The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-22
AFFAIRS IN SPOTSYLV ANIA.
A Gallant Red Fox Makes Il Fatal
Mistake After Many Successes.
Especial Dlspatcn 10 The Time

lSpcIiai biop1tSt Az A-4f AiiANS-i
HCLLLADAY, VA, Jan. 21,-Tho
usua. AM remarkable speu OF mid west-
Their winch began wLtI Christmas aai
Continued fer more than three weeks was
Il great BOON to the farmers OF TINS Sec
ton owing TO the long drought. last
summer uae hay crop was a very small
one and the corn crop was the most
total failure il many years The farm
erS are therefore very SlOrt of gram
and hog feedf' and there was serious
apprehension on the part OF many taat
they would not be able to carry their
live stock through the winter. y con-
tnuance of soft and sprlng-!lke days Tor
so long a period at the season when the
cod is usually most severe and the wea-
Their most Indictment has gone TAR TO
solve the problem of gran and provender.
Live. stock has been enabled to sub
s.st upon q very small allowance of TODD.
and at the same time to retain strength
and flesh in reserve for the hard weath-
er vet to come. Fer the same reason
the country people have reason to be
thankful for 4 great saving OF money
and labor in wood getting. This is one
of the heaviest items OF expense during
the winter season, or, where the farmer
does his own work, it is one of the most
arduous and laborious tasks he' has to
perform.
Whi.e the mild weather has relieved
the cares, expenses and labor OF country
people on the one hand. on tbs other 1t
has afforded Il fine opportunity for sport
for those who enjoy hunting. Messfs.
clyde Taylor, Ellis Young. HuSn H.
Dickinson and James Is. Daniel have
pack of fox tonuds said TO be the finest
ever raised in this section. When they
get tEleir dogs together and the champion
fox hunters of Orange county come
down to join them in the chase, the
woods and hills are made to echo sweet
music from down about New Bridge on
the North Anna all the way up to the
foot hills of the Blue Ridge.
During the present season an old red
fox OF wonderful cunning. great fleet
ness, fine endurance and long experience,
has given the hunters many an hour OF
pleasure on long runs, finding his way at
times all the way up to the hills near
Cordonsrille. The men and the dogs ana
the horses, and even the ''old red him-
self. seemed to get great enjoyment out
of the chase
The cunning old fellow, who, by reason
of local attachment. family affairs or
merely TO get a chance to show the boys
his heels once more, always returned to
the neighborhood came to be regarded
by the hunters with great respect. II not
with something of persona! friendship
But a few days ago old red made the
der. 1t is impossible to say whether 1t
was due 10 an error of judgment, a fit
of abstraction or to some other cause.
perhaps he was not in his usual health
and his condition was not fit that morn
ing. 1t may be that his vigorous appetite
had betrayed him into an oVer-lnoul-
gence in chicken. hare or some other
dainty on the night before. Possibly ne
had grown contemptuous OF the skill
,r nd, hunters and over
confident OF his own cunning and hneSse,
none can say.
we only know that he made an IRE
trievable blundeT in taking to Il hole,
when hard pressed, instead Of continuing
his fight down the banks OF the North
Anna as usual. He was made prisoner,
and after two game runs for his lite on
the next day, was killed. The sportSmen
of this section cannot hope to find a
worthy successor to this gallant old red
for many a day to come.
Tho people have read the reports OF
smallpox in this county with decidedly
more interest than pleasure. There is no
smallpox in the upper end OF SpotsylVa-
MIA county, and none at Sulphur Mines
or vicinity The health of the people has
been unusually good. There have been
some cases of influenza or grip, bat the
disease is in a mild form and has been
ing the present season.
The colored people of this section are
making remarkable progress. They fully
bear out the belief which The Times has
so often expressed in its editorial col
umns, tina. the negro viii succeed as a
farmer With few exceptions, the negroes
here are doing we'll They are learning
habits of Industry. economy and thrift.
But in no particular is their advancement
more notable than in the growth of self
respect, which puts an end to petty
thieving, which was one of the natural
and inevitable results of slavery.
In the last few weeks, however. this
neighborhood has suffered from the
depredations of thieves. Two meat
houses and one courthouse have been
broken open. Losses have not been heavy,
and it will probably be found that only
one or two men have been concerned in
the crimes. and that the colored people
are quite as anxious as the whites that
the guilty persons should be punished.
Mr.. John w Holiday has arrested Tom
Davis and found some of the meat stolen
from him in Davis possession.