The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-06-10
AFLORIDA COON HUNT.
Incidents, Accidents and Fun to Be Found
In an Old-Fashioncd Way.

Incidents, Accidents and Fun to Be Found
in an O1d-Fashioncd Way.
"Comc," said the Major, Tipping the
ashes from his cigar, "lot's go COON
hunting tonight"
"Why, certainly; when do you
startr'
81 will como for you at 4 p. m.," he
answered. cit is ten miles to the
plantation-our starting point for the
hunt III ride Sclim and bring my
black marc for you. She is daisy, if
she is little frisky. Good day"
At 4.30 p. m. we mounted our
horses and rode out toward the setting
sun. 1t was a beautiful afternoon,
with just n suspicion Of fall i'll the
cool, sweet breeze. On either side
were tangled masses of wild and
shaggy underground, the tlotsam and
ietsam of the redundant life of nature.
Giant oaks and stately pines stood
guard over these and lofty bamboo
bincs climbed to the top for more
extensive view. Sometimes the road
ahead Of us would seem to come to an
trees appearing to form an impossible
would open ranks and onward we
came to little stream and stopped to
water our horses. This little stream
was clear rs crystal, the bottom being
of hard clay. 1t slipped out of the
woods in the CutCSt manner and,
spreading out to Il width of three feet
in the road, sparklcd and glittcrcd,
then dashed into the darkness of the
other side.
SOME FIN TO BEGIN WITH.
A mile further ON a little episode
occurred that afforded me considcra.
bic uncasiursS and discomfort and TIC
Major like quantity Of amusement
| was riding along, Carclcssly con
vcrSing, paying but very little aitcn.
ton 20 my horse, when II little spotted
iNWn ran across the road My horse
stood still about one second, trCmblin.
III every limb, noStrilS dis,cndcd, will,
with terror, and uhcn mUdc Il trcmcn
half out OF the saddle Here my
Indian experience came in hand am,
| soon recovered control. There wa,
n series Of plumGiup, Kicking and rcar.
Ing, desperate effort to rub me of
against the trees, and then Kitty,
having found hCr master, settled down
to uqict again.
AN OLD-TIME RUINED HOME,
Passing through one large, we'll
cultivated plantation, we came TO Il
second one, and here our journey
ended. a long avenue, lined with
spanish bayonct, led TO the old man
sion, once stately cdiiicC, bat 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 plamks Of the wide
piazzas. On the second floor but two
rooms were habitabiC, one being occ,l-
pied by the bachelor ovcrsccr, the
other was The guest chamber The
only furniture OF the latter was Il cot
and some chairs. \ wide, open fire
place gave an air Of comfort to the
large, dingy, shultcrlcsS room. This
dilapidatCd mansion had once been the
summer home OF ono Of the wcalthicsl
planters in the county. What scenes
of mcrrimCmt the crumbIimg walls had
witnessed! What shouts of iov and
laughter! What strains Of iong-tor-
gotten music, TO which tiny feet kept
time! In these rooms the wall Of the
new birth has been heard. Here the
lair bride has stood upon the threshold
of 4 fatciul, untricd lie. From here
100, the dead have been carried forth,
1or the tombStOnCS CLEAN white in the
grove some distance in the rear of the
mouse. llCrG il was the handsome,
stalWart, chlValrOuS owner d0mCd the
ConfcucratC gray and went forth to
DattlC Tor the cause of his people.
Here, also, was he brought back cold
and still, shot at the head Of his rcgi-
mcnt, died on the field OF honor.
y SOUTHERN SUFFER-.
From some hidden recess the Young,
oVcrsccr brings forth corpulcnt black
bottle. We half fill our glass with n
rcddish-loOking lluiu-I am positive it
was not milk--anu then take seats at
the supper table in the lower room
1t is bachelors rcpast, for we arc al
bachelors, and we enjoy it, for gooG
old Aunt denny knows exactly wha
we want. "A plate Of biscuit, plumI
and snowy white, n large dish o
chicken fried to " delicious goldc,
brown, boiled potatoes, bursting thcil
brown Jackets of in their cagcrncss tc
be eaten, coffee, strong as Sampson
and black rs Niggcrlcmos, rounded
out the meal. After supper VIC lit on
pipes and sat ont on the crumblin!
porch while waiting the preparation
OF the hunting armament. The nigh
air was full OF sound. The grOtcsuut
laughter of the mule came TO Us from
the iar-Otl stables the chattCriuT whirI
OF insect IiiC made the darkness mclO
dlous with mOn0tOny of sound. Some
times shadoWY flap of wing and ;
marsh note showed where some be
lalcU DlrU Was GOING NCaTilV home.