The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-01-19
FOLLOWING THE HOUNDS.
Chat About Fox Hunting In England.
What Its Dercnde<H Say.

What Its Defenders Say.
The first week in November is tho
hunting starting point, and it continues
all through the winter until March with
out stop, check, impediment or Interrupt
ton, save by one memorable enemy.
That enemy is gentleman popularity
known as Jack Frost. No weather, bo
it wind, fog hail, sleet or rain, will hin
der hunting. Indeed a wet day is not
otherwise than propitious. "a south
erly wind and cloudy sky bespcak
hunting morning." sings the old song,
and no man tor woman who hunts)
would dream Of staying away from
meet because it is raining or CLOCKS like
it." 1t is a curious thing that following
the hounds should offer such induce
nients to get wetting without mind
ing it. At other times the aver
age English lady or gentlemen OF
hunting procivitics is as much against
going out in the rain as they ere
then in favor of it, or rather indifferent
to it. Except when hunting is ON tho
tapis they certainly ''lNlow enough TO go
in when it rains. Generally wet day
keeps every one indoors, huddled about
the fire, peering out OF the windows,
watching for enough blue in the sky 20
make a sailor a pair of trousers;' wan
dering ainlessly from room TO room;
sitting gossiping in the smoking room, or
knocking the balls about at pool or
pyramids in the billiard room. The
ladies get no end of crochet AID erewel
work done, and work off tast stock OF
long neglected correspondence and un-
20 laugh at the inevitable umbrella which
to their eyes every Englishman carries
rolled tightly up in his hand. ready for
any shower or down pour that may come
up unawares. There are no people in
the world SO afraid of getting wet; bus
if rain doesn't put stopper en- hunting.
frost docs.
There is no hunting, there can be no
hunting, when there is frost And for
two reasons: First, the ground would be
too hard for the horses hoofs, and jump
ing very dangerous; second, there is no
scent, and without scent the hounds
wouldn't know where the fox had gone.
A long spell of frost is therefore disas-
trous condition of things for fox hunters.
Days and weeks go By, sometimes, watt
ing for a thaw, or in hopes that ''thi5
beastly weather would break up, don't
you know" Last winter was particu-
larly hard one. in more than one respect
on hunting. One frost lasted for quite six
weeks or more, and you should have
heard the fellows growl and stamp. Tho
horses did nothing but stand in their
stalls and loose boxes eating their heads
Off. Thus far this year the weather has
kept right, and ON off days and in tho
mornings the roads are full Of blanketod
and hooded nags exercising with them
grooms.
have said that about 80, 900 people
hunt regularly in England. dare say
some people viii differ with me at first
glance. But wish to lay stress on the
word regularly. Off and on, as occasion
offers, business and occupation permits,
or good fortune enables, there are thou
sands of others who hunt. But they only
hunt when they can. They don't neces-
sarily keep hunters. They hunt what
over nags they may possess, from carr
riage horses to ponies. Some people hiro
a horse now and then, others get their
friends or relatives to give tliela q mount,
say half q dozen times in the season, and
| army officers, on occasion, may so utilize
their chargers. But such irregular pro-
ceedings can not be digniticd by the term
shunting," or considered 50, when hunt
ing as regular systematic custom is
under discussion. Did hunting depend
upon such people, l am afraid it would
very soon fall into disuse. Yet, | ven-
ture to say, and / think most men who
know ANYTHING about it will agree with
me. if you want to hear hunting talked
up. descanted upon, praised. upheld and
defended, you'll find il among these
spasmodic sportsmen.
To Judge of hunting, and determine
whether its observance as an annual cuH-
tom is beneficial or injurious, one muss
weigh all the pros and cons worth con-
sidering. Judged by the principle of tho
greatest good to the greatest number, IL
must fall to the ground. ltaffords ccr-
tain kind of sport; there il q vast amount
of eXhiarating excitement in n good run
across country, IL you are well mounted
and there is much that is pleasant in the
social character of a meet. You are
thrown in almost daily contact with your
neighbors; riding across country is SAID
to give q man nerve though, for my
part, believe one must possess the nerve
10 begin with-and You get to know
people better and find out their good
and bad points. It is a healthful exer-
else. Everybody likes it, my dear boy, "
the old squires win tell you, as they
seacI1 their port-after dinner; 1--WE like
it, the horses like it, the hounds hike it
yes, and egad believe the fox likes it,
too" IN this country, there ere some
men, in high places, who discounten-
ance hunting. They are few, it is true,
but they are of too high rank and posi-
ton 60 attempt to ostracisc them. Tho
last Earl of .Ashburnham was one, and
she present Lord Ashbuyton is another.
The latter, believe, viii not permit the
hounds to meet upon or hunt over his
property. He is cordially disliked, OF
course But, he is too great man TO
have any one show him openly what,
we're he poor man, would compel him
20 leave England. London Letter in
The Argonaut