The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-04-30
.ENGLAND'S SACRED BEAST.
Uavsritten Law Against Shooting Even
Hen Eating Foxes.

Hen Eating Foxes.
"Down in the country the other
day there was a village sensation in
which | was called upon to adjudi-
cate for the farmers assembled in
the parlor Of the only village inn"
writes the London correspondent Of
Town and Country. cone Of their
number had shot fox which had
prowled about among the fowls for
SO many nights that fowl keeping
was becoming a risky business.
"The ordinary farmer does not
mind losing an occasional hen, but
reynard is a greedy beast and kills
for the mere pleasure of the thing,
and the hunt does not always pay
up promptly. So here was a fine
point in sporting etiquette to be
settled. The farmer had shot fox.
lie did not deny it. In fact, he pre-
ferred to throw out his chest with
pnde-as if in defiance Of all the un-
written laws Of British sport.
''Now. custom from time imme-
mortal has decreed that the fox
shall be as safe from gun and trap
aa il he were sacred. lie belongs TO
the hounds and must be allowed to
roam through the covers and farm
Yards at will, deyouring what NAV
happen in his way. Custom, too,
demands that the hunt shall pay
the damages. The hunt generally
paws, though in innumerable cases
the secretary is well aware that he
is being swindled.
"But this particular farmer said
he had hunted for many years him
self and had never made a claim foI
lost hens. 4 year or two ago, how
ever, fox had paid a nocturnal
visit to his fowl ward and had played
havoc with the feathered denizens
4 night or two after it happened
again. \ third time the fox came
around and made a most deplorabl'
mess of lot of fine Wyandotte
and some expensive Buff Orping
tons.
'"Then the farmer wrote to th'
hunt secretary and asked for dam
ages. Tie reply was that the claim
would le attended to shortly, an'
at Christmas the settlement cam
lin the form cf-a nam. Thereupor
1.-THE farmer declared war on all foxe
ard killed them ruthlessly. An'
this vas the point which puzzled th'
farmers on Saturday night.
"'Jim Crawford shot a fox las
YEAR said one of the men, and NJ
good has come TO him since. /
amt lucky and it amt sportsman
like. Let EN- Kill your hens. That
what they are there for, and if on
hunt secretary Is mean there are
hundred who are generous
: "Therc YOU have it. Sport !
, sport and its rules are adamant. !
, must. however, be put to the credi
lof British hunt clubs that the.
/ spend millions Of pounds a year i
England, Wales and Ireland for tn
upkeep Of the sport.
"Think of the hunters that, ar
, bred and sold annually, the pack
of hounds. the huntsmen, the stabl
people. the dozens of hangers o
who make living out Of il, With
out the hounds certain districts o
England would be depopulatec
Leicestershire and the indian
. counties would be almost impover
ished IL law were suddenly put !
I force 10 make an end to the ric
mans pastime. Country houses ]
nonhunting districts may be had a
!. most for the price Of cottage !
4 Leicestershire. whereas in tn
o Quorn and Pytchley country a cour
/ TRY house is as expensive, If nc
Q more so, than a London mansion
Instead Of diminishing, hunting ha
crown in popular favor"