The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-04-23
WHEN TIE HUNT
WAS UP
Copyright, 1909, By McCltre's Newspaper
Syndicate
BY EDGAR D. PRICE


There had been q painful scene and
they had parted forever. Geraldine
had carried herself well and had re-
turned the ring with an air of such
positive relief that Arthur could not
contain himself, and had rushed from
her presence to find a place where he
could give free vent to his feelings.
His man David was packing, and he
proposed returning to New York with
The dogs, and from thereon, hang it
all. what was the use of planning?
His life was blasted.
In another part of the Southampton
cottage" a girl sat dabbling her red
eyes with cologne water, while her
hostess vainly offered consolation.
Its quite the thing in fox hunting,
I assure you, Jerry" she said help
lessly.
1T may be quite the thing to be cruel
and cut-cut the poor little helpless
things t-tail off, but the man that did
it shall never m-marry me-" declared
Geraldine with momentary spirit
But the fox was dead before he did
1t, you know said the good lady.
Yes; killed by pack of horrid dogs
urged on by people who will have
m-much to answer for hereafter"
wept the girl Don't ask me to see
him again; I'm going to take the after
noon train to New York and leave him
here to revel in b-butchery."
The cause of all this woe was Shin
necock hills fox hunt. with real fox
instead of an aniseed bag Reynard
had led the field n glorious chase,
doubling and twisting times without
number, only at last to succumb to the
hounds. Foremost in the hunt had
been that ardent fox hunter, Arthur
Chamberlain. who at the death had
dashed in among the dogs and secured
the brush in the most approved fash
ion, to lay it at his ladyloye's feet.
The lady so honored unluckily had no
appreciation of the act. In fact, her
sympathies We're distinctly with the
fox, and there had been a warm scene,
with the results as above noted.
No Geraldine appeared at lunch.
Shortly after that Arthur took leave of
his hostess, who discreetly forbore to
tell him his ex-inamorata would leave
on the same train, and, whistling for
the two foxhounds Toby and Dan, he
moodily strobe off to the depot. He
was taking his seat in the chair car
when carriage dashed up and lady
alighted and entered the same car.
Their eyes met. The lady primly in
clined her head and deliberately
turned her chair until only the top of
her head was visible. The young man
ground his teeth.
Miss Geraldine lived up town on the
west side of New York In a street
numbered among the sixties Mr..
Chamberlain lived on the next block.
In fact, the backs of Miss Geraldine's
home and the gentleman's bachelor
apartments almost faced each other.
The block was a solid rectangle built
up with brownstone dwellings on the
side streets and business places on the
avenues. and the roofs, separated by
low parapets. were famous places for
clothes drying and star gazing.
Arrived in New York, the young gen.
tleman hesitated in doubt of what
course to pursue. But Miss Geraldine
solved his difficulties by calling an
electric hanson and bowling off with
out look in his direction.
She found no one home but servant
or two. and after dismal dinner she
sought her apartments to water her
couch with tears. Arthur after tour
of the clubs returned to his dwelling
with three other desperate souls and
proceeded to make night of it at
poker. Toby and Dan. slowed by the
thoughtful David in packing box on
the roof, snuttied and yapped In lazy
content
The hours passed; the rattle of chips
sounded continuously in the hot room,
and David was kept busy making
and passing around cooling drinks.
Over the silent roofs "A late moon rose
and bathed them with soft light the
dividing parapets casting black shad-
ows. Into this scene of peace came a
smaller shadow trotting across the
lighted spaces and leaping the obstruc-
lions. In an instant the dreaming
hounds were astir. In another instant
a black streak was making along the
roofs with the two hounds after it in
full cry.
The poker party came to a sudden
end, and the youths frantically made
for the roof.
Its catl No, by the Lord, it's a
foxr cried the doughty fox hunter as
the black streak with the hounds in
pursuit, having made the four sides of
the block, came sweeping past.
Laughing and stumbling, leaping
parapets and catching chins In inyisi-
BILE clotheslines, the four madly fol
lowed the chase Reused by the tram
pling on the roofs heads appeared at
windows and tremulous cries were
made for the police. Far below in the
streets plunged In darkness a shrill
whistle was heard. Once again pur-
sued and pursuers made their way
around the block. The eager hounds
were closing fast upon their quarry,
when suddenly fox and hounds disap-
peared.
There were policemen on the roofs
now, revolvers in hand, searching for
the cause of the uproar. By common