Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-04
TIE JACK RABBIT OF TEXAS.
An Animal that Can Give Points IN
Speed TO n Gray hound.
From the Austin (TexD sift.ngs.

From the Austin (Tex.) Sftings.
The jack rabbit is an inhabitant Of Texas and
OF some other western states. He is often called
the mule cared rabbit. and, by tine COW boy,
is Familiarity spoken of as the ''muley." He is
not rabbit at all. 4 rabbit is all un0btrusiye
little animal, who is found by school boys in
hole in the ground at the end of a long track
in the snow. The SO called jack rabbit is quite
different kind o SOUP meat. He is identical
with the British mare. except that he is larger
his color lighter. and his ears much longer. His
syoirdnpois is about II pounds. and his ears
measure. from tip to tip. about 16 inches. He
does not burrow in the ground. He lies under
cover of bunch of prairie grass. but is very
seldom found at home. his office hours being be-
tween sunset and sunrise He is to be found
during the day on the open prairie
where he feeds on the tender shoots of the
mesquite or sage grass. He is not a ferocious
animal. stranger might be led 10 suppose
from an examination OF what purpOrts to be his
picture under the alias of "The TeXian Hare.
In GCv- Roberts book. The jack rabbit has
several enemies. among them the cowboy. who
shoots him with his rife: the coyote and the
dog. that try To run him down. and the COVER
nor OF Texas. above alluded to. who lbels him
in his book He has two WAYS Of protecting
himself against his enemies. One way is to
squat When he suspects danger and fold his ears
along his sides. By doing this he often escapes
0bsery Walton. rs only his back is exposed. the
color Of which harmonZes with the brown of
the Withered grass. The other plan, that he
uses when discovered and pursued, IS to create
remotenesS between himself and his pursuer
In giving his whole attention to this matter
when necessary. tie Is stupendouS success and
earnest tn a fault. When disturbed he unlm-
bcrs MS Ion. legs. unfiirls his ears and goes Off
with a bound. lie generally stops after run
Rim" about a hundred yards and looks back to
see II E.S pursuer Is enjoying the chase as much
a. II Thought he would, and then he leaves for
parts Unknown There are many fast things,
from an iCaOOat TO a note maturing i'm the bank
but n9thin" To equal the back rabbit. An
founded ruilOr gets around pretty lively. but
could not keep up with him for two blocks.
When w ordinary cur dog tries to expedite q
jock rabbit route ne makes a Illuminating failure
of it.
He only gives the rabbit gentle exercise The
latter merely throws up his ears, and. under
easy SAIL skins leisureiy along, lacking occa-
si"a.liy TO give the funeral procession time to
cate. zap. But If YOU want To see velocity. urgent
speed AID precipltated haste. you have only to
turn loose Greyhound in the wake of jack
rabbit Pursued 10y a greyhound he will 'et
himself oiif in q manner that would astOniSh
prei'aId hal: rate message. IL he Is rabbit that
has never had any experience with Greyhound
before he w start of at an easy pace, but as he
turns To wink derisivey at what he supposes to
BE- All ordinary yellow dog he realizes that there
Is q force IN nature hitherto unknown to him,
and his !ooh of astOuishnent. alarm and dis
Sii>t. as iiS iufiS Ills ears ana promptly declines
the nomination. is amusing. Under such cir
Gums; anceS he goes too fast for the eye to follow
his movements. and presents the optical Illusion
Of u streah Of JacA rabbit a mile and a half long
sid-'Time Luxury OF New Orleans.
When the United states acquired possession
OF Louisiana. and for many years thereafter
New Orleans was the most luxurious city on
the new continent. During the first half Of this
century style OF living was kept up in Louisi-
ana which. in an attempt to picture ii. becomes
simply iBdescribable. and which if described
would not be believed. The best wines of Eu-
rope flowed more freely than beer does TO-DAY
The equpages were The finest the world could
produce. The jewellers of New Orleans grew
rich II, a year on their commissions while New
York a@eats ra1sacked Europe for novel;
ties an plate and artistic jewelry. The
nne arts were largely patronZed. although
the effect Of the atmosphere of slavery
was toencourase tastes more sensual and coarse
grained than were consistent with q high degree
OF admiration Tor pure art There is a massive
service OF gold in the safe of the st Charles HO-
tel at New Orleans which recalls the splendor
OF ante bcum Louisiana. Yet i'm all this lux
urious display very little money was handled.
Immense bills were paid at time: but the
Transactions which took place on credit were
and went on for years in some cases
without Involving the introduction Of dollar.
Old business men of New Orleans have assured
me OF repeated instances of this and of the utter
earelesSness OF these wealthy patrons in order
ing on credit. But when the accounts Of the |
eradesnlan or merchant were finally presented |
This ci-elesSness was even exceeded by the in- |
Inference with which the creditor met the |
Iigantic total, and paid his International
Recic,c. |