The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-13
CHASING THE HARES.
s.Becky Sharp" Rides Thirty Miles
at a Coursing Meet.
4 DAY At COTTONWOOD FALLS.

Exeitemsnt of u Jack Rabbit Hunt
Participated in by Five Hundred
PeOple-A Fine Day and a Successful
5Eeet.
Again I've been enjoying a scientific
sport. Last time it was foot ball, at
Lawrence; yesterday it was the annual
coursing meet by greyhounds, under the
auspices of the Coyote .COursing club at
Cottonwood Falls
am not quite convinced that foot ball
is not brutal, though probably it is not SO
much SO as it looks, and l was quite pre-
pared to think coursing cruel.
But in the excitement of the chase
almost forgot to feel sorry for the poor
hares.
When l arrived at Cottonwood Falls
the evening before the meet, | was intro
duced to Mr. G. W. Heintz the secretary
and treasurer of the coyote Ceursing
club" and he promised to see that l had
a horse which could follow the hounds,
though one of the coursing rules says
that no one except the judge and repre-
seutatives of the owners of dogs shall
follow the dogs.
saw the drawing which is to decide
the order in which the dogs shall run,
and it is conducted as follows: The dogs
are numb ered and the numbers written
on gun wads which are placed in hat
Two disinterested parties draw at time,
and the dogs represented by the num-
bers they draw, are thus destined to run
together, and are SO placed on the score
card.
I still was much in the dark as to what
the "slippers"' duties were as well as
several other things, but Mr.. W. E Den
nison, president of the club. Mr.. Heintz
and AIr. Guthrie of Osawatomie, son of
Judge w. W. Guthrie of Atchison prom
ised to further enlighten me at the meet
retired rather early at the little Cot
tonwood Falls hotel so as to be fresh for
the sport next morning. rose at the
break of day. In fact it wasn't light at
ALL made my toilet hurriedly but
firmly for l did not know how wildly 1
might be called on to career over the
country.
1t was found that it was not possible
to get modern saddle, as everybody
who owned one was going out, and as l
mounted my apparently not at all fiery
steed, l had some doubts about his being
able to be in sight of the finish, much
less so to be in ut the death.
Later, my doubts were changed and
were regarding my own ability to hold
on while that Quiet(?) horse shot
through the air like bolt from q cata-
pult
About 500 people rode and drove out
nearly all together about 8 a. M, I hav-
ing the .honor of riding with Mr.. Denni-
son, president of the club. who rode on
horseback and led his two greyhounds,
Lord Arlie and Frank.
As we rode along MIR. Dennison, who,
as he says beside being distinguished by
having brother who is a senator and an
dfyn - H.
last edition of the Hillmon jury, tried to
explain coursing terms to me.
l am afraid l did not prove an apt
pupil, and even now I can scarcely ex-
plain what is meant by speed" 'go-
bye" ''turn," wrench" skill" strip u
etc, all of which are technical terms be-
longing to the sport.
After sharp canter of five miles over
the rolling prairie, southwest of Cotton
wood Falls. the party turned into q large
pasture and prepared to begin the days
sport
The dogs, which with few exceptions
had been taken out in wagons and car
riages, were whining impatiently, and the
two which were to start first were jump.
ing about as much as the slippers re-
straining hand would allow.
The horses champ their bits rest
lessly and the peopls in carriages stand
up to see the start.
In few moments jack rabbit jumps
mp, apparently right out of the earth
and darts of with its long ears up, as
Mr.. Heintz. the accomplished slipper
lets the dogs 60
Immediately the whole crowd Is all
excitement, and horsemen and carriagee
alike push forward in spite of the mar
shall who tries to enforce the rule o.
keeping the crowd back.
Mr.. Dennison says: "The ground il
only medium good for the sport" auC
the pursuers and pursued look like threG
small birds flying close to the GROUND
over hill and ravine.
Suddenly the poor rabbit turns and
runs straight back toward the crowd
who are seeking its destruction.
breathe sigh of relief as it lodges
into hole and somebody declares it ar
an undecided race.
Nelson and Thought So were the dogs
Then another rabbit is started and