The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-30
A Mysterious Fox.

II is not generally known that fox.
chases frequently occur right in the
heart of this city. These chases do not
partake of the nature of the regular
meets. but occur systematically, and
depend entirely upon the willingness of
renard to leave his ark of safety, which
is no less place than the spacious
lawn and grounds by which the Polk
mansion is surrounded. All the fox
chases, and they are not frequent oc-
cur whenever the animal is discovered
on the street by boys or young men,
and some of them have proved very ex-
citing.
The history of this fox is quite inter-
esting. He was presented to Mayor
Phillips by Mr.. Thomas Ballew, on the
night of the last city election. A party
that went around early the next morn
ing screnading Mayor Phillips and the
ten councl-men who were elected car
ried the fox with them. The animal
had collar around its neck, to which
was attached chain, tho other end of
which was made fast to Mr. Ballew's
saddle. The fox rode on the horses
back, behind Mr. Ballew, and, being
very tame, frequently climbed on his
shoulders. When the party were in
| West Nashville, near the residence of
President j. b. Byrne, of the city coun-
Gil, some of the serenading party cut
the collar on the fox's neck, and the
animal jumped off the horse and ran
away. This was literally running the
''red fox out of town.
II was next seen at the fairgrounds
when DR.. Carver had his wild west'
exhibition there and was frequently run
into the woods during that week by the
Indians of DR.. Carver's company, who
took great delight in firing at it. DR..
Carver heard one of the chiefs say that
the fox was the spirit of his brother,
who had died out west short time
since, and was following him over the
country. The doctor laughed sarcas-
tcally at the chief, and the latter told
him il he did not believe it was spirit
fox, to try to shoot it, This nettlcd the
doctor, who. it is well known, is one of
the champion wing shots of the world,
and he agreed with the chief that he
would kill the fox at the first shot Of
the rifle or set up the drinks. The In
dian ordered the drinks, the doctor
fred-the fox ran away unscathed, and
the Indian tainted the doctor into TAX
inr five more chances at the fox on the
same terms. The story goes that the
fox appeared five times afterward, the
doctor shot at him five times, and the
biz chief took five more drinks of Ten
nessee iirewater, with the usual toast
that the great Manitou was protecting
the fox, in which form the spirit of his
brother would follow him until he died,
when he would also turn into a fox, and
they would cavort around the country
after the "wild west" show together.
1t is authenticated fact that
this red fox, which is known rs the
esprit fox," has been shot at hundreds
of times by some of the best marksmen
in town, and to all appearances has
never been hit. AS for the hairbroadtl
escapes Mt the mouths of the innumera.
bic bands of half-starved dogs that in.
fest the suburbs and prowl around tn,
city, there is no telling how many re.
nard has had. When in Mrs. Polk's
( place the fox runs around the grounds
apparently rs wcllcontcnted as n dog
and it is stated that the venerable and
stately widow of the dead president has
become quite interested in the now Gel!
cbratod animal. 49, Nashville american,