The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-28
TWO PAIRS.
An Exciting Game in Which Two
Queens Take q Pair of JOkerS.
From the valdosta, Ga, Times.

hill, Jim Stapler and others of us were in
tcrested listeners, for We were astride our
stceds and heading for the river flats southeast
of Bellyillc, bound FOR a fox race. Jim thought
the young dogs were too fleet, and largely
spolt the fun. lie rather preferred the old
fashioned ways OF Dad and Spot and Logan
and Brown--thc old line deer hounds in the
pack before whom and their lineage for thirty
years the Staplers, the JOneses, the Pohills
and others, had killed manga buck. Jim also
objected to the young dogs tongues, but Dick
met<very criticism with, but they are re-
liable, Jim you can count on them every
time" Tom Polhill thought that while the
pair of queens were chained lightning let
loose after the fox was up, and while Spot
was a "searcher,' it was safest to listen al
ways for Dad 5 tongue on the trait. The old
man always gets there" said he Judge
Tracy reminded us that the time was when
"dat dog Dallas er mine, which he has been
dead for several years, was no slouch isself
after n fox. Dallas allus knowed where dc
fox or Get Che was powerful after cat was
gwne ter ran, and when Q turn Dallas I'D
cut cross, an unless brcr fox was mighty cum
ming he'd cit pickt up. Dallas was dog in
dis worl Wish had i'm now since de guv'
ment pays three dollars fur cat hides"
Thus the conversation went round by turns,
and il had come my time when we rounded
the corner Of jerks plantation and entered the
deep dark wood near the Withiachoochee. AS
/ had nothing to offer, silence fell upon tho
marty for Il moment or two. The full moon
was up, but the skies we're overcast with drip
ping clouds, and tho gray light which struS-
gled through the heavy atmosphere was hardly
sufficient Tor hor5cman at canter where 90
pher holes were numerous, and where scrub
oaks formed part Of the forest trees; but
there were no tcrror3 in those woods the dark
est night for my companions ut any gait Sc
cretly | almost wished the dogs would not
make jump, because / knew full well what il
meant for mc-keep up or get lost Those
boys would follow that pack of hounds at any
speed leaving Grover Cleveland to his fate in
the dark woods if he could not keep up. But
they would come back and blow him up with
their horns, and then laugh ut him for the
next five years! On the other hand, il Grover,
determined TO keep up, run his steed into nu-
merous gopher holes and turned sundry sum
mCr-saults, or if he dashed into black
jack thicket and lost his hat and glasses,
ono eye and part of his scalp, these
for the next decade. / shall always believe
that it was n suspicion of these things which
made Billy Thomas cold so bad that he could
not accompany us on the chase that night; al
though ho is always at tho front with deadly
aim when it is a deer hunt and the day god is
above the horizon in all his splcndor reveal
ing the pitfalls sinks and gopher holes. Per
haps it was more indscretion than valor that
got me into it, or when old Spot sounded his
first bugiC note some hundred yards to wind
ward, and my steed pricked up his ears for
the chase. inwardly wished that ! was under
Mr.. Stapler's hosptable roof with a cold my
self.
"s-sscat1" shouted Judge Tracy. Tho
Judge is a cat hunter.
Listen for Dad, boys" said Tom, in an OK
pectant tone. "Ihe old man is always right"
I'm bet on tho queens in this game boys"
said Dick. "They beat four aces"
And Jim shouted encouragement to the
pack in general, and added that Spot had been
blocked all day and was going to do good work
tonight.
Chilly sensations, cold and hot, raced up and
down my spinal column | hoped it was n rab-
bit, for the gathering mists began to material
ize into rain drops, and tho moon seemed to
turn backward. Her light, already pale, strug-
gled with the cloud shadows which darkened
the earth about us. The night was one for
hobgobblins and special apparitions rather
than moonlight picnic. Butt was in for it,.
and soon the excitement grew as the slow and
at first doubtful trail quickened apace, and
caught on TO tho enthusiasm in spite of all
doubts and fears.
1t was a fitful trail. Now you see and now
you dom Tom said the fox had started out
to feed along here quito early--perhaps by
shutdown, aud Jim added that the occasional
light rainfall had scattered the scent and made
it difficult to follow But" said Dick 1.-THE
queens viii work il out give them time"
Now and then Tag, scapegrace of n cur
which followed u.s. and some of the younger
hounds, would find q rabbit trail which was
'hot, and away they would scamper for n few
hundred yards to the disgust of the hunters,
DOES hut a few shouts OF condemnation would
bring them in, and start them of again with the
pack. We had followed the trail for mile,
perhaps two, when posSum crossed
our path and seduced some of the best dogs in
the pack Alvey they went and some of the
boys shouted. "boys, he's up" referring to the
fox, but two hundred yards put old slick tail
up a tree. Lewis, u colored citizen of that
beat, mounted ON sway back Texas pony, and
who had just Joined Us, remarked, "ef e nos
f.Ii .l,gt In Il. IN,
he WAS discouraged for fear of spelling" the
dogs and a few blasts from tho hunters horns
bruu sht the dogs away ana IN Il few minutes
they joined old Spot and Dad again on the
trail.
Down the river we went. one. two, three
miles, and then back again. The boys de-
cared il WAS tho longest trail they had evel
known, and Tom SAID all the time that there
were two foxes The best estimates agree
that II Was q seven milo trail. Twice they
struck burnt woods, and then the dogs were
"buthored,' but in time they worked it out.
Tho ttau was started at nine, and the jump
was mado few minutes after twelve. by
this time the woods were full of darkios ON
Texas ponies There seemed to be quite
number of thom in those parts, and each one
hoariug the dogs, would mount his little jack
rabbit and join the party. Perhaps visions Of
three dollars apiece for cat hides, paid by the
government, inspired "A desire to see what the
racket was about.
The dogs had Just crossed "bun" where
the trail was dim again, when all at once every
dog in the aok--ttteen-opcned his mouth,
and The music did you ever hear II p began in
dead earnest. Spurs were not needed. Tho
horses caught the enthusiasm, and you could
not hold them. A mile dash down the river
brought reynard back again, and they passed
us in fine style. The queens were leading.
and Dick was happy. The other dogs pressed
hard behind and even Tag, the loathesome
cur set M a Squoaling yolp in the rear, and
thrcshcd the rain drops from the wrc grass
for u few hundred yards.
BOYS, he is heading for the RoSsiter place"
shouted Tom. 1t was n straight dash Tor two
msleS. and we did not want 10 lose the dogs,
SO we let our horses slip, regardless Of gopher
holes aud scrub oaks. Ii was perilous ride
Tor green one At any rate but we made il
in fine style-that is, the original party but
the Texas pony brigade was distanced, and we
supposed lost The fox having made n tack or
two round the RosSitor place we arrived in
time 10 hear the procession move off again in
tina direction Of the river. They were making
unusual speed. Bets and Nic-the queens
Were pressing the fox for all they were worth
and the rest OF the pack, catching the inspira-
tion, made better time than was usual for
them, They were nearly out OF hearing when
back they came right for US. "Now, boys
let's scare him 10 death If he comes straight at
! ~ - eniI linn SurA puDuth Nyp xvara "a h,c