St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-11-09
A Memorable Hunt.

Ten 81. Johnsbury Sperstmen Bag three
C00na i'm she Hardwick WO0ds.
A coon hunt without E. NJ. TAFT would
be like the play of Hamlet without Ham,
let, and when it was suggested by Her
bert A. Stanley that Wednesday night
was the time and William S. Bailey's
cornfeld the place the first thug to be
done was to consult the veteran coon
hunter. Mr.. Taft readily consented to
serve as captain and also furnished the
equipment which consisted OF a brace Of
dogs, pair of climbers, an axe, divers
lanterns and six shooter. MIR. Stanley
had heard that Mr.. Bailey had some
coons yarded in his corn6eld and the
hunters Of "a little brother to the bear"
rendezvoused at the Caspian Lake House
Wednesday night. Besides Capt. Taft
and Mr.. Stanley there were c. 6. Braley,
Col. Charles w. Ruiter. w. A. Taplin.
Charles A. Stanley, Arthur F. Stone, H.
Matthews Cross, A. B. Noyes and E. L.
Stiles.
Arriving at Greensboro the party were
escorted around town and shown the
mill by the dam site and the dam by the
mill site, also the gate, Caspian Lake
and the long wharf. Dinner was served
att O'Clock and if there is better host
than Landlord Dufur we should like to
make his acquaintance. The winding OF
the horn at clock was the signal for
the start and the 10 hunters advanced
up the long hill to Hard wick guided by
the brilliant rays of Polls lantern. At
Mr.. Bailey's they were joined by John
Hancock, Henry Carter. Mr.. Bailey and
his son Ralph and the Il struck out for
the cornfeld where the dogs soon
scented their game and drovethe coons
up a tree. Capt. Taft climbed the tree,
the hunters breathlessly awaited the re-
suit, and then there was something do
ing when the coons begun to fall Three
fat coons bit the dust at the foot of the
tree and the happy hunters forgot all
their trals-the long hill, the wet swamp,
the woodsy trail and the high rail fence
at least all but one forgot about the
fence and he will remember it for many
moons.
Late in the evening the party returned
to Mr.. Bailey's house where the good
wife had prepared bountiful repast.
The menu consisted of macaroni salad
and rolls. hot coffee and doughnuts, pies
anu applSS anu WAS SdICu WILL d ICiISu
which only those who have tramped a
few miles through wood and dale can
understand. After the supper the party
found great pleasure in examining the
rare old books which MIR. Bailey inherit
ed and then bidding their Hard wick
friends ''good night" started back to the
hotel.
The old proverb "the first shall be
last" was exempli6ed here as the three
that left Mr.. Bailey's first did not reach
their destination until the first faint
glimmer OF rosy dawn was seen over the
eastern hills. Our artist has graphically
depicted the wanderings of this per
sonaIly conducted tour" but space fails
us to give all the interesting details. One
of the party with true professional in
stinct held fast to the dead coon, not
even showing alarm when the dog barked
again. Thursday morning came all too
soon and the return home over the
"Slow Jogging and Long Coming rail-
road" was enlivened by relating the
accidents and incidents of this mem
orable hunt.