Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-28
THE R1oHMoND D1spATCH-sUNDAY, JANUARY Is, 1894.

upon one I'VE everiastin' made the welkin'
ring" Tho yelping Of the dogs, the
blowing OF the horns. the crashing OF
the underrrowth beneath the horses
hoofs, the merry laughter and yelling OF
the members a the party made music |
for the staid old farmers for miles around
us. 1t was thrilling; not moment nag
eed; we were Ia the very summit OF all
our anticipations even then-af We never
caught q fox-and afterwaras tnous"'
We never would.
Many times the riders almost ran over
the hounds, and the excitement was at
times intense. IL has always been won
der TO me that some OF US. or some OF
the hounds. did not get killed, for several
In the party, myself included, were about
as indlscreet riders as ! had ever seen.
But I permitted myself to believe tnat
I should be the captor OF the nrst OF
the red-tailed varmints. and was In tns
chase for all that II was worth. Everybody
dashed through the woods and bushes
and across the aelds with frfghtful rapidly.
We were sure of capturing that fox:
but alas. the dogs lost the trail me
| wind blew a stiff gale, and the ground
had become hard and dry. and II was
with great difficulty that the MOUNDS
scented fox at all that day. They were
not OF the trail long. however, ana Soon
the merry hunters were or again AFTER
Mr.. Fox Il do not here refer to the ac-
compllshed Superintendent OF the kich-
mond public schools. one time got
very much behind the others ana tney
disappeared entirely from my view over
| a long hill Well, I then began 10 teei
that I would rather be back IN Town
writing up meeting OF the t1",lhon
Council than on that fox-hunt. FOR knew
| Il the crowd ever left me / would not get
| out OF those woods In a week. Fortune
| favored me. however. Just about the
time | was thinking OF all the mean
things that I had done in my life. ana
| beginning TO repent of my sins, part
OF the crowd approached me from one
| side They had been carried almost
around complete circuit by the dogs.
| This infused new life into me. and ever
afterward kept up with the other riders
| After a long and fierce chase we realized
| that the dogs were following " cold tran,
dead against the wind. Presently how
| ever the hounds had changed their cry.
| A fire Of happiness seemed to give them
| additional life and vim, and they dashed
on and on with unrelentihg energy. Inc
\ old hunter placed his horn TO his lips
suddenly and began a blowing which he
kept I'D for several moments. i rode up
close beside him and asked him why he
did this. Must call 'em Of" he said.
referring TO the dogs. They've struck
deer. and we'll have ne more sport this
ERE day. There's no getting hounds
away from one % them animals when
they once get good started ontil he's
| caught"
"The dogs" continued the old forester
Y with tho long beard. considers that "a
4 a deer's so much larger than a fox he's
more worth chasing"
Only n few struggling hounds returned
upon the hunters cali The others were
crashing their teeth IN their anxiety 10
surround the fleeing venlson. We were
not long I'm giving up the buoyant hope or
taking back Mr.. and Mrs. Fox and seve-
raj members OF their family 10 spend the
night with us, and returned to the farm
house as when we started-no, not as
when we started, exactly but tired,
sore, worn-out party.
This was tust about as much fox-hunt-
ing as j cared for. but the next day We
were ND and off bright and early again.
That day we were more successful. | say
I'VE because I took no prominent part
In the chase. "preferred' 10 lag along
behind. In fact. would rather have re-
NAMED at the dwelling. but would not for
worlds have intimated such a thing, for
I had been "guyed" enough as It was.
But we caught fox! And we caught
several others during our six days In
the woods. On the night Of the last day
was the crownlng event of that hunt. The
old Virginia mansion was thrown open 10
tho guests, and they were given dance.
A band had been gotten from the city,
and until almost day the merry young
folk skipped across the bare floors in the
glow OF the iog-fre. TO the beautiful
strains as they were waited away by the
country air c. IL. w.