Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-02-07
ON A COON HUNT.
Maryland Girls Out on Tramp o9
Torohlight
~Up Gum Trec"---A Queer Process
demonstrating Down the Game
...COOn and 'Taters, POne
and Pie.
baltimore American.


champion coon-hunter of the neighborhood.
So. thought everybody else except the OBJ
durate young ladies, who argued that as it
was more or less family party there was no
impropriety In such frolic The discussion,
which continued for nearly a half-hour, was
carried on by an anxious mother. four young
ladies', three young men and old Zeke before
the large kitchen fireplace, in which big oak
logs were burning briskly, sending out q
mellow light that outlined the figures in
magnitied shadows and formed some fantastic
pantomimes on the opposite walls
"Why, girls" said the mother, "who ever
heard of young ladies going on coon-hunt"
"Thats just why we want to go" answered
the ono with b own hair.
"Well, then, if can't persuade you out OF
this insanity, suppose you ask Uncle Zeke's
opinionT
Uncle Zeke had been a silent witness. His
private opinion chronicled above, had been
expressed to the writer in an undertone. One
of the young ladies-a veritable diplomat
crossed to where the old man was standing,
laid her hand on the shoulder of his rusty
cont, and smiling straight into his eyes, said:
"Now, Uncle Zeke, you're not going to do
eide against us, arc you"
To express it classically, this broke the old
man all up. He backed down like coward.
81 guess it won't do no harm for you to co."
he said. "But you aud the young men must
keep together, and don't. 50 anywherys only
where toll YOU"
Tho party, now numbering ten, got to-
gcth,r, and by half past O'Clock had passed
through the road gate and was making for
the woods across the field. The dogs bounded
over the ground yelping joyously. The col
ored boys hollered and ran he!tcr skelter,
playing leap frog and getting far in advance
of the Others Aud all the time the ladies ex.
claimed: "Oh, my!' "Ain't this jollyl" aud
showered q perpetual torrent Of questions on
Uncle Zeke.
"Where's your gunT they asked.
"Wo doan't take no guns. There amt no
fun In shootin' coons. We kills 'cnl with
clubs. You seed the sticks them young fellers
hadt Wait till they cit at coon, and you'll
purity soon SEQ low they kin git the best OF
him"
Xoke directed the boys to take tho dogs to
the fence corner near the branch road II
seed lot Of half-eaten corn, and some nibble1
chestnuts round there to-day, and you kin
depend upon it Gare's q coon somewhar in
the ncighborhood."
The whole party met at the fence corner.
The ladies were eager with excitement TO
press on with the hunt The pine knots
which the party carried were lighted. Thire
men We're distributed among the party. Due
advice was given to avoid muddy places.
"Now, go ahead.' shouted Xeke. The
hunters and huntresses move forward. A
queer tOrchliSht procession it makes, tho
glare of the pine knots < wing lurld hue
to the tall, leafsss trees The dogs bound
forward, barking uneasily while the darkies
cry Hi, thcre.' "Go it, now."
And ON we go. The torch lights our path
way. Llke is already in the lead. We fol-
low after. In "A short time we see the dogs
under a large gum tree, barking furiously.
The excitement grows intense The noise of
tho dogs the hubbub Of the boys and the cx-
clamatory furore of tho young ladies COM
bine into small sized pandemoniunl, which
would scare M ordinary coon to death.
Zcke assumes command Take care de
ladies' over dare, near dc clump Of cedars;
an keep 'em dare. Don't We come under the
tree, or We might sit hurt" Tho ladies were
promptly removed to the reserved portion,
where they have an excellent Wow of tho
operations. The torches indisuinctly ilumi-
mated the tree. On one Of the topmost
boughs was seen c!umpy mass.
"Sow, Jake" stcntoliously cried Zcka,
Iclmb de tree and shake dc critter out"
or goes Jakes coat. He springs to the tree
as if attacking n monster. Upward no
mounts He reaches the branches, pulls him
self up and climbs the tree as if it was u lad
der. He pauses.
"Uncie Zeke,7 he says; and the old man
asks, whats the mattcrF'
"Unclc Zeke, dares two of EN-"
"Bless de Lawd," fecyently exclaims the
oil man.
ooh! ah! ugh!" utters female volce; Adon't
shake over this way
Bat the tree quivers. The branch with the
clump moves violently. a second and the
clulnp falls. A four legged creature lights on
the ground. In twinElilIg there was a rush
toward it, Men. dogs, clubs and the swapping
coon revolve together in active yelling,
Whirling, yelping, rotary warfare The
women scream the dogs bark, the men slash
at the coon. The melee, the free, scrarlbling
fight goes on savagely until club descenls
p,unply on the animals heeul, and the corpse
of an eighteen-pound coon is stretched upon
the ground
The men stopped to wipe tn, perspiration
from their foreheads, and to regain their lost
wind. The recess Is short, and Zeke ex-
claims, "Now let the other feller ccme."
A good shake and the "other feller" does
come Ii Jove had sent one of his thunder
bolts down through that tree lie would not
have produced a greater CONSERVATION than
did that animal. The ladies saw a four
legged something drop. They saw it hit the
ground and bound upward. They saw it
glare its eyes and start toward them. TheL
they rent the air with hysterical screams
ard fsur feminine forms fitted niinbly over
logs, bushes and briers into the distance. 1t
was a regular stampede.
But in the meantime the hunters inter-
cepted the coon. They had the hardest time
imaginable i'll getting it. Three times it
gained the bushes, only to be driven back by
the dogs. Then, exhausted and baflled, it fell
prey to its enemies Its weight was six
teen and half pounds.
The routed female forces Of the coon hunt
ing brigade were gotten together. Their
fight had brought OIL nothing more serious
than a genuine scare and few brier
scratches.
"When the old coon started toward u.s."
aid one, "it looked as big as an OK" But the
Head animals reassuled them Of the success
Of our expedition, and their fears disap.
penred before the reawakened enthusiasm in
the sport Laughter came back. Songs
were now wsung, and general jollity prevailed
while the party threaded its way homewards
The hunt had resulted in two dead coons and
no mishars to speak OF. Who could want
nores
"Ant they beautiesp says Uncle Zeke,
holding ,ID the ri,o-to led animals. al tall va