Mexico Missouri message., 1903-06-11
DHUID NOSES
THE POEM OF LIFE
IN THE FOOTPRINTS
OF PROVIDENCE.
by tom BENTON.
COPYRIGHT 1893 BY NoAH +. JOHNSTON.
CHAP. XII. HUNTING AND HOG
KILLING


Youthful life is ever very active.
The rxprcis" that would weary
the old is often cxliarating to the
young. Dick Bedford was Il great
lover of the ux.chasr; he kept
three old hOunds-One large, heavy
black hound with yellow markings
about the eyes, ears and feet, was
called old Bars, another lighter
one with blue spots was named
Butcher. The next one was much
like old Bars and called Boxer.
These dogs were educated to run
foxes, and paid little or no Gatten-
ton to rabbits, OpOssums, or
coons. Dick had probably half a
dozen hound pups, or young dogs
barely grown.
One beautiful October night
the moon shOne as bright as if it
had been newly FURNISHED. David
heard Dicks horn blow; this
meant to be ready for chase.
They went to a large woodland
near David's home. Once in a
while the young hounds would
start a rabbit; for a little while
they poured forth their music,
when all was quiet again. After a
while old Bars gave peculiar long
wa-oO, when Dick said, There is
a fox; old Bars never runs any
thing else" The old dog did not
get excited, but kept up his waco
When suddenly all the dogs began.
"They have started him." said
Dick; "now, David, we will lave a
good time. "Both youths ran to an
open space where they supposed
the fox would come. The dogs
were making sweet music, for
some had fine voices and some
heavy, deep bass tones. Suddenly
all was quiet. Dick said, "They
have lost the trail. That old fox
has run back on his track some
distance, then changed his course"
The dogs made quite circle, when
old Boxer strikes the trail again,
and now away they go for mile
or two, often straight for some
distance, then zig-zag or almost
making circles. The neighbOrs'
dogs run out and bark and the
men and boys in every house near
the path of the fox come out and
yell to cheer on the dogs. Every
body within a half mile of the
dogs is out listening and often
Join in the chase. Old Uncle Lou,
q negro, who came from Old"Kane =
tuck" comes to enjoy the sport
for old remembrance sake. After
two hours run all stops but a
deep sound of dogs baying under
ground. The fox has run to his
hole. Down on a branch that has
a limestone bottom with openings
at the surface the fox had his den
Uncle Lou says, "Pll get that
fox" Looking around he finds a
long, straight little oak bush about
two inches thick. Trimming this
he splits the end with his knife,
cutting nOtches along the end fol
several inches, then pOkes the
switch in the hole and chuckles
with delight as he tells the boys
that he can reach him. He begins
to twist his stick. The split end
being pushed against the fox be-
gins to twist the hair and then the
skin, until he can turn no longer.
He begins carefully to pulls harder
and harder, directly the fox finds
the pain of his twisted hide nm
bearable and begins to let the old
darkey draw him out. Uncle Lou
is careful to keep the twist tight.
The hounds stand around trem-
bling with eagerness and excite
ment. Another pull and the fox
is out aud the dogs have him,
shaking the life out Of him. All
rejoice. Uncle Lou has the fox for
bis trouble, for Dick and David