The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-01

the proposition. and ne goes on tell how
he marks them down" Every spring
during the brief vacations be HES him 10
the hunting grounds and looks into the
likely places The breeding holes are To-
Gated. new fields. the character Of which
gave promise OF new cOOns. are explored
and coon traces noted. All this kDOwl-
edge IS carefully recorded II book. but
his LO0nshlp Is let severely alone. he
won't De hunted till summer or fall out
Lathrop has done half the hunting and
has had incidentally half the fun-he has
found the coon The wary old sinner, Tor
all coOns are born with the characters
tics associated with wary old FOUNDERS,
IS lot a uomad. He believes in staying
oy the cd home, where he knows OF all
the lUicy corn. berries and grapes, the
choicest stores Of nuts. and when all the
delicacies Of the coon menu are boarded
by "a boring man for his especial benefit.
He knows too much 10 CAD about Mark
him down il the spring and n the fall lie
viii be found within q mile OF the spot.
Then. saws lathrOp, get dog, and up
70 this point Your education has gone on
without hitch But at the dog question
you are clean stUmped- Needless TO say,
The coon dog must have all the dog vlr-
tues. none Of the dog vices, and must DO
everything into the bargain n the dark
LarhrOp mas 'en-the COgS-but wild
horses and an Astor's millions could not
take away his good ones. They are a
sn0rt-haired breed. rather large, weigh
ing a bout sixty pounds. ana woe De unto
the coon who shows his nose or leaves a
track il their vicinity. Their training is
a long process OF selection. Some dogs
vii. start hunting cOous all right. but
wind Up hunting every blessed thing IN
the land. Some have poor scent, more
cannot get the knack OF worming their
way through underbrush. or they can
swim. or climb. or keep quiet a. the right
tire. or make racket when necessary,
and know when the time comes. In short.
the coon dog IS a rara avis. and should
have vote-he knows enough.
Then. some braclng autumn evening, or
even one Of summer vacation days. start
over cape prospect with La.hrOp and
MS 50Es The sun has been down half an
hour or 80. There IS TOO much light thus
far. but some time must be allowed in
which 20 reach the quarry. The mighty
hunter knows within mile or so where
q econ family was il the spring, and ex-
pe-i5--s has taught him that they will be
s0-esv here near now.
\ ride Or q tramp Of few miles takes US
i--o .Le woods. broken here and there
WIN c.eariuys ana lodges so common in
New England. As the ground IS neare1
the -v-lE1, fails, aud more careful
STEP ) NEEDED. Noise IS al a discount. bat
Wh4- can fellow do who unwarlly steps
over the brink % a bog hole. i muttered
blessing. and the stalk is renewed. The
dogs have been Embossed and are beating
the ul1erbrush for signs They are
silent. patient. persistent, and nothing
breaks the stiffness but the voices Of the
night. the insects, the whipp0Orwills. the
occasional h00- Of an owl, startled by the
Unv0u-ei sounds OF the proving dogs.
Prom -Le distance comes the mOuruIul
CRY Of the coon. Suddenly one Of the
dogs gives q sharp yelp, and all scram bic
toward him a. best we can. He runs
a-oaE easily. occasionally giving tongue,
ana the task Of keeping him in hearing.
for sight IS out Of The question, becomes
uODeDtarilv more difficult.
i quarter Of an hour goes by Of jump
ing. rrudgiug. scrambling by turns, the
course relieved al intervals by a clearing.
where q long breath may De taken and
new bearings noted The woods are
fairly alive now. Tor the wild life IS more
or less aroused. and, despite their instinct
OF silence in danger the shifting OF place
anu the first incidents Of surprise make
some noise The dogs. too instead of be
ing scattered wide. are now following the
lead Of the Oldest coon dog. content to
rely or MS sagacity and TO learn new les
sons.
4 break comes in the tenor of the hunt.
His cOOuship's trail 10 this point was
easy and undisturbed. But the far cry
Of the hounds caught MS ear, and his
wits began to work Other animals
would make a rush in some direction,
leaving an even stronger trail, but not 50
the coon He doubles on his tracks,
jumps 70 q log. runs along one way
awhile. Jumps into d tree, out on the
branches. swings 10 the ground and
straight as an arrow sCamperS in the
most unlikely direction.
Now that the dogs have reached his
turning point comes the science Of the
hunt. No fool Of dog can resolve the
prO1leu. -a.d or the ground, and the
wisest may have 10 give il up. Lathrop.
u course. counts Tor something, and years
" coon hunting give some mint on the old
r-sea.s ways. = c.ump of saplings on
the edge 81 q swamp near by is deserted.
and the Cd dog IS working toward that
neigh corLCo1. LathrOp leads the way,
ana we follow as best we can, and. reach
icZ the c.lup, aLxiOusly study the pros
poet overhead. Here another wrinkle
comes IN A point must be
chosen where the trees are
relieved against a clear place in
tne szE. nc easy Job on dark night The
moon. however. Just rising. 1avOrs US, and
in q crotch high Up in the densest part,
tree OF the lot, a Dlackish spot no larger
than nat Finally. as The hunters and
the old Coz C01tne their -aze to this tree,
the PACK forms ring around the trunk,
5a-.1g like mad.
\ SHOT gives the coon a start, out no
more The uncertain light plays havoc
with him. but second shot brings him
tlUoltlg down. II he IS not done for
nearly. there IS a royal old night Il takes
q mighty good COG 70 match coon. and
when his 0rdlv MAJESTY IS mad he can
p1, UP as nasty battle as one cares to
sse. This one was goner, however, and
that hunt was over.