The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-02-20
THAT HUNTING PARTY.

THAT HUNTING PARTY.
de following letter which we clip
frnm the Gloucester Democrat, oI
Woodbury., N. j., of Feb. 6 Will, inter-
est the psople OF Scotland Neck and
community:
Mr.. EDITOR: The cunning party
is now about to leaye Hobgood, as DER
arrangement with P. A. Rasberry, of q
large hotel in Scotland Neck, n. c.
The carriage and baggage wagon are
in front of the door of our Hobgood
quarters to take US across the country
about eight miles to the town of Scot
land Neck, in Halifax county. It is q
town of about 1900 inhabitants. It.
main street ls about two miles long
and about Is feet wide between the
curb lines, one row of maple trees in
the centre aud grass plots, with public
pumps at nearly every block. The
teams that are taking us away from
Hobgood are far different from those
we haye been accustomed 10 use here.
We have one canopied carriage with
pair of spanking blacks, and one
iron.gray to what is known in the
south as a Jersey wagon this is for our
baggage and dogs. We omitted to tell
you in our first letter that on the
train down we made the acquain-
lance of Mr.. Dunn, the sheriff of Hal
flax county, and it is by his invitation
that we are at Scotland Neck, and for
the many kindnesses and courtesles ex-
tended to us by the Sheriff, as we'll as
many of the best people of the town
and country nearby, We feel that we
are under everlasting obligations, and
we promise that we will repay them
in measure if any Of them should
ever come to our town. The Sheriff
has a pack of hounds that are used in
chasing criminals, and as your cores
pondent has always been skeptlcal
about dogs running the track of man
to a certainty, the Sheriff consented to
give us an exhibition, provided tn at
we could get niger. Our man,
Rachor, was equal to the OCCASION, and
finally secured the negro, but not with
out some trouble, az several that he
asked positively refused, saying "they
didn't want to be torn to pieces by
then, dogs" Finally, with fine talk,
assuring the boy at the stable that he
should not be hurt, and jingling the
silver IN his pocket, he was induced to
take trip through the swamp about
a mile out of town. A gentleman
kindly consented to take the negro
in his buggy to the swamp. After
they had been gone about one hour
the Sheriff and our party, followed by
several citizens of the town, started for
tu0 SWdnJHs vi QA4lVA06 0Cdl tu0
place where the negro entered, the
Sheriff placed the dog on tho track,
the same as We do dogs on the track
of a rabbit. They did not 60 more
than twenty feet before they began
yelping. Away they went up through
the swamp, across the road In the
swamp, out again, up the road, down
on the other side, back in the swamp
they had first entered. We felt sure
they were running tho back track, and
said 80, when our attention was called
to large white oak tree that was close
by our wagon, and in the top Of that
tree was the negro that the dogs vert
hunting. Out came the dogs and uI
the road for about twenty yards and
back to the tree. Oh my. you should
have heard those dogs howl and clint
the tree as far as they could IN thei1
efforts to get the man. The Sheriff
then took care of the dogs and the
man came down and took a seat in The
buggy that had brought him to tht
swamp. The Sheriff then let loose thu
dogs. They had not forgotten what
taey were hunting TOR and at onc'
started for the man in the carriage
and had it not been for our Contractor
Henry, they would have hauled th'
negro from the wagon.
Good rooms at this hotel, good table
elegant service, and everything receive
the personal attention of Mr.. Raspberry
Next morning we we're off In tn
country hunting "Bob White" Goo
bags were made By all and Rachor wa
very much elated because he was higt
maa. That short gun of his and hi
luck in finding the birds was wonder
full. Why, after Henry had hunts
out place thoroughly along woul'
come Rachor and have fine shooting
Ed. said cit does beat the-ho'
Rachor can find Them" We mad
the acquaintance OF some gentleme
who are members OF shooting clu
that have preserve on the Roanok
river. Their invitation was accepte
to have days and evenings hunt 0
their grounds. Quail shooting was NJ