Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-09-03
A MOONLIGHT FOX CHASE.
The Yaracious Picture of Fifteen Year-Old
Memory
American Field.

Some fifteen years ago was boy in
my teens. but an enthuastic lover of the
chase and an ardent admirer of the fair
sex. 1 could never quite decide in my
own mind which was the dearest to my
heart-the girls or the hounds. 1t is true
| went to see the girls oftener than | went
fox-hunting, but many a time and oft
have | cut short q visit when the fire was
warm and the girl was pretty, TO go home
to give the Rowdy and Rival their evening
meal and see that they were comfortably
housed for the night | had learned to
hunt under the old squire an old time
Virginia gentleman, who, although past
threc-score years, was boy IN his ardent
admiration of the chase, and a desirable
partner but dreaded opponent in game
of marbles or quoits. Oh, many a game
of seven up, of euchre, of whist, and of
draw-poker have l enjoyed around his
hospitable board. Peace be to his ashes;
he is now no more, but his memory shall
ever be dear to my heart. He once paid
me a compliment l can never forget. At
ter an unusually long and unsuccessful
days ride he turned to me, calling me by
name, and said: Il have raised eight sons
and taught them all to hunt, and have al
so taught good many other boys, but
you are the only one who would ride over
with me all day and be as eager to hunt
at night as you were in the morning; like
myself, you never know when to quit"
We had very dry season the latter part
of the summer and early fall and could
not take the dogs out, somewhat to our
chagrin. One day by the way of consola-
tion | rode over to see my elderly friend,
and while there the rain began to fall and
we hoped for an oldfashiOned dog
mire," but were disappointed, for Just be-
fore sundown the clouds broke away and
the beautiful rainbow declared that the
rain was over. IF we had your dogs and
Georges we would go out to night on Nc
Graw bridge and start a young fox" This
was enough for me. Il will have my dogs
and Georges here in less than an hour,
was the reply. The distance from his
house to my grandfather's, where | lived,
was between three and four miles, and al
most an unlimited number of gates and
draw bars to contend with; but my pony,
Old Rabbit, was fond of the sport, and l
whispered in his ear and told him what
was on hand. In an hours time | had re
turned with my two hounds and with
George and his two, which, added to the
old squire's five made nine as good, rat
tling, red-fox hounds as any neighbor
were two or three of his sons. The black
boys employed on the farm were told that
if they desired it they might get pair of
unused horses and accompany us, and
this they did with great gusto, thinking it
a great thing to go fox-hunting along with
the 'gentmen" on horseback. These
boys were verv useful that night pulling
down and putting up fences. We had
gone about mile when the glorious full
moon arose in its splendOr, making 1t al
most light enough to see to read. In a
few moments later we entered bank of
mist which was so dense that In the moon
light it looked almost like wool. After
passing through 1t we skirted its eastern
border, with the moon on one side and the
bank on the other, and then saw what l
never saw before or since-a lunar bow.
had supposed that it was cOlOred like the
solar bow, but [ was mistaken; it was as
white as a sheet and not more than ten
steps from US. 1t was an arc of circle
of about fifteen feet radious and about
one and a half to two feet in bredth. The
squire told the colored boys if they did
not ride up close to US that the ghost
would catch them. This made their teeth
chatter, and had it not been for repeated
assurances of safety l have no idea what
would have been the result for as it was,
they shadowed Us colsely the remainder
of the evening. We started a young red,
and after an interesting chase the dogs
put him in the ground. Another was
started-an old red, we thought, for he
led the dogs at once to where no rain had
fallen in that partial shower, and soon
got away from them. We got home early,
but l shall ever remember this as one of
the pleasantest evenings of my life.