soon began to be very
playful and cut up all kinds of little ca
pers, and began readily to answer to
their names. They were SO much alike
that could not distinguish one from
the other, except by the colored ribbons
on their necks. Romeo was scarlet
Juliet blue 38f s0 o ttsaa
They became my little companions
and friends. When | walked out they
would walk on each side of me,
and never offered to desert me. One
day l went some distance to see a
neighbor, and the broom grass being
very high crossing the field, I felt verv
much afraid of losing them, but they
stuck close to me. At this time they
were about six months old. sn .s-7
One morning Juliet came home with
one of her hind legs broken. 1 took
her up in my lap, splintered and knitted
it beautifully. She was perfectly quiet.
and never offered to prevent me from
binding up her leg, and was most CRATE.
tul. At night they slept on the porch
with five or six big hounds, that were
very fond of them-a curious sight to
see pussy, the hounds and the foxes,
all cuddled up together at night. Then
as soon as the house door was opened,
Romeo and Juliet would race upstairs
to my room and jump on the bed.
Romeo would purr in my face and creep
down and lie at my feet, but Juliet was
much more shy. She would jump ON
the bed, run around and jump off again:
Romeo would remain in bed until
breakfast time. Then they would take
their station, with their forepaws on my
lap, waiting for any little bits that /
would give to them. They would eat
anything. but had a preferencefor eggs. 4
They were exactly like two cats about
the house. and not any more trouble.
Strange to say, they were never known
to rob the hen-house or take chicken
OF any kind. My husband and became
very fond of them, but they did not like
strangers. They were perfectly free
never were tied or confined in any way.
| had out one objection to them--that
was their fox odor. One of our oldest
Virginia fox-hunting friends, Major
Thornton, came home to spend the
night. The Major admired the foxes
amazingly. but the little animals did
not behave at all well to the Major, for
they snapped and snarled at him in such |
an unbecoming manner, that he became
quite afraid of them and said:
Pray. madam. do take them away. :, T
| think they must have had an in. |
stinct that the Major had brought many
of their species to grief. n.
Shortly after this, to our great sorrow,
Romeo and Juliet met their fate. They |
were then fourteen months old, aud
began to wander too far from home. /
They were mistaken for wild foxes and
hunted down. 1t was not discovered |
that they were my tame foxes until the
hunters saw the ribbons upon their
necks. They were killed by strange
pack of hounds. Romeo and Juliet
were both atfectionate and grateful lit
tie animals. | could have retained
them until now by keeping them in
captivity. That / would never have
done, however, for l think it most cruel
to con6ne any animal, and very selfish
too, for one mere qualification. to pun
sh poor little animals. / am sure all
such pets fret more than any person is
aware of.