Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-06
RARE KIND OF SPORT
THE DOVE BATS WHICH OCCUR IN
SOUTHERN RICE FIELDS.

The dove bait is in order down South
now. In some places the doves are
thicker than peas. which is saying
great deal. for in local parlance peas
is bout de plentfulest ting we got
"Doves?" says some one. is it pig
cons you mean? Wild pigeons or tame
pigeons?"
Neither. The bird in question is
dove, small, gray. huttering creature
whose character was long ago estab-
lished as harmless, in direct contrast
to that of the serpent"
Dove meat is more iuicier dan pa
fridge and more tastier," certifies
game connoisseur. partridge does
mostly let all he goodness go out cen
de gravy, but dove when hit cen
good fix is richness all trough. Look
IKE de more goodness you git out Of
him de more derc is left cen him. Dove
good ting to have cen de house, elder
de kitchen"
The needfuls for dove bait are,
first, field. not too large and border
ed on three sides at least by woods
thick enough to screen the hunters, or
rather the dove stalkers; next. a lib-
eral supply Of peas of various sorts to
sprinkle on the ground, and third, the
right number of congenial souls with
Zest for sport and sufficient discrim-
1nation to prevent them from shooting
one another in mistake for the game
1t is not always easy to satisfy all
these requirements at the same time
,ll
field, willing to squander mis- peas and
invite his neighbOrs, may not live in
Just the section Of the country where
the doves elect to dsport themselves
and he whose woods and fields are
thlckest with doves may not be of a
dove batting disposition
When everything suits and the right
invitations go forth to the right pco-
pie, there is hilarlty and rejoicing, for
n dove bait never stands by itself 1t
is bound to involve something else.
maybe two or three other things. No
body ever went to a dove bait any
where without staying over night at
the place where it was given, and the
BIRDS once haited and the game bags
crammed to bursting, all hands must
needs stay to supper in order to taste
the fruits Of the days shooting. How
many doves are bagged? Oh. it Is
impossible to say Nobody ever
counts, but there are scores and scores
OF them pulled out Of those grim duck
and leather wallets and tossed into the
Dig four-bushel basket to be picked and
consigned to the cook. Probably II
you visited the host of the dove bait a
week afterward the family would still
be eating doves, that is, if the weather
were cool enough to keep them Every
man who attended carried home a
brace or two and besides the attend
ants who helped to load shells the
night before, who looked after the dogs
and horses and hung around generally
when things were in motion. likewise
partook Of doves meat to their hearts
content.
VI course, truebOrn sportsman.
one who Is famous marksmnn aswell
who believes in giving the game moro
chance, and perhaps likes the field to
himself or with only one chosen com
panlOn, Will have none of this wllnic-
sale Strengthening. What, strew a field
thick with peas day after day until he
doves feed in security, and then take
stands and shoot them down when
there is utterly no chance for escano
ana even blindfo!ded man could kill
them? Barbarous.' is the veteran
hunters verdict. No, colonel. | won't
take in the dove bait. but Iii bring nv
dog out for a day or two of shooting
next week, and il there are anv left
Well eat doves Shot fair and SQUARE
in the open field, without the odds all
against them"
The hunter with whom hunting ie an
ideal pursuit may feel this way, but the
Coionels nephews and grandnephews
and their comrades, young fellows,
1ull OF dash and go. always in for any-
thing that means excitement and frn
feel differently. The mere fact oe 50
many setting out together, getting
ready In company and in pursuit OF
the same object, gives zest to their
pleasure, and they like the noise and
hubbub and happenings of this cut
and dried chase. Bang! bang. bang"
go the guns. There is the yeping az
o.
strained, and there is shouting and =
great deal Of smoi;e. Travellers along
the road might think it was battIa-
held, as the shots come from all direc-
ions, but the small darkies looking
on from safe distance, perhaps from
the vantage perch of tree or a fenca
One fascinating feature OF the dove
bait is that the participants know well
mat they can never again have tho
same fun on the same grounds Rv
the next year news will have spread
among the doves that the atmosnhero
or that particular plantation is un
heaithful, and they will satisfy their
appetites elsewhere.
FioEsinE I'm Russia by Machine.
FloggiDg has become so indisDenso-
Die IN Russia that some inventor has
perfected machine which saves the
human arm the infamous labor ~,
BLOWS. nder the GapelIo+i,, &c ~,