Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-30
AROUND THE EVENING LAMP.

one rabbit, 80 that my record for the
three years is three rabbits, very
simple calculation. About my third
annual rabbit hunt ! shall now en-
deavnr to write, that the circle which
gathers round the evening lamp may
have an impression of the sport. Tho
scene of tho hunt was section OF
Chester county. some % miles from viii
mington. With iicslibre breech
loading, single barrel gun and three
bengle dogs ] started out IN the MORN
ing, first inspecting the truck patch,
Suun after leaving that the logs seemed
10 strike scent, hut nothing came OF
their following the trail. Then for
time hunted field and gully without
success, although / could hear another
gunner banging away TO the north of
me. After time l reached meadow,
whore once hsfore rabbit had been
jumped, and there while working
along near one OF the dogs was pleased
and surprised to see it Jump" a rab-
bit. Dog and rabbit were so close in
the race which then hogan that do not
think | made any effort to shoot, but
simply waited 10 the neighhorhuod for
the rabbit to come back, which is what
"jumIe i" rabbit generally is OK.
pected to do il not "huled. had
not long to wait before cav Mr..
Rabbit stroll from thu bushes into
some tall grass about 80 yards away. |
sneaked up in that direction, but he
saw me first probably for ne began to
go away from there with much celebrity.
Apparently he did nnt desire TO meet
me. On my part, however, there was
desire for closer acquaintance and for
that reason l sent quantity of shot in
his direction. But the sight vas bad
or the charge was not heavy enough TO
accomplish my design. At any rate the
rabbit never even dcigncd to look
around, hut ran on and on. Not many
minutes later when the gunner already
mentioned shot rabbit a hundred or
so yards away ! wondered if 1t was the
rabbit | had stirred up. shall never
know.
w.
1t began to look like rains and
hogan to get anxious for fear should
not get my annual rabbit before the
storm beg8n: and l c0reied much
ground in my eRgerness to slay rabbits,
hut unarailingly. was now joined
in the hunt by my host who had fin
ished some of his farm work. Together
we searched high ami low but saw
neither eye nor ear Tor brush of rabbit,
until on our way hack. Near an old
saw mill, pirturesquely located in u
valley. | heard the startling swish
which means that rabbit is moving
from cover, and | saw bunny scooting
towards the Hawmill. Up weut the gun
but / WAS slow or tho bunny fast for
his white pu!f of tail had said good
bye to me upon disappearing into the
saw mill or an adjacent hols. We put
the dogs in but they diu not arouse the
slick creature.
~
In the afternoon two more men and
one more dog added themselves to our
company and we started out. We had
| not been away from the house 10 min
utes when one oil tho visitors shot a
rabbit and possibly half an hour later
the other visitor did likewise. II
looked as if the fates were against my
host and me.
In the course of the afternoon all four
began 10 work up a clearing. 1t was so
/ full of wood piles and brush that one
would think a sensible rabbit would do.
sire no better place to squat or give
| the dogs a chase.
"Whish - There was that pulse
quiokening rustic again, and GU,
| dashed rabbit from a pile of under.
brush which | was shaking. / fired
away rather wildly and the rabbit sped
away, apparently unhurt. Again tins
dogs were put in but did not hold tine
trail well. One of our party, however,
saw about where the bunny stopped Ia
rest and il WAS traced to woodpile
One gunner saw 1t sitting in the pile
and reached in to catch it, but Brei
Rabbit waited not to be caught. In.
stead it dashed past. the would be
captor and rushed up tho clearing with
the dogs in pursuit That was the last
of Brer Rabbit for us. Refuge was
probably taken in hole.
~
The afternoon was growing on apact
and yet | had not made my record oil
tho two previous years good. 1t really
began to look desperate. All four were
walking along trench within few
hundred yards of the farmhouse wher
my friend exclaimed:
"There's one.'
/ was right behind him, but saw
nothing, save the sides of narrow
ditch.
"Come here; shout it," be CON.
manded, addressing me.
went forward and endeavored IL
descry rabbit where he pointed, but nc
rabbit could / ses. He then directed
his punbarrel towards the spot and had
me sight down it in order to get line
on the rabbit, but could not make il
out. 1t should he said that it was
very accommodating rabbit to wait al
that timo 10 bs shot. Unable to sec
the thing. | felt it iii advised TO try q
shot myself and go told my friend Il
shoot it
Rather reluctant TO take my place,
he, however. aimed to nit the rabbi
In the head and fired away.
Then / stopped over the bank ant
saw bunny lying on its side in til,
squat" ! was about TO pick il up
when TO my surprise something dsshet
over the bank into the field. Almos
aa by instinct | aimed at the obiect
and pulled the trigger. AMI tine oh isci
stopped running. II was the same
rabbit which my friend had shot at
#**
Speaking Of rabbits, here is para
graph from the Philadelphia Times al
to the popularity of The rabbit foot
Tho rabbits foot has "clum" tnt
other verb or other form Of mood o
tense Of verb describes the process 81
fitly) TO higher place in trinkstdom
Heretofore the rabbits foot has beef
simply mounted in silver. or, at most
tortoise shell. Now il appears environet
with gold, sometimes set with preciou