The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-12-22
ESSEX.
A Grateful Darksy- New Scheme for
Slaus shtering Game-Othsr Notes.
DnnnsylIIe. Va, Dec. 10. 800

Dunnsvile, Va, Dee IL, 1904.
Tonight one week ago there WAS q
heavy fall OF snow, and since that time
! there have been four more SHOWS and
scarcely any melting. The highways are
to great extent blocked. There was
no mail from Richmond Thursday, and
the mail from lower Essex aud Middle
sex WAS much behind time. The steam
ers are still running.
With this extreme winter weather
again comes the labor question. The
colored population may be seen in groups
around the country store Tires, but when
asked to work, they look upon 1t ~ "A
Joke One merchant during this severe
weather tried TO hire several able bodied
fellows To wheel some wood, already
ycut, from his wood.pile to the house
All refused, though extra Inducements
had been offered. There are II lew, a
very lew, exceptions, however Onecase
is worthy Of mention. A gentlemen was
trying to hire a man TO come and kill his
hogs No one could be found. To the
gentlemRns surprise negro named
Arthur Dabney, came to him and offered
his services. When the work had been
done and most satisfactorily, the gentle
man offered 20 pay Dabney for his serv-
ices. Not @ cent, sir; not cent, be
said. Some years ago didn't have
any pasture for my COW and you let me
turn her In your pasture You wouldn't
charge me anything then, and don't
charge you anything now ieel like
tipping my hat to that negro.
4 man named Munday bagged lo
geese at shot a few days ago. This
was not bad. The board OF supervisors
have passed county law granting the
shipment Of viii water fowl ont OF the
State This is according to law, but
that Ia Just where the law left down a
panel after building pretty good fence
every here else for protecting the game.
Cut out" the shipment Of game out OF
the State entirely and you break up the
miserable pot hunters business, for no
common carrier would take the game to
market knowing the law against 1t.
lie might emuggle his ducks and geese In
some schooner or other small wafer
craft, but he would be a asuspect from the
start and the game warden's eye would
be upon him IL has been reported to
your correspondent that there Is man
in this district who uses device for cap
turing birds unheard Of before. lie has
a thoroughly trained setter and hunts at
night His dog is belled When the bell
ceases It's tintinabulatiOns he knows
there is "a point" Cautiously, and IL
may be said fiendishly, he approaches
with net in one hand and bulls eye
lantern In the other. The result need
not be told. Worse than hawks, worse
than snow storms, would be few game
pirates like this. And yet the warden
cannot catch him. Ii ID case OF believ
ing It to be true without actual proof.
The merry tinkle Of sleigh bells may
be heard on hill top and by river side.
There are some high-stepping thorough
breds around and they are not lacking
in exercise these frosty days when the
wind comes cutting like rtz)r keen.
Miss Mary Campbell is again at home,
after protracted yisit TO her sis ter, Mrs
DR. Alfred Bagby, of Baltimore.
Mr.. J. Edward Kriete has returned
from a business trip TO Richmond and
Norfolk.
The public schools will close on the
23rd for the Christmas holidays. There
will probably be two weeks vacation on
account OF bad weather and bad roads,
as some oi the students attending the
high school live a considerable distance
from the village
SO far none Of the pipes leading from
the Ransone 4 Saunders hydraulic ram
have bursted. huntsville Is euppled
with pure spring water by this ram and
the con venience is decidedly greater than
the cost.