Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-04-05
Nv UscOllsctiOns Of Frank Forester.
ny oLp DOMINION.

sn,nlemented by the infrmiiies in
cisept 10 extreme old age, still, feel
80, Is incumbent upon me TO at least
..,.mnt 10 give you something In return
-, ,esdipg and enjoying the delightful
.r,,cles appearing from time To time in
~. columns Of the Sportsmen's Review
Rut the question il, what shall that
..ome,hinr" DE? All matters pertaining
- true craftsmanship, dogs, guns, game,
s.bing and fishing tackle. bait-both
n.,ural and artifcial-and in fact ALI the
o,rsnhernalia connected with outdoor
sno,, Is so thoroughly discussed and
.e,,ilsted through the columns Of the
irimi,able Sporismen's Review so that,
rc.nnol see where anything more can
10 said The ground has all been cover
"a snd. unless man draws vigorously
rnop his Imagination, which should not
no permissible 80 though God knows
many such drafts are made by some OF
opr friends who shoot out Of long guns
there is nothing more left to be said or
written about.
However. IL strikes me, that upon one
or two occasions, you have requested
that should give your readers some OF
the "reminiscences connected with my
acouaintanceship with the late Henry
Vim. Herbert Crank Forester of sixty
wears ago. Well, my dear wildwood"
sixty years is long time to remember,
and il is only OF the dead that do re-
member for Of those that knew init
matelv. sixty years ago, there Is not one
living TO remember, and ] am now living
wholly in the past, and il is much easier
10 recall men and things occurring fifty
to sixty years ago than those OF a recent
date
Yes, I remember distinctly Frank
Forester though my recollection Of
him and meeting with him dates away
back 20 1874, but il will help out a rusty
pen. At that time, the Old New York
spirit Of the Times" was the only gen
uine sportsman's paper published in the
United States. and was under the con-
troll and management OF VIM. +. Porter.
or, a. he was termed, Works Tall Son"
The paper, though rather a horse paper,
Of which the late Turf, Field and Farm"
was a lineal descendant, was also devoted
10 field sports, and It's contributors were
some Of the best and ablest Of the coun-
Try. It's corps ofMriters was uuapproa-
Die. / recall now many names OF wide
reputation in the social and literary
world - Charles Aston Bristed ("Carl
Benson, a nephew Of Jno. Jacob AsIor;
observer" Col. Ogle Tayloe, OF Wash
ington city; Nicholas Spicer," my friend
DR.. Alhan :. Payne, of Fsuquier county.
Va; and there was a host OF Others
whom cannot now recall. was the
younges, and humblest Of the lot, and
the only contribution OF which really
felt proud was one which was republish-
ed in "Belrs Life" the leading English
sporismen's journal OF that day.
Frank Forester" was also a regular
contributor TO the old spirit of the
Times his letters entirely devoted to
matters pertaining TO sports OF the field.
Besides that, wrote several volumes OF a
sporting Fundamentally, Warwick
Woodlands work without a peer AT
that date, from sportsman's standpoint.
Well do | recall one OF his characters.
Tom Draw" as absolutely inimitable.
/ once had the little work sent me,
With the compliments Of the author"
God knows what became of il. Ii is
entirely out Of print How should like
TO see II once more. Naturally, Herbert
and became correspondents, and after
"aros, warm personal friends. He was
much older than myself, but, neverthe-
less, We were congenial spirits.
IL will not be amiss to state here. that
Sir Michael Herbert. our late minister
from the Court of st. James, and who
uied few years ago in Washington city,
was near relative of Henry William
Herbert, c'Frank Forester"). had il
from the lips of the minister himself,
ana he seemed much pleased to meet
WIN one who knew personally, his dis
ungulshed relative in America. Herbert
was an Englishman. Sir Michael said,
'ha'' OF course, be was too young to have
any personal knowledge of him, but
gave me some interest items about him,
III MS younger days, and, among other
'hings mentioned that Herbert eNpatriat-
eu himself on account OF "a love affair.
About the time that / write of-lS46
anu 4'-we had, possibly, three of the
oes' held shots in our section of Virginia.
NY old friend and family physician, DR..
'ohh r. Faunt lie Roy, of Clarke county,
ana Capt. Robert Carter and Major
AieN Baker, of Fauqaier. They achieved
'neir military titles later, in the Confed-
crate Army. l was two young at the
'''"e and did not claim to be equal to
nose gentlemen at that time as field
S"o'' oat as snap shot" shooting in
the woods and coverts, they ALWAYS ad-
n''''eo that was their superior Ofthe
'nree mentioned. Baker was considered
'"e oest' though did not think so. He
was the best walker and the most untir.
ing and indefatigable hunter ever knew
"uu could absolutely kick up more
single birds, in days shoot, than the
Oest single bird dog" could find on
punt The dear old fellow, how many
"unureds of birds have seen him going
"'ong' picking, waiting for another to
gee up with his mouth watering and his
"cart and mind on the bird, as il would
appear on the braakf fact tabla Oovt morn.