The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-06
REYNtRDS GAME SUPPER.
A stor, Of Two Foxes ana . Duek Told
D., q virginia Sportsman.

- " Wv " 'h" sF' 49, ''fs
b, Q Virginia Sportsman.
This story ~ the skill Of the for In hunt
ing Wild ducks. and hu cleverne~s In pre-
siding at ~ut-equen, game dinners, is
told by a sportsman ~ Virginia
Il was one day heating the mssdo~s
for ouAils down on my farm in Loudon
county. : said he. when ] .av a small flock
Of mAllards ~ up from tho east and settle
down In a small lake living about . mills
from NV house A mAllArd in the pond
u worth many absent qusils.' ! said 20
myself, and went after the ducks
MY approach TO tho lake was covered
Nv a considerable hlun overhansing the
shore. When | had cra~l~d steAlthily
through the bushes and peeped over the
edge I perceived that ! was not The only
hunter In tha brush, and that other eve.
than mine were greedily fixed upon tho
ducks which we're sporting IN tho clear
water not sixty yaris FROM whore ! Law
The eyes IN question belonged to q hungry
red FOX that sat on tho shore Immediately
under the blum. Caring lonsingly AT tho
s~ucculent game dinner. which. to al APP
pearance-. was not attainable for him
Now. when ] found that Br'er For was
chasing The sam" quarry a. |, 7 became
more Interested ia tho woodcrsft Of that
noted huntsmsn and bamysrd brigand
than | was In tagging a brace OF tho NAL
lards for nv own dinner Therefore. |
law quietly concealed In the bushes to watch
the outcoms % the affair
-1h. fo, AT quite eth for q while. evil
IDENTIFY studying tho Strategic possibilities
~ the situation, which 20 me scanned hope
less enough for him A. he sat there ina
turing a plan - operations, the ducks began
20 dHft slowly toNard the nearer end Of
the lake. evidently with Tho Intention OF
'akng a nap, hidden IN N. long grasses
The foN seemed 20 divine their purpose
aud nstantly arose on all FOUR, quiyering
with excitement He stood Tor a moment
Ia tho attitude 81 a pointer mat has just
started a blrd and then, crouching down
M. sneak~d along the shore TO where ~.
uishe. we're thick.-t Then ne waded into
the water and disappeared In the reeds
Nothing more wss 80 lie seen ~ him
The ducks gradually dufted toward the
PUSHES, finally entered amons them and
we're lost 20 view For some time there
was not a sgn II IN. to 10 seen nor q sound
10 he heard over the whole lake. suddenly,
heard a loud -qusling Of g captured duck;
there was a great coinmotion among the
PUSHES. n splsShing OF water and the sharp
.lappinz sound % many wings as the
ais rined ducks arose from the water and
scurried "A soon after. the FOX appeared
~ mming through the reeds, towing .
good 'at mallard along 10y the neck
The fox brought the duck hack to the
-hadow ~ 'hs blur, and. after several
vigorous shakes to nd himself % the water.
"a ~g.oating over his pnye. alternately
sniNing a. IL and turning II over with his
uaws had expected 10 seq him proceed
io d.vour the fowl without but
instead 81 doing - he scratched q hole In
The ground. tumbisvi the duck into Il, COW
cred IL up and scampered "A as swiftly ~
'hough a pack Of hounds ia full cry ~srs al
Here. an ~spicurean Tor YOU. ! sAld to
myself. ReynArd evidently Likes bis game
Nevertheless. | suspected hat this WAS
not to bs the end Of the sfsir and, curious
20 $50 how my friend would act upon las
return to find his dinner gone, ! craw led
down the embankment, rcsurrected the
duck. hlled up the hole and resumed my
place Of observation to aws All developments
An hour or more passed and then l
caught a glimpse Of nv friend approaching
through the bushes along the margin OF the
lake, conducting To the festal board another
fox moro venerable looking than himself
The visiting fox did not se.m 10 svlncs
much confidence either Ia his hoet OF IA
the object % his quest FOR he arm along
haltingly and apparently unwtlhnslv but
the host was az calsrs ~ ~pleasurauie
anticipation
w NUlr uAAicf 'lt NNo ttAtt 49,
az the cache. and while the guest sat stunllv
by With q bored and socptical air. the ho~t
proceeded at once 10 uuearth ne ptotulsei
banquet. He scratched avsv merIily Tor
av hila until he had exCAvaicd a hole large
enough 60 have buried himself IN without
uncovcring 50 much a. u festhe< o' the
Nsunted duck
The situation wAs beComLns einbAr-
RAISING The name! Of the guest 49,
growing offensive. he Wa now coundeht
that hs vas being Imposed uI@n IN.
host. | believe. sA~ beginning 90 think that
he Rad caught a mole instead 81 sduck lie
nausea occasionally 10 sniN IN the hole
but nlmctialelN sumo excavations inui
n. v a. Obliged tu d-slsi nom sheer fAtigue
.Ih. two disappointed ~"!hcure, 'N
uu.,n oppo.ita -id,- - the ut gazing ulr-
nillv al each other the one with the air %! a
r.Sp.StAble usnl.T 90 . community who
had been made the subject 81 . cruel hoAi;
the Other with the mlen oi a bsnehcult
fur Who wAs tnr innocent victim OF moe'
able and unto~srd 1fvufn-
stan,,. Then INV friend, with a hulo
horn ~ d.-Iair. set - work In the hole
Asain. srfatchiug d..p-f Atslv With all
four. but viii The same fe~uIt a. before
4. n, eat hiu.,lt d.J-rt.iIy down ssAln
~. su,st ,a,, rim . rep oachful look.
TUNED tail upon lim and walked con
temItuously aNs'
m. y,i-~t , departure stung VIII remotse
a. the ,AalturN NV Nl'AF 1's~ hNu S'Suk
tt.n 90 hn-ui'allo q creature. l thfr"
the duck uNe the eWhsnkIncni W. Lope~
NV ffi-nu would s-is. 10 and MAE
after lis or~nded guest But the descent
~ IN. dead foNl aIA ms-i MIN and b. cnur~~i
q IN. a g.. rel comet. with he busry Ll
streaming Ater hin
That -,-nUs, walked over :" 80
A.. .hor- again The duck va gone
a. . q, 10 hol-i that the for returnrd
FOR /, md hat 10 -guaT~i himself vii re
,~r.rabie friend