Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-23

climate. A whole dock OF blue Jays.
alEhtlnS upon a tree greeted the
alert vision Of the trio, NnIvEuStolurd
10 anything but tuGltiNeS ot that tauri-
fully plumaEcd tribe En- mASSr, the
blue jay is hcwitcmnSly pert in be
haNlor, What piQnanry III NoNhtnS,
black velvet topkuotS and SprghtlN
tails, among the Sttt needles OF the
plant young FLORIDA pine Vet none
could pause 10 wonder what the ami
mated blue jays were planning ou tie
morning Of that hurried aud rcrkleSSly
eager ride
In the midst of the onward rush
Queen had Il SpaSm Of acute toltrau
ness. She had been in many 4 cat
contest, and won an cuvMNlc rrpula-
zion, II suited her mood t. enjoy her
laurrlS and refuse to follow either any
trail or amy sportsman,
But Il ruvey OF quail arose to view,
In the general SkiruiSn Queen miraru.
louSly bounded from space into an
orange grove that hriGhtcurd the land.
srapc with its wealth of grrrn aud
gold, and returned to the party, y
painting yet placid victor proudly he
qucathiug the wounded bird to the
only member of the group who did not
carry Il gun. Further ON = prlrau ON
its way 10 the gulf was brought down,
Its black breast. its glossy wings
elected some enthusiasm as the yellow
dog, assisted by Il rather too otltrious
hound, laid it ohrdicntly at the feet OF
the man who was supposed to have
fired the fatal shot,
Later, and in lonely region, where
StuupS were numerous and the hot
sunshine filtered down Elariugly
through Scant foliage the footprints OF
Il wildcat were found in the sand
But the trail was too cold. The dogs
would not recognize II, Reaching
soon dense hummock, several hunters
disappeared for perhaps forty minutes,
The black and tan bloodhound Mont
| had given tongue.
THAT thar'S a cat old Mont don't
lie" said his master.
But all the dogs We're more or less
afflicted with an attack Of Florida las
smdr They had tired Of well doing I
even before doing well. They deserted
the trail After awhile the heated and
rather silent group of horses, dogs,
men, n lady who shot, and Il lady who
ate oranges, all stopped beside creek
running through very dismal swamp
and some took whisky iror fear Of the
mol
cur of IA hrindlc WALLER breed" rs its
owner described IT, suddenly gave
tongue. All followed down the creek,
crossing from one side to the other rs
its width and the rank vegetation per-
mittcd, for more than mile.
ITS a cat" exclaimed one.
ITS coon" declared another
"A 'poSsum wouldn't run so fnr
Ncithrr'd a rabbit"
ITS cat" was again rmphatlcally
announced.
Hope therefore again prevailed,
cole Mont says he's freed. ! kin nj
luS undcrstan' ole Mont's remarks
That pcculisr tone means freed"
The party rode up TO swamp where
all the dogs were giving tongue fur
iously around hollow water oak
about 20 feet high. 1t was dcnScly
covered with yellow jasmine vines in
full bloom. The air was heavy with
tropical perfume, The gray Spanish
moss hanging from the trees near
swaycd weirdly and the wind very
gently moved the mass Of palmetto
leaves 1t was n very romantic spot
for the cat or the coon or the rabbit
or whatever ii might be, to seek, ana
the struggling hunters Invaded the
solitude with an appearance of proper
respect md appreciation. The ladies'
were lifted from their horses and
carried over the swampy places to the
hummock near the tree. Mathematics
must have zen familiar with that I'M
canny morass, but this being n truth
full narrative, one canEot be introduced
here The dogs continued 10 howl and
bark noisily. A member Of the party
climbed the tree and looked down. He
proclaimed the welcome yet slightly
alarming fact that two fierce eyes
were ElarlnE up ~ nltil DIlcn IioSS
WAS soon put into the hollow and
lighted. so that the species of the ami
NAL might be asccrtained. Very soon
n pointed little nose appeared over the
top, and all knew that not cat but
Il coon would soon be nsphSXated,
When 1t dropped the youngest Of the
party offered to 20 to place mile
away for an axe.
During his abscLce the time was oc-
cupicd In discussing the probability Of
the coon being dead, the possibility OF
getting a cat later, and probabilities In
general. For with hunters all Is
prophecy, and only the accidental an
be expected When the tree was fin
ally chopped the coon was taken out
and given chance for his life. He
was. however, too much stupcfed to
rally The dogs were held back n rea.
sonable time, then allowed to drag
him about until the party started off
on another trail. Three rabbits were
soon suspended from the saddle OF
Diana, who crayed the appearance "
success, perhaps, as a large lemon
n "A 10