Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-22
THE MUSKRAT BILL.
DELEGATE MATTHEW'S AND sENA-
TOR LIE CATO DEFENDED.
The Up-Country Barbarians Don't
Know What Is Good-King and
0ueen Is Observation-Disclosures
Shot HimseIf-Briefs. "a

clal)-The people of the Eastern snore
heartily endorse the bill Of Delegate .
wilkins Matthews. Intended to prevent
the killing of muskrats during certain
months of the year. and Senator lie cato
knew that he was doing the right thlng
when, as chairman of the Senate COM
mfttee, he made a favorable report on
the muskrat bill. 1t created no surprise
here when 1t was announced in the Rlch-
mond papers that the upland members OF
the General Assembly had endeavored 10
poke fun at the bill and indulge in good
natured railery at Delegate Matthews
and Senator lie Cato. The Dispatch ccrre-
spondent was once as ignorant or the ue-
licious flavor of muskrat meat as these
upland representatives now appear TO be-
but some fifteen years ago kind friehd
I'm Onancock offered him some muskrat
that had been caught and cooked at the
home of the late Hon. George X. Dennis
formerly a United States Senator from
Maryland, and from that day TO TINS the
aforesaid correspondent has been a uear
lover of muskrat, properly prepared ana
cooked. Senator Dennis. who was MIN
fine estate on Pocomoke river, was hlgh
authority on things good TO eat and IL Is
known that he put but few things, II any
above muskrat. Another man OF TINS re-
eion. famed for his good living, was the
late Samuel G. Taylor, who for many
years was a pillar Of the old Messohso
Hardshell Baptist church, in the horth-
western part of Accomac. SO strong was
his liking for muskrat that when ne WAS
SO years old he spent an entire SUNDAY IN
digging some OF these willy little ahimals
ont of their holes on the banks of Mes
sengo creek. for which he was summary
turned out of the church. Numerous Other
authorities and instances could De clteo
TO prove that Delegate Matthews anu
Senator lie cato are right In protecting
the musxrat from DETERMINATION, anu
that the upland members are wrong III
trying to ridicule a measure fraught win
so much interest to the epicues OK lne
Eastern Shore and other tidewater re-
gions Of Virginia
ENDORSED IN KING AND QUEEN
gentleman who has just arrived mere
| from King and Queen county where
| muskrats abound along the watercouISes'
| saws that the people of that section heart-
| ily endorse the muskrat bill OF MI MAJ
| thews. IL is currently reported here that
|
raj muskrats caught and properly pre-
| pared during the Christmas holidays ana
| will take them to Richmond for the up
| land members to eat, hoping thus 10 con
| vert them from the error Of their way Vi
| thinking about muskrats. Several years
ago. while this writer was spending
| summer i'm his native county or Nelson'
| he was regaling some Of his old trlehus
| with an account of how the Eastern
OF fhn
| diamond-back terrapin, when an old color
ed man. who had been an attentive u.s.
tener. remarNeE with a significant grunt
| "Well I never expected dat white man
raised in dis county would ever come 70
datr
Judge Gunter. Of the Circuit Court, who
| has been confined to his home for the
past month by indsposition, has gone to
| baltimore for medical treatment.
HELLO! HELLO!
The Hall Telephone Company, which has
inst been chartered will connect all tht
villages and towns i'm the northern par
! of Accomac. Mr.. James A. Han IL th'
president and treasurer of the company
and Mr.. James w. Broughton the vice
president. The line will extend as 1al
south as Accomac Courthouse, and as fal
| north as New Church and Chlncoledsu'
| Island. ,,..,~.
John Scott. a young white man Evini
In Deep Creek Neck, was out In DUCK
blind Yesterday, when he fell on his gui
and caused it to go off. the load striking
his left knee. and inhicting painful, i
not serious, injury.
Tho stores OF Onancock are dressed on
u halliday attire. and every day th'
streets are thronged with country people
coming in to lay in their supplies o.
| Christmas goods
A cold rain has been falling here foi
the past two days.