The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-08

Bag-The Mysterious Stump.
About two weeks ago number of society
young men, together with a sprinkling Of the
newspaper fraternity, all of whom have been
accustomed to chase the wild aniseed bag
throughout the Rock Creek region, and even
into Montgomery County, Md, went up to
Fairfax Courthouse, on an invitation from
well-known resident OF that vicinity, to partici-
pate In real fox-chase, such as used to be the
favorite pastime of the Vrginian's ''befo' the
wah." The hunt came off according to pro-
gramme, and the Washingtonans returned
to the city in high spirits, bearing as trophies
of single mornings run the brushes of gray
and red fox. Thu daily papers came out
with well-written accounts of the sport
experienced, ando the prowess exhibited in
topping ive-foot stone walls, and in stiff jumps
over the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS running brooks
the width of fifteen or twenty feet, more or
less There is no doubt the boys had splendid
time on the excursion, but one of the newspaper
men, who may be styled Clipper for convenience,
could not contain himself any longer andhe has
given the whole thing away. To small
gathering In cozy retreat said he:
''Boys, that trip up to Fairfax was the best
thing l ever struck. Talk about fun, why there
was oceans Of it,. When our cavalcade in all
the bravery of full hunting rig entered the vii
lage everybody, men, women, and children,
white and black, came to the doors and the
windows to gaze upon us and welcome us. We
felt like circus procession. We put up at the
only hotel in the village, and we were soon made
to feel completely at home by the folks we met.
Never met in my life more hospitable set.
Next morning, bright and early, about the peep
o. day, we were rousted out Of our beds, and
after snack found our horses saddled and
ready for the start. You may imagine that we,
who had found great sport in following the
hounds after aniseed bags, anticipated great
sport in chasing the wild foxes in their native
lairs. When we got to the meet our entertainer
was on hand with half dozen or more couples
of hounds, and the pack, after ride of a half
mile or so through fields and woods, were
thrown off, 1t was not long before the pack
gave tongue, and over hill and down dale we
followed at full tilt for couple of miles over
rough route, where there were one or two
spills and not a few balks But soon the
music of the pack seemed to be at standstill,
and we pressed forward anxious to be in at the
death. l wish ! may die, fellows, when we got
up to where the hounds were prancing about If
| there was not red fox half way up tree that
had fallen in an inclined position across what
these Virginians call q branch and gray fox
| little lower down, both of them seeming to be
very much pleased at our approach, for the gray
| fox Immediately jumped down and tried to get
| hounds They were both tame foxes, as sure as
| you're born, and our friend and entertainer had
been playing it on us down fne.' We got the
brushes to bring back as trophies, however, and
| after all, 30 far as we were concerned, we had
| enjoyed real fox-hunt"
| tWell,' said one of the listeners, ''what else
about this enjoyable trip9"
"Just this,'' said the narrator: We asked for
! our bills when we left the hotel, and, to our
utter confoundment, we saw that we had been
each charged quarter for meals, quarter for
bed, and quarter for livery of horse per feed
and grooming We had expected to be charged
and would have willingly paid four times as
much. Oh! tell you those people up there
haven't learned yet to gouge the stranger with
| in their gates But what struck us all most
forcibly was this: We had gone up to the hunt
pretty we'll heeled with pocket pistols, and we
| hadn't suffered to any great extent for lack Of
ammunition until we were about ready to start
! back to Washington. / examined my hand
bag and found that l hadn't thimbleful left.
| / went to all the boys and they were in the
same fix. 30 / started out to get bracer.
| The lady that kept the hotel said that she could
| give me something for stomach ache-Perry
! Davis's pain-kiler-but didn't want that, SO
| l asked, Where is your bar-roomY Goodness
gracious said she, This is temperance hotel
| And the tone in which she said it made me feel
small that l had 'ever looked upon the wine
| when 1t was red.' But I meandered out upon
the large inclosure about the building, and l
met an old darkey, and l said to him, (remem-
|
"'Look'ee here, uncle, I'm perishing for a
| drink; where can get it p
"'Don' you know, boss,' said he, with great
| dignity. dat dis am an option?'
"'Oh, you mean local options
| I" 'Yes, sir; jes so,' taking off his hat.
+" 'Am you one Of de fox-hunt men?'
ayes
"'Boss, if you is willin' to do what tell you,
I'll get you all you want
"tCertainly'
"'Well, you see dat stump in de corner of de
yard. Put quarter on de stump and den turn
round and walk two hundred steps this way
(pointingl and I'll go long and tell you when
to stop. But you mustn't look back.
"'Agreed,' says L; and walked along with
my sable conductor for the prescribed limit"
sBut didn't you look back" said one of the
coterie.
"No! I'll be blanked if l did, wanted a
drink too bad. Well, / turned around and
walked back to the stump and there found
la Hermann, prestidigitateur, a half-pint
bottle of Fairfax red-eye, which was exceedingly
exhilarating even if 1t wasn't very palatable
Some of the boys tried the same game under the
tuition OF that darkey during the morning and
we were very comfortable when we started fo
home.n
There is another matter told the reporter by
Fairfax man connected with the above con
fession SO to speak, that before the afore
said fox-hunters left hospitable Fairfax, tha
each one of them insisted on trying 1t on will
the old colored man just to see how the placins
OF twenty-five cents on stump would resul