The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-06-09
AFLoRIDA coon HUNT.
Incidents, Accidents and Fun to he Found
I'm an Old-Fashioned Way.

Incidents, Accidents and Fun to He Found
I'm an Old-Fashioned Way.
"Como," said the Major, Tipping the
ashes from his cigar, "let's go
hunting tonight"
"Why, certainly; when do you
start~
"Iwill come for you at 4 p. m.," he
answered. "It is ten miles to the
plantation-our starting point for the
hunt. III ride Sclim and bring my
black marc for YOU. She is n daisy, if
she is a little frisky. Good day"
AT 4.30 p. IN. we mounted Il
horses and rode out toward the setting
sun. 1t was n beautiful afternoon,
with just a suspicion of fall in the
cool, sweet breeze. On either side
were tangled masses of wild and
shaggy underground, the flotsam and
.jetsam Of the redundant life of nature.
Giant oaks and stately pines stood
guard over these and lofty bamboo
Dimes climbed to the top for a more
extensive view. Sometimes the road
ahead of us would seem to come to an
abrupt conclusion, the ovcrarching
trees appearing to form an impossible
barricadc. AS we approached they
would open ranks and onward we
would 90. About five miles out we
came to II little stream and stopped to
water our horses. This little stream
was clear as crystal, The bottom being
of hard clay. 1t slipped out of the
woods in the cutest manner and,
spreading out to a width OF three feet
in The road, Sparkled and glittcrcd,
then dashed into the darkness of the
other side.
SOME Fun 10 BEGIN WITH.
a mile further on II little episode
occurred that afforded me considcra-
be measiness ana discomfort and the
Major a like quantity of amusement.
L was riding along, carclcssly con-
ycrsing, paying but very little attcn-
ton to my horse, when q little spotted
tawn ran across the road. My horse
stood still about onc second, trembling
in every limb, nostrils distcndcd, wild
with terror, and then made n tremen-
dous leap to one side, throwing me
half out of the saddle. Here my
Indian experience came in hand and
L soon recovered control. There was
q series Of plunging, kicking and rear
ing, q desperate effort to rub me off
against the trees, and Incl kitty,
having found her master, settled down
TO uqiet again.
AN OLD-TlME RUINED HOME.
Passing through one large, we'll
cultivated plantation, we came to q
second one, and here our journey
ended. A long avenue, lined with
spanish bayonct, led to the old man
sion, once q stately cditicc, but now
almost in ruins. 1t was nearly in the
centre of grove Of immense live oak,
hung with masses of soft, gray moss.
Tangled vines and creeping roses hid
the the rotten planks Of the wide
piazzas. On the second floor but two
rooms were habitab'c, N being occu-
pied by the bachelor ovcrscer, the
other was the guest chamber. The
only furniture OF the latter was a cot
and some chairs. ~ wide, open fire
place gave an air of comfort to the
large, dingy, shuttcrlcss room. This
dilapidatcd mansion had once been the
summer home of u of the wcalthicst
planters in the county. What scenes
of mcrrimcnt the crumbIing walls had
Witnessed! What shouts of Joy and
laughter! What strains Of long-for-
gotten music, to which tiny feet kept
time! In these rooms the wall of the
new birth has been heard! Here the
fair bride has stood upon the threshold
of a Hateful, untricd life. From here
too, the dead have been carried forth,
for the tombStoncs CLEAN white in the
grove some distance in the rear Of the
house. Here il was the handsome,
stalwart, chivalrOus owner donmcd the
Confederate gray and went forth to
battle for the cause of his people.
Here, also, was he brought back cold
and still, shot at the head Of his rcgi-
ment, died on the field Of honor.