The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-30
An illinois Fox ~

Int for personal reasons declined until
now. | omit names of hunters and hounds,
ns well As those that were N at the death
but feel assured that the record has not
spoiled 10y having been layed away To COOL
Aurora's beams had well illumined
the prairlcs, and "Sol' WAS climbing high
above the eastern hills, as bugle note
rang out upon the morning air and echoed
swcrtly amid the wooded bluffs that skirt
the road leading to Marse!lles, Soon an
other, more loud and shrill than the one
before, was heard, and ere It's vibrations
died away along the timbcred bluffs, there
dashed up the road and through the
sleepy old town, n cavalcade OF hunters,
led on by the PARIS and Millikins OF Rut.
land township, and followed by as fine II
pack of hounds rs ever bayed note. Here
their numbers were increased, and the en-
tire party crossed the bridge that spans
the Illinois at this point, galloping thence
along the road that leads through the bot
toms and up the bluffs to the south, where
were in waiting the nimrods Of Ottawa,
Grand Ridge, and other points, as well Is
representatives from the Nation Of Sc
lena."
1t was the opening OF their winter hunts,
and more glorious day for the chase
never dawned. Scarcely breath of wind
disturbed the quiet of forest or pralrle; all
nature seemed to smile joyous recogni.
non of the event and lend her most pleas
ing charms to the occasion, while "Old
Prohs"-as if IN with the boys" had robed
the landscape with just enough of snow to
make cracking" all that could be wished
for
TIE scene AT the meet WAS such as even
the Lords" of England might be proud
of, and although no scarlet coats, high
rooted hats, or any of the "agony" that
characterizes the summer hunts AT New
| port, or the dreamy chase on Long Island,
were to be seen, yet the gathering was an
imposing one. Fully one hundred hounds,
with half that number OF horsemen, were
there, all enthusiastic for the chase.
| Scarcely had the dogs been loosened from
their couplings and the hunters seated IN
the saddle, when Tom McDermotts
Rambler" sounded the gladstone note OF
game" In an instant the rest of the
| pack were on the trail
"And soon the wooded bluffs reply,
/ To hoofclad, hounds, and hunters cry,
| And bugles ringing lightsomely."
Now their echoes are heard along the
bluffs, followed by the baying of the
hounds, which Is heavenly music to the
ear of the enthusiastic hunter; and far
sweeter to HIM, than the choicest strains
from Apollos lutte, are the wild notes Of
Joy, the enruptured gust of melody tina,
breaks from the pack as In full cry they
follow close on the heels of the fleeing
game, On they go, over fences, fields and
bitches, now skirting along the edge o.
the bluffs, then down and out upon The
.sl,s,. r,rairi0,, tsIiauvoa ~ .ha ahaarin s
yelling crowd of hunters, all striving fol
the lead and to be in at that scene which
every true nimrod will aim to reach, though
Hades itself stood gaping wide before him
All day the fields and forest rang,
With loud and gladstone sounds;
The wild haloas, the bugle notes,
And baying Of the hounds;
And when the weird chase was DER,
The count with two alive
= trDphips of the chase that ulv,
Their foxes numbered i've!
One of these was secured unhurt, OF
whose trail next day it was resolved "T'
loose the dogs of war" to furnish sport 70
the absent nimrods and all others tina
wished to join in the chase. The news o
the proposed hunt flew like grease
lightning" and as may be supposed mex
day was a lively one in Ottawa. TIT
morning dawned with all the charmn!
characteristics oil the day before, and al
the forenoon the streets presented an ami
mated appearance. Indeed it seemed n
though
"a thousand vassals gathered round
With horse, and hawk, and horn and hound.
Scampering up and down the streets
and galloping here and there like ilyinl
dragons, until little before noon, whel
Reynard was taken to the south side of tn
river, near the springs and there set a
liberty,
To say that the crowd-whiCh numbered
over two hundred on horseback and per
haps, double that number on foot-wer
enthusiastic, would not half express il
They were Wild Most Of them had neve
seen a fox hunt in their lives, while few
only had scented the battle from aiar,
but all were anxious for the hunt to begin
The fox was given few minutes start-a
if to get the lay OF the land, for he was Of
strange ground, and then,
1.-THE eager pack from couples freed
Dashed up the bluff and through the brake
While answering hound, and horn, and steed
The prairie echoes soon did wake"
On went the hounds IN full cry, follow
ing the trail up the bluff, which here gent
ly slopes towards the river, circled feS
times as did the fox, then dashed through
the timber, and on
"O'er moor and meadow, creek and hill,
His track the hounds and hunters trace;
DER five rail fence undaunted still
These furious hunters run the chase"
1t was a thrilling sight, and NOR
glorious start never was made. The laugh
, ing hour of noon had smiled the gloom
morning from the earth; the sun peepe
out from behind veil of clouds to liste
| A. H., .,,nn;n lifted His nnhnrn hnamS an