Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-10

seconded by Foxhall Keene-confessediy
the prince Of cross-country riders. Nearly
always there Is a'good feld-from which the
ladies, God bless 'em, are never conspicuous
by absence. Miss Metcalf, Miss Emmett,
Miss Keene and plenty more, SIT as hrm,
ride as straight as the best and are rarely
absent from the covert-side and often In &C
the death.
While the Pelham County Clubs harries
were in commission they had even more
feminine followers. Mesdames Potter,
Bull, Hartman, Iselin, Miss Carey, Miss
Cooley are habitues, and keep abreast Of
husbands and lovers and brothers no matter
what the pace. In point of picturesaueness
the Essex County Hunting Club Is behind
none. Il has some great names in lts his
tory. No less o person than General George
B. Mcclellan was once its President. The
clubhouse is . thing of accretions-an odd,
rambling. roomy affair that has grown
around an old stone farmhouse. The pack
is but ten couples strong-a small allowance
of dogs to near 200 members. AS not quar-
ter OF them hunt, though the disproportion
is more apparent than real. Most Of the
members are resident. Henry W. Page is
President; John A. Stewart, Jr., Master Of
near future, new horses, hounds, kennels,
and 30 on. Besides there are toboggan
slide, tennis and polo grounds, as we'll as
crack. polo team under Captain Powers
Farr.
CHASE THE REAL FOX.
Happiest of huntsmen are they who follow
the Genessee Valley hounds. They ride over
a good grass country after the real foxes.
That is after October. Up to that time the
drag prevails. Wadswortn's Home Farm Is
headquarters for it, Wadsworth master Of
hounds and the leading spirit of the hunt.
Among those who ride in it are Messrs.
Rowland. Carey, Potter, Martindale, Buckly,
Watson, Colt, Drayton and Miss Fitzhugh.
Boston's crack hunt club, the Myopia, Is
nearly equal with the Meadow Brook.
Master OF Fox Hounds Seabury has both
drag-beagles and fox hounds who can upon
occasion rout out a real fox. Wenham
Swamp knows we'll the soft pad of their feet.
Vineyard Hill echoes their music on SOFT
autumn morning. The cream OF Boston
blood goes streaming after them-Appleton,
Abbott, Dodge, Merrill, Peabody, shaw,
Sargeant, Agassiz, Wright are but typical
names. What need to be more specificY
The Country Club is but the outward and
visible sign of the growth among US OF that
love ior free, fresh air and healthful pas
times that is SO hopeful q feature Of our
national life. They are costly lu1uries to
be sure, but bring large dividends OF
strength and wholesome pleasure. May
they grow and increase until the morbid
mind is banished, the weakling taught that
it is his duty to be strong. Though as yet
| there is somewhat of crudeness in their
methods. affectation OF English ways and
| aping of English speech, they cannot help
but influence social life for good. Our great
exemplar Washington took the trouble to
set down in his diary that he event q hunt
| ing with Jackey Curtis and catched fox. y
It is unlikely that any follower of the dragi
will ever have Washington's opportunity
any more than his sbility-but for what
fate does bring he will be all the better pre-.
pared il he has the eye and hand and bal.
ance of the trained cross-country rider.
n. @. W.