The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-07-10
BADGER HUNTS GALORE.


Did the reader ever catch bads
err There is considerable fun Il
II not unm;xed with a certain
amount Of danger, for the badge
can bite when cornered.
A party of English public school
boys, with their tomboy sisters ant
cousins, went of on ferreting OK
petition TO capture rabbits a goot
many winters ago. There were alst
four fox terriers and two small boy,
OF the village, who carried the nets
q sack, spade and the ferrets. Tn.
dogs looked forward to the fun with
just as keen an enjoyment as the
small people. and as rabbits on the
old estate were plentiful there was
no lack of sport. At one burrow the
dogs set up perfect chorus of JOY,
and the party felt certain that there
must be a dozen "bunnies" at homo.
The nets were soon spread over the
different holes, but nothing would
induce the ferret to 60 down. Even
his hair stood up in silent objection,
and one of the party thrust his arm
down into the hole to find out what
was the matter. A cold nose was
felt, and the hand was withdrawn
in hurry.
The spade was at once brought
into requisition. Every one expect
cd to find a fox. which of course
would have been religiouslS let
alone. The gray striped forehead
of a badger, however, was soon
seen, and the JOY among the small
company was immense. Handker.
chiefs were made into restraining
ropes to keep of the dogs, and the
girls had to hold them back, for no
one wanted the badger hurt. There
was prospect of many a hunt in
the future II stripes" could only
be got home. The badger had not
; long tail, but the boys dug for 1t
md found it, and then came the tug
If war. Each boy took turn, but
here seemed to be no moving that
'ascal. AT last two of them took a
land together at the animal. The ,
logs in the meanwhile were half
Wild with excitement, and the girls :
lad all they could do to keep the ]
ogs back. !
The combined efforts of the two {
oys brought the badger out so sud- I
only that both boys fell ON their
acks, and the sight of the badger b
'as too much for the dogs. They h
roke away from the girls, and in a
lat little ooppice might have been {
zen a mixing up of boys legs, an a
'gry badger fighting. for his life 4
I'd four terriers bedeoked with Z
who were warning {,
yainst what they thought their ],
'mmon enemy. It was hard Job G
tail that badger, but it was done, E
I'd he was safely placed in the il
OK. The youngsters went homo Ii
II OF pride, and many good run q
at old badger gave them. He al. d,
avs had 20 minutes law, and then Il
it'll two beagles picking up the te
emit the boys followed on foot, with ci
Q dogs in leash. Once when hard II
essed the badger crossed the river.
ID, though it was cold, the boys IL
'am across. IT.
The youths took care that the ami. cl
81 was not hurt. When brought re
bay. he was tailed by one of the ci
rty and put back in his sack and fo
iven home, where a plentiful sup d.
OF rabbit flesh gave him hearty IN
sal. That badger seemed to enjoy a
hunt, and after giving fun for 81
o years he was pensioned. A ey
'rm home and all he could eat and W
ink we're given to him, and, bar. w
~ his objection to dogs, he was tr
most me.--New York Tribune. M