The sun., 1884-02-10
FOXES AND HUNTERS IN cossEcrrCur


n NorwtcA Eyrm that Mouopoiixes the
Trade sn Fsrs-fexes In ths ousslirts or
= Large Town-A sample Yankee story.
Norwich, Feb. Son q crooked lower
street OF this quaint old town is a woather-
beaten rookery In which for more than half n
century wet groceries and powder and shot
have beon exchanged for furs and hides des-
tined for the New York market Its archcd
roof is furrowed with ridges OF green moss its
wooden walls arc black with age. Sixty or
eighty years ago a comfortable farm house. It
has remained unchanged except In the altera-
hon OF the lower floor into a grocery
shabby landmark environed by tall brick
buildings Squat under hill at the foot OF
dizzy flight OF stairs. let down from tho upitted
main street q person coming down the upper
steps can almost look directly down It's square
short chimneys. Tho sidewalk is narrow,
heaving with displaced stones. and thickly
studded on Its margin with stone pos,s, each
one wearing an iron ring for the twoscore
farmers and hunters who congregate at tho
store on Saturday afternoons TO hitch their
horses to. Along the front nre displayed many
advertising devices. A couple OF empty Ken
lucky rifle powder kegs bearing bright pic
lures OF sporting scenes. swung by leather
thongs from nails quail. partridge. and wood.
sock. In the season. dangle at the door posts !;
on q lofty porch skulks a stuffed weasel with
bead eyes: powder pouches jingle against each
other In the wind; q half-preparcd foxskin
n'led with bran. and well blcachei, swings
summer and winter. by cord.
Inside Is typical grocery OF the last century
eobwebbed. dusty. dark. and begrimed. with
followed floors and worn and chipped red
counters. Almost evevy article OF everyday
trade is for sale here. from whip lash to
hogshead OF rum. For half a century the busi-
mi har baap In Sba nlo ~, 81,
who grew rich on country traffic. This store
which Ia duplicated on lesser scale In nearly
every town and village in eastern Connecticut
is the Headquarters Of tho fox hunters OF the
two eastern counties and OF western Rhode
Island. AS soon as oold weather sets in the
proprietors Of this store send out an agent
winter trapping and huntne. lie n Is constantly Il I
H u sosheasn to ns
the Wild pine region Of the Rhode Island char
the sS n hsys hs
they have almost monopolized 1t. elbowing to
one side the hundred or more smai! hatters
@ of saesss kTes
the spring take them e New York dealers.
are Iced and snow is dry. fox hunting NTH is the
principal Snort, Norwich Is almost tho centre
OF . region that has always been noted Tor fox
outside Of England is the sport pursued with
greater enthusiasm. In the winter hunters
Ssse burner q the ~ village is s%re s.ore % The fox.
hunting district OF eastern Connecticut. which
connec,ie1t RVep a to The % suburss Of i'i Pro1
deuce. ts Just suited to the taste OF fox. 1t
abounds In renches Of second growth forests.
matted evergreen swnmns. and almost i'm
stdss. The whole country bristies with hills
al isl n nFNv
tered with bOulders and craxs. and scanned with
shallow caves and burrows, Il is impessbe 10
the towns vote a bounty on fox ears OF from q
2 81 but the animals have steadily increased
ana sy Sp aTs porv rss are
nightly, On almost any, still. frosty night
rssidsnts IN the Y, centre Of ,his city may hear the
on their own hook" on tile distant hills. xii
night. at intervals. as the chase sweeps around
few times In the ears OF the puzzled stranger
who happens to bs awake. On several nights
Of city dwellings, and stolen fancy chickons
from 0uthouses in the rcnr While a policeman
Gas M s'x wsst Gar. Palmer and the
Messrs. Ashwel OF the Norwich Falls Kennel
Club, noted hunters. started a fox within the
miise north % the city centre. At no timo did
iatsr Waiter liser. Tim Sheehan. and Joe skei-
ley holed = fox Ia the western quarter Of the
wn nD al s ae fs sy ssspss ,o xoft o
d9 out the game. Thoy had worked half an
hour and nd were bathed In perspiration when
With lis .rlnnias % isos saroed r1ss towasd ,he% e%
block, shaped town OF Bnzrah. which a,ions
Norwich and touches the shore Of Gardneps
100 years have been grocery store yarns Of re- re-
markable fox chases and famous hunters that
might convert Noank smacksman to h better
"a "a
Bozrah; are the towns OF Colchester salem and
bank Of the Connecticut River In Essex last
fall all the able. bodied men Joined a fox club.
the mrmbers to give stipulated service in
the field that the community,s hen roosts
Norh st%nnes" ahd
ION raises tho finest turkeys sent to the New
Tor the White House table ut Thank giving. In
he tall and early winter every tree near each
roosting turkeys rs insulmtors on the cross
arms OF a telegraph pole They are, tempting
and only constant watchfuiness on the part OF
hponltryman keeps the profits Of years labor
Gt Fl the Of the
aiastic veteran fox hunters. who do nothing cx-
ceept hunt in the winter. They are in the ileld
lssxeellel only by their dexterty in lying.
The mode Of hunting Is simple. peculiarly
kuhpteu 10 inc natuTeOI tne country. ~ Is WeIl
tnown by experienced sportsmen that fox in
setting out from his burrow. never takes a
rob. II the turkey he wants Is two or live miles
sast Of his den. he sets out due north. then
xoes duo west. bending and doubling. on his
gradually eastward sometimes running along
5na stone wall. which will not hold the trail.
rods. and after an hour or Two arrives by a
.lrcuitous and intricate route ut his destina-
ton. Having captured his prize he makes a
DeS line for his home. His homeward course Is
;allsd run" i Is necessary for the hunter
70 hunt a fox in earnest. Otherwise
10 has no, hope Of success. unless he
shances on his game. The runs are usually
along woody lanes or cart tracks. II possible,
shere the footing is good and there is not
much underbrusb to impede flight. Before tho
Ieason is over a shrewd hunter knows about
4! the fox runs in his part OF The country.
IampinR and exploring before seeing the tip
IRfox's tail. He sets out at daybrcak In thick.
iOse -buttoned satinet garb and rRccooD skin
wall -RrpaRel heavy cOwhile bDDtR q q