The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-04


Lynchburg Va, Dee. "a souther-
~ wind and cloudy sky proclaim a
hunting morning" The Hunt club had
hoped for just such a day as this. with
the sun cleaning 'redly over the Nir-
ginia hills and the fragrance OF grass
and November leaves rising i'm mist
that Is sure TO make the scent lie well.
or all the sports that have come from
Europe 90 find a welcome on this side
of the Atlantic there Is none that ap-
peals SO warmly To the bold American
spirit as the hunting OF the fox
"A day with hunt club, What could
be more inspiring than the musical cry
of the hounds. intermngled with the
blasts of the horn that the huntsman
uses 50 Wei? The English custom OF a
hunt breakfast before the meet has
been adopted in this country within the
last few years and the merry compa-
ny, red coated, booted and spurred.
with the women in their riding habits
of dainty fashion and their silver
mounted whips dangling from their
gauntleted wrists, gather around The
table in the clubhouse for breakfast
with an appetite that laughs at all con
ventionality. The dining hall rings with
laughter and badinage. The man who
has been lin at the death" so many
times that he cannot count them is
there. filling with admiration she who
is about TO take her first run with the
hounds. The old fellow who is afraid
that his hunter is hardly up 10 his
weight listens disdainfully te the boast
ing OF his neghbor and mentally de-
termines to show everybody what real
hunting Is If he breaks his neck i'm the
task
soon the impatient winding of the
horn outside brings the meal 10 "A sud
den close and everybody dashes out 10
the open. where grooms are holding the
impatient steeds, while the hounds sniff
about, with low growls from the sea-
sCned dogs and yelping cries from the
youngsters.
Mind the hounds!" yells the mas
ter, as young man rides his plunging
horse among them There are few
worse offenses in the field than 10 ride
over the hounds. and the stern individu-
al who is responsible for them Is not
disposed To pick his words i'm giving
warning. The young man bushes and
hopes that the young girl with the
scarlet feather in her hat did not hear
the rebuke.
Nih"i' Sht hiNf anu ptiH.IS sic ulu
not. At all events. the word is given
10 ride over Bull meadow. where. I'm
thicket just on the other side of that
quickest hedge. il is expected that a
fox will be unearthed. The two dozen
men and women on horseback canter
easily along the dusty road toward the
meadows. the hounds well In front and
the huntsman. with his horn ready for
business, Immediately behind the dogs
Here we are in the meadow. at last.
The tramping of the horses hoofs i'm
the soft ground bruises the grass and
the hounds bay as the fragrance of
mother earth rises to their eager nos
trils.
Look out for that hedge 1t is a stiff
jump, and unless you hold your horse
well together you will come To grief
The hounds have made their way over
or through IL, and the huntsman. with
splendid dying leap, is over with
them. Miss Blank. a young woD1an
who captured the brush twice last year
follows the huntsman, her skirts rip
ping in the breeze as she holds her
seat with the firmness Of a veteran.
Two men are over the hedge, one of
them shaving the top with a swish