Evening star., 1901-06-01

now, turning. dashes at the horses, whose
riders pull them on their launches and
take the new direction. Down into hollow
now through old river bed. now across
a vineyard. they go. The rabbit slips under
horses feet, and a hound snaps at him
Whlle the horses rear and snort. For an
instant the jack is confused, and then is
of again. outdong the dogs by lodging,
and at last saving himself by reaching a
hlgh mesa of scrub oaks and manZanita
a1ter wearing out half dozen horses and
several mounds. and, old New Eng
land fox hunter and cross-country rider
says. providing more excitement than could
be mustered in half dozen paper chases
me dogs, painting and with tongues ex-
tended, seek the nearest streams of water
from the Icy mountain streams after the
furious run which resulted unsuccessfully
through no fault of theirs The riders di-
rect thelr horses for brief rest to copse
or umbrella trees about a ranch home
Nearly every one diSmounts BY this time
the huntsmen have lost much of their
freshness and extreme neatness, so notice
aole an hour before White riding trous-
ers are stained by rude contact with the
hedges and the foliage of the or
chards Several women's habits are
spotted with mud and discolored
with stains of wild flowers. One
or two riders have suspicious earth stains
across their shoulders, which cause general
merriment at the memory of unpremedi-
tated landings made in soft fields of earth.
Every one In the party is soon busy tight
enlhs the saddle girths and making ready
for fresh start The dogs are encour-
aged by friendly pats. 1t is a period of
dog stories and, sitting in saddles, every
one has a brief tale to tell of the fncredihle
feetness of hounds in other chases. of their
Keen eyesight and rare Judgment.
Inc master sounds his horn again. and
the field is away. This time the riders
turn to the southeast where there are
smooth. broad rural roads and fewer
hedges. The route leads toward Santa
Anita. the rural beauty spot and the
show ranch of Los Angeles county
veritable garden of Hesperides stret cbes
away in every directions checker board
OF vineyards, olive and prune orchards
orange groves, grain plats and patches
or golden eschscholtzias, wild daisies blue
bells and yellow violets AS the hunting
party moves swiftly along to a new field
the women are for a moment tempted to
ioiter by the way and gather an armful of
niles from lily farm covering several
acres, but there is no time for enjoyment
OF the prodigal flower wealth
In fifteen minutes another rabbit is start
ed In heavy growth of wild heliotrope by
mound on at the left of the riders. The
rabbit bounds ahead several hundred feet
and Is breaking away for adjacent cover
Surely nothing four feet ever travelled
faster. The old fellow is not to have his
own way long, for dog that has many
rabbits ears and scalps to his credit does
not waste his wind in the early part of
the run, but wisely notices the direction
the rabbit Is taking and then starts at
iuii Speeu dlter MS prey on a diagonal
course, jumping through a cypress hedge
watch out, watch out,' shouts the mas
ter OF the hounds, amid the noise of horses
hoofs and trappings and jangling spurs as
the rabbit turns again, quick as a flash,
and runs, streak Of gray, right in front
of the horses. The dogs are terribly ex-
cited, and as they dash under the horses
feet In close pursuit of the rabbit two
riders are unhorsed. There is no time for
more than a passing glance at the fellows
scrambling to their feet in the dust and
barley stubble for the field is a hundred
yards away almost in a second The
horses have become thoroughly warmed
and limbered for speed. They leap bitches.
vault fences and tear through brush with
as much spirit as the hounds. A lean, sa-
gac1ous dog In the lead, that has served
q long apprenticeship in chasing Jack rab-
bits. has closed in upon his victim and
now. by an adroit movement that only a
shrewd hound knows. the rabbit Is inter-
cepted Just as 1t is about to plunge through
bunch of laurestfne. The rabbit is
caught; vigorous shake by the dog and
Its life Is ended. In a few seconds more
the perspfrfng hunters gather at the scene
OF the capture. The hunter who first seizes
the dead rabbit cuts off its long ears and
gracefully presents them to the horse
woman who has kept up with the hounds
and Is first ''in at the death"