The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-23
SHORT-LEGGED DOGS WON.
a HUNT TO TEST THE MERITS OF
UNDS IN MINE.
Tail, Gaunt Dogs from Pennsylvania Fitted
AGninst short-LeEEed Domestic Hounds
"A Long Kan Given By a Samson Fox
The Huut Finally Faded by - Dead Fall.

Tall, Gaunt DoGs from Pennsylvania Fitted
Agntnst S~hort-LeEEed Domestic Hounds
"A Long Kan Given By a Samson Fox
The Hunt Finally Faded by - Dead Fall.
HOLDEN. Me-. Nov. gam amicable feud
that has existed for Jwo years between the
owners Of the short-legged domestic foxhounds
and tho proprietors OF the tall, Raunt dogs
brought here from Pennsylvania was settled
last Saturday in an open field trial, where both
breeds had an opportunity to follow a Samson
fox as long and 10 hard as they desired. Ever
since the fall pig sticking began tho butchers
have been carrying the uffal TO the top OF a
high bank near the river and spreading IL about
in small heaps TO lure tho foxes to tho place.
A dozen or more foxes have been visiting tho
spot by night and Rorging themselves, so
when the hunters and dogs came along at day
light to start the sport, the over-fed animals
ran but q mile or so. and then took to their
holes for safety. When tho dens we're not In
lodges or among great ro.ks, the hunters dug
the foxes out and killed them with clubs. so
that q vigorous sportsman who was armed
with q spade and crowbar could earn as much
as rs cents o day II he attended to business.
Seven foxes vera dug out and slain In ono
week. and the visitors to the offal heaps were
getting thinned out fast whom the dogs cotton
the track of a fox that wouldn't hole. and a
merry chase was kept up for two days and the
better part OF two nights. Tho first day the
dogs followed the scent from the west end OF
Owington to Bucksport. From here the fox
struck out for East Bucksport, and crossing
tho limo into Dedham, came back through Hol-
don and Brewer to within two miles of the
start. Weary and bedraggled dogs came
limping home all through the night. and some
Of them didn't get in before the start was made
the next morning.
The dogs started of on two fresh tracks at
daylight, and their owners followed in two
sections. The first party had hardly crossed
the Bucksport line when they found their
dogs baying at a hole. The fox. which proved
TO be a loose-haired wood gray, whose pelt
was not worth over 40 cents. was dug out aud
slain, and dogs and hunters went back to pick
UP the men and dogs of the second party. that
had gone north through Brewer and struck
for the wilds ot Eddington. BY hiring n buck
board, they overlook the hunters in the edge
OF Bradley soon after dinner time. Out in
The wet meadows the short-lcgeed dogs lost
the scent, and went bowling through the woods
after rabbits or anything their noses could de-
among the windfalls by the swollen stream,
and tracing the fox from hillock to log and
from log to stump and hayst4ck. crosssd the
good warm scent, which led for East Holden.
Hers the fox doubled and passing Into Owing
ton, circled the ponds and swan the streams
until the best dogs got Disguised with so much
water, and hobbled home to care for their
blistered and parboiled feet.
Tho following day the proprietors Of the
dogs met, at the store and did considerable
home-made Dragging. which resulted in a
owners OF the domestic and Pennsylvania
dogs; The agreement was that each side
take place the first morning after a frosty
night and tho side which had the more dogs at
the finish should be the winner.
After a cloudy day it cleared of on Friday
afternoon of last week. and when the sun went
do Sn the stars began TO wink, irving promise ofa
good day: TIL. ter hounds were on the scent and
away by 5 O'Clock on Saturday morning. The
fox did not circle or take a bee line. but zig,
the forenoon. About IL O'Clock Tom Heald
Of Bangor, who was out on tho Day road in
Brewer after cartridges. saw an animal coming
down the Lii from lewleyville. and entering
the road cross the stream on the bridge. after
which It toox to tho tialds. ?s.e!nG w:::a!,. :cu
1t carefully. asst went by. and made up his
mind that 1t was a very handsome collie dog
p!ss later, when the hound; broke over the
1o.liicatIon; Heald went home and reported
The hounds. which mad run in a pack all
the forenoon. began TO thin out and form n long
sooner did the fox learn Of tits than lie ceased
making short tacks, and bolted for East Ed
a fhe foa cross ms: the how" s,rs ~ho a aISe Ibe e'G fost oy Of f ths
pond about l o'clock. followed fifteen min
utcs later by a long legged hound: Ten min
utes behind this came two of the domestic dogs.
running abreast and making beautiful music.
and just as the weary hunters arrived In car
low ed by two short-lccGed competitors. In
this order they went through the birch clear
r lnTs gna ap e9 3fen R Giitlo Hal, BG in h a woy w@o m wss
the fox on the HORSEBACK two miles below
Clifton Corner. and thinking II was a dog.
let it pass. though he had a loaded gun on his
wagon seat. II. was so mad when he learned
of his mistake that he tied his hungry horse to
a sapling and Joined the hunt.
Ginning the al 10 of Eagle GIN. n StpeD
granite hill. which stands among the head
waters OF Union River. the fox circled three
corkscrew spirals. Two hunters who stood
$50 Yards below t.. path sa" the fox pass
with very long silky hair that, %Elittered in the
fading sunlight. Hall. who had hurried TO
upon. his game, saw the fox go by 900 yards.be-
low him., and knew It was LACK. Seeing the
two men half way uo the hill. he made a speak
ing trumpet o. his hands and told them it wasa
black fox. OF course. they yelled back that IL
was u red one. and the war. Of words went on
until the foxhad circlcd tho Hill again and come
out within nifty wards OF Hall. who could have
shot It as well as not II he hadn't been talking.
glare OF sunset. 1t was dark among the bushes.
so the men had trouble to distinguish the dogs
rs they came along. The leader was old Bones;
hound. the property OF Ed Kenny. Behind
him was a dark;coloroL whining dog that the
went bv in the dusk, though nobody could tell
% which side they belonged.
meanwhile Tho hunters. Scaling the hill
from all sides, we're approaching the summit.
determined 10 form a Gordon and drive tho
fox to tho very top and keep him there all
night. II they couldn't Kill it before. They
spread out and made n great noise, cracking
limbs and cheering on the dogs, which had
ceased to howl. and were uttcring occasional
wh,nes, as II they had lost the scent. The sun
had gone down, and there was no light In tbs
west except n fading arc Just at tho edge of
tho horizon, when old Bones sent his buGlc call
from the side o: Eagle CHI TO Black Cap and
Chicks Hill. "ow, ow; wow, wow. vow"
the echoes to come back. soon he said "ow"
again. but instead OF completing his tune, he
ended up in an angry VA, va. ya-r.r-r!n, This
meant that he had caught the fox and was
crushing its bones between his teeth.
In making his last circuit the fox had run
under u log deadfall. which Jack Gilpntrick
had set for a bear, and tho log had fallen, crush-
ing Reynardi head 10 pulp. When the men
arrived Bones was dis'ocating IN" animals
backbone, and there was no other dog in sight.
Later u hound of the Pennsylvania breed came
in. and after him Were two OF tho local breed.
The rest OF the dogs did not show ~. The fox
proved to be a very large specimen OF the va
rlety known as the cross fox, SO named be-
cause there il a black cross,of hair on its back
near the roreshoulders. The cross, which IL
generally confined to the neck AM shoulders.
extended the whole length OF the back in this
a Al 800 aIla - aL- - =