The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-28
HOW THEY HAD A
GRAND COON HUNT.
Great Time it Proved to be for
Participants.
DOGS TREED POOR PUSSY CAT.
The Right Trail Was Finally Struck,
and the Captive Is Now
the Pet of tho
Household
DOGS TREED POOR PUSSY CAT

Aunt Lucy mad promised that the boys
should take me on Il coon hunt the first
moonlight night after my arrival at Sem
per Hill, this past October. On q former
visit TO the old Virginia homestead my
three boy cousins had planned TO take me
on one of their famous hunts. but there
had always been some reason at the last
moment why we should give it up; chiefly
on Aunt LucX'S account, Tor she ureaueu
our going out q dark night, ana vas
not fortunate enough to BE- there WElie 1he
moon was full. The old hunters Will tell
YOU that it is better to so on DARK
night, for the moonlight favors the coon
as well as the hunters. 1t rained virtually
all the first week of my visit, and the
next bright day afterwards Ned and L
drove down to the SteSers to get the oio
man to promise to let his two boys come
the next night and bring their famous
coon dogs The boys suggested that their
cousin Hiram Scott, be asked TO come
along with MS ..od 'possum' dog, Snap.
for as they argued, it could not hurt our
sport to tree 'possum as we went along.
and it might give US a great deal OF
amusement and so it proved. They all
begged that we should wait until SATURDAY
night for, as old Steger said, Luther and
Jim then can be as lazy as they choose,
for the next day they'll have nottln' to
do but feed the stock, and the Lord
knows that won't take much time.
Saturday was IL beautiful day, and all
dav was on pins and needles lest some
thing should happen to postpone our anti
cipated pleasure. The boys leased me a
good deal at the midday dinner, telling me
that / never could stand the tramp that
the dogs would lead us, and that l had
better rest up all day. l didn't mind the
teasing much, for although l was city
girl, / took as much or more exercise than
my country cousins, and | certainly dld
it more regularly. They rode on horseback.
il is true and what good Virgnlan
doesn't? But would they have walked the
four miles back and forth TO college as
| had done for the past two years, steadliy
dav in and cut? The principal reason that
| minded their teasing me was that Aunt
Tuc,- might take back her consent to my
going if she heard that it was to be so
fatisu;ng In a big household 1t Is a
Great mistake to have ones plans discussed
at In. table and many of our expeditions
had had a quietls put on thsm lor thaI
very reason. In a large family like ours.
each one with his own strong opinions, II
is necessarily SO; and dear Aunt Lucy
was apt to be Influenced by the ooldest
or the one who managed to get her ear
first.
we were at supper when old Davey SAL
to mo as he passed the puffs: Oars de
hem Miss Kitty; de Stager boys Is at de
c-da- gate wa:tin' fur y all The appe-
,izing puff was forgotten as I jumped up.
telling the boys excitedly that l would run
I and get my hat, il they would only hurry
M and finish. When came downstairs,
after having rad a fye-minutes' hunt Tor
| my golf cape. which dear, kind old nanny
had .sccretsd in Minnie's closet, | found
the BOYS with lighted lanterns all ready
, 10 accompany me.
aunt Lacy mad sent out to beg the hunts
men 10 have some supper. but they de-
cIineI, having Just eaten. they said.
Tnsy most probably would nave liked a
good. strong drink, but that was not to
Aunt Lucy's taste. she would nave pre-
ferred making them hot coffee and cook
ing them good supper with her own
hands to giving them a wneslass OF Ii
ouor thought that Edmund's great coat
pockct rad a. queer bulge to II, and l
discovered the reason why at midnight,
for wien we separated at the cross reads,
the men and dogs going down the river.
and we, homo, it was big bottle that
Edmund pulled out OF that self-same
rocket. It certainly made the river party
very lively. and we could hear th-ar
voices for long time after We parted. I
am running ahead now, however.
We went pretty slowly down the hill
to the bottom, and tfen over To the Hen.
rvs farm. There HiraE1's dog started up
a ,Dossurn, and for ten minutes he led US
pretty run. much faster than had
imagined a 'pnssun could. from the way
the boys had talked. They laughed when
I said this, and told me that had bet
ter wait until we got on a coon's trail,
ana then / would see what a fast run Was
j and I did see pretty soon. We freed our
.possum In a little pers.mmon tree on,
Hackett's cresk. He was shaken down
and carried on. the same old game OF
postum but none, excepting innocent lit
tles.me. had the faintest idea that he was
either bruised or unconscious from the
fall He was thrown into a bag with the