The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04

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IN the good old days of long ago l was
something of an artist at .possum hun.-
ing, but had not happened III the woods
at night for a long. long time. Being out
I'm the country one day last week and en-
towing the scenes presented by the au-
turnn tints on the foliage, / commenced
to think of old possum hunting days.
NV mind went back to tire time when l
was Young and risky and never lost en-
opportunity to go out with two faithtul
negro men, Davey and George. In those
OLD DAYS we had an idea that only the
rclins and inexperienced 'possum traV-
oiled on moonlight nights, and therefore
our favorite time for chasing. freeing and
capturing this sly ''varmint was on the
dark of the moon. Electric lights were
unknown in those days, kerosene oil was
moi plentiful, and our source of light was
The old-time lightwood knot The equip
1nent for a nights sport at possum hunt-
Ing consisted then of gunny sack, filled
with lightwood knots, sharp axe, and
of course o pint bottle, filed with that
which always cheered but never inebri-
ated, and a few other things After two
or three 'possums had been chased and
caught the gunny sack was partially
emptied Of lightwood knots and was USED
then as receptacle for the captiVes
The virginian who has not enjoyed an
old-time 'possum hunt has lived to poor
purpose.
Every virgnian doubtless remembers
"Davy'' and o George" and the gnnny
sack of lightwood knots, and also the
faithful old dogs. Ring" and Trailer
and "Shylock" and Bali and what not.
'Possum hunting was not all sport. There
was a great deal of work about It, We
not only climbed the hills. waded the
creeks and even scaled the mountain
sides, but we had to cut down big trees
to secure the 'possum, and som etimes dig
deep in the earth when one was "treed'
in his den at the roots of some old blown
down tree. But there was fun enough to
pay for all this work and all this trouble.
AN OLD TIMER.
Many years ago. so many in fact.
could not think of giving date. I was
on my last old time 'possum hunt, and
it was q hunt that was strictly business,
However, 1t was a sample of many
others, several hundred. perhaps. that
had grown up upon. and I will tell
about 1t briefly right in this connection
There were four young white men In
the party, Two ahhs-b bodied negro men
four dogs. two sharp axes and the in
evitable gunny sack filled with light
wood knots and the other necessary auxll-
iaries. Among the latter may be enumer
ated black bottle, a peck Of sweet pota-
toes. pound OF cheese paper bag of
crackers and a loaf or two of bread.
These latter were for lunch when we
Should grow tired
MIDNIGHT LUNCH
A lunch on a 'possum hunt, away off
In the woods at the dead of night 1t is
the most enjoyable meal that mortal
man ever sat down to.
The way to go about It is, or was In the
olden days to gather around big log
In the dense woods, make fagot fire
of immense proportions, roast the pota-
toes, toast the cheese heat the loaf
bread and then square yourself for a
square meal. OF course, you have walk
ed miles, perhaps, cut down several trees
before this night meal in the forest Is
ready, and as consequence you have
the appetite of harvest hand and the
digestion of an ostrich. Mr.. Rockefeller
could get such a lunch for much less
than million dollars, and yet they say
that is the amount he is willing to pay
for square meal that he can enjoy and
digest.
But, to return to this ancient possum
hut: We had started out with poor luck,
and lunch time had come before old
"Jower'' or Dido had struck trail
Gloomiy we disposed of the lunch and at
about ! o'clock resumed business. Foui
hot trails. one right after the other,
four trees" four giant oaks felled. foul
extra chases and four tremendous pos
sums in the bag and all the work finished
Just as the gray dawn was making its
mark in the eastern sky.
TOP HEAVY. BUT HAPPY.
A tired and worn out crowd: certainly
II was. for had We not waded creeks.
climbed hiIe.' fallen into gullies, tumh'ed
over blown down trees pulled through
briar patches, untangled ourselves from
bamboo environment, fallen over cliffs
scratched our faces with oyerhanging
bows made connection with our eyes with
unlocked for projecting limbs of trees
and barked our shins against stuInps that
were not on the map. But we We're all
happy. intensely happy. Was there ever
crowd to leave the woods at daylight
with four fat possums In the gunny
sack that was not as happy as the little
birds that were tl~.n announcing with
their sweet chirping, the dawning Of an
other bright and beautiful autumn day,
OF course. we were happy, as we always
were after such a catch. and yet such
Il one was not unusual. There were
many: 'possums In the woods in those
days, the country was not SCARED and
defaced with barbed wire fences, We
could run and fall and tumble as We
might. lghtwood knots were as plentiful