Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-11-19
A BLIND HUNTER.
HOW TOM JOHNSON OF KENTUCKY
CAUGHT A MAD DOG.

Hounds as Well ns Ever Familiarity
with Country an Explanation - Ills
Mount Also Blind.
A remarkable feat accomplished a
few days ago by Tom Johnson, who
has been blind in both eyes for twenty
wears, has been the talk Of the county
for the past ten days, says Nicholas
vile (Ky.) letter in the Chicago Times
Herald. Johnson is fox hunter. he
keeps pack of the finest hounds in
the county. Mag, one of his Eayorite
dogs, went mad. Johnson's wife and
children and neighbor, 10 Harvey
Brumfield, were ont in the yard when
Mag came running through the orchard
foaming at the mouth, and swapping
right and left. II was a genuine case
Of hydrophobia.
The people in the yard frantically
rushed into the house, locked the
doors, and told johnson of the condi-
ton of his favorite dog. In the
meantime Mag had dashed by the
house aud started off in the direction
Of neighbor's. When Johnson was
told of the dogs hydrophobia he arose,
and, despite the efforts of his family
and Mr.. Brumfeld, walked into the
yard. Directly Mag came bnck and
seemed to he in more violent state
of madness than before. Those in
the house called TO Johnson that the
dog was coming, and piteously begged
him to return. The old blind man
needed not the appeals of his family,
but stood like statue listening to the
snarling of the dog. Mag spied him
and came straight to him.
There she comes" yelled Brum-
field, from inside of the house. Still
the old man stood his ground. Within
ten feet Of him Mag stopped, then.
slowly approached him, still swapping
and snarling. Right TO the blind
mans feet came the dog, and as she
was about to seize his leg he reached
down and, with an instinct seemingly
superhuman, grasped her about the.
neck in a vise-like grip
The dog struggled in vain to free
himself, but Mr.. Johnson started
toward the woodshed, dragging her.
Brumfield came and opened the door
of the shed, and Johnson approached
and hurled the dog inside. Brumtield
quickly closed the door, aud Mag was
left to her rawlings till a shotgun was
procured and she was killed.
This feat of Mr. Johnson's il only
one of many in his remarkable career.
He is so years old, and the story of
his deeds sounds more like fiction than
fact. Twenty years ago he was nan
Of aif1uence, but he lost his eyesight
and, having q large family, his for
tune dwindled until today he has only
a holse. and faG frlaRk2ar-klf
biz lie he has been passionately fond
of fox hunting, and has always kept a
fine pack of dogs. When he went
blind it was thought his hunting days
were over, but such was not the case.
He became even more devoted to the
sport. Strange as il may seem, he
has never required guide to aid him
in riding over the cliffs of the Kentucky
river in his chase. Mounted Oh his
old blind mule, this blind man may be
seen one or two nights every week
riding along dark and narrow path
of rugged cliff, while his dogs are
searching for trail of fox. After
the trail is found he stops, and all
night long listens to the baying Of
the dogs as they follow the trail, NOV
ing only when Reynard leads the dogs
to more distant parts.
Typical fox hunter that he is. he
knows the mouth" of his every dog.
Did a stranger meet him on a dark
night he would never know the man
was blind. Many are the tendorfeet
he has led on these night hunts. His
ability to find his way on these chases
is accounted for by him in that he is
perfectly familiar with the scope of
country over which he hunts, but
when it is remembered that this scope
extends for many miles along the rug
ged cliffs of the Kentucky river. and
that he rides mule as blind as HIM
self, it can be considered no less re-
markable.