St. Landry democrat., 1888-11-10
IN A HOUNDS TRAIL.
An Exciting Chase Over Fields and Fences
in Search of Game.

An Exciting Chase Over Fields and Fences
in Search of Game.
There! They are comingl In the
quietest and most unconcerned manner
possible the huhtsmen sstake'' the high
wall of the church incloeure and are in
the very midst of us, fox, hounds and
all. Of course we all start and jog
alongside the dogs, as being the most
interesting feature of the show. /
notice that the whipper-in speaks in a
low, caressing voice to the hounds,
keeping the long, braided whiplash well
in their view, however. There are
about score of dogs in the pack, and
[ notice with particular interest one
| elderly canine, SCARED and battered
veteran, who looks az If his dog days
had been long in the land. In some I'M
explained manner the hunt proper
manage to extricate themselves from
among the wheels of their admirers.
See! They are off in that neighboring
field; the rustics Chamber over ditch and
wall in their eagerness to behold the
start, the rest of us following pell-mell
on the dusty roadway, driving in that
reckless and excited way peculiar to
the hunt, and, indeed, to races in gen.
eral.
The mad spirit Of the principal con-
testants seems, on such occasion, to en-
ter into the spectators likewise, and we
all press forward and hurry past one
another, as if we were really not going
anywhere, or not doing any thing in
particular. the excitement on MANY
faces is amusing to behold. One elderly
country dame looks so animated, so
thrilled by this scratch race" and yet
is SO anxious for her own safety and that
of her best carriage wheels, that the
mixture of emotions visible on her
kind, matronly face is quite funny to be-
hold. 'tMy ducats, my daughter Isn't
this glorious! But, oh, my poor neck,
and my best rockawayr' she seems to
say.
This part of the country vanishes as
we ter down the neighboring lane be-
meath a grand arch of lofty elms, the
Gathering in advance of us,
some of them with moist and very red |
faces. That young fellow in the bril- |
liant striped blazer has lost his hat, and |
pays the penalty Of being toe eenspieu-
GUS, as do the whippers-in, who are
obliged to follow meekly with the car
riages, their horses legs having received |
ugly cuts in jumping the fences. With
their scarlet coats they look like cap
i've British soldiers.
Whenever we catch a glimpse of the
nunt in the neighboring fields, all is ex-
some people even leave their
7ehicles and mount on gate posts in or
Ter to command better view. All!
hat horse refuses the julnp-it is no
lse, HH friend, to ride him up to the
gall gain; zone man can lead a
lorsY ETC., this wise Bucephalus
mo the limits of his legs and their
z6a( Ing power. Those young fellows
u the fence shouldn't jeer at the un-
ortunate horseman-it isn't his fault.
Last of all the dashing procession
ONES a lone hound-no doubt our
riend, the veteran; he follows the
cent as we'll as ever, but he can not
eep pace with his fellows; nay, as the
ace draws near its close he can hardly |
limb the walls save after several eff
orts-but he is game and keeps on to
ae end; let us hope that he received
ome of the raw meat, for he surely
eserved it.--Cor. Boston Traveller.