The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26

THE FO
| I had often read of the fox chase and
| its sou-enliyening pleasures before I was
permitted to enjoy them, and, had my
| reading upon this head been confined to
SonDerville's Chase alone, should have
been inspired with an irrepressibie curl
osity to experience its thrilling enjoy
ments Listen how he sanctides the
and sparit-stirring:
But yet,, alasi the willy fox remand
subtle, pilfering foe, ppowling around
In midnight shades, and wakeful to de-
stroy.
In the full fold, the poor defenceless lamb
Seized by his guileful arts, with sweet
warmsblood
Supplies rich repast The mournful
eve,
Her dearest treasure lost through the.
dim night,
Wanders perplex'd, and darkling bieats in
vain,
While in the adjacent bush poor Philomel
(Herself parent once till wanton churls
Despoiled her nesD joins In her loud la
With sweeter notes and more melodious
For these nocturnal thieves, huntsmen
prepare
The sharpest vengeance. Oh, how glori-
Gus it's
To right tn oppressed, and bring the
felon vile
To just dsgracel Ere yet the morning
peep
Or stars retire from the first blush of day,
With thy far-echoing voice alarm thy
pack
And rouse thy bold compeers. Then to the
copse,
Thick with entangled grass and prickly
furze,
With silence lead thy many-color'd
hounds,
In all their beautys pride. See, how they
range
Dispersed, how busily this way and that
They cross, examining with curious nose
Each likely haunt. Harkl on the drag I
hear
Their doleful notes, preluding to the cry
More nobly full, and swelld with every
mouth.
Heavens, what melodious strains, how
beat our hearts
Big with tumultuous Joy, the loaded gales
Breathe harmony; and as the tempest
drives
From wood to wood, through every dark
recess.
The forest thunders and the mountains
shake
He breaks away.
Shrill horns proclaim his fight. Each
struggling hound
Strains Ger the lawn to reach the distant
pack:
'Tis lriunph all and joy. Now, my braves
youths,
Nor - a loose to the clean, generous
steed;
Floui.sl ne whip, nor spare the calling.
spur;
But in the madness of delight forget
Your fears. For Ger the rocky hills we
range,
And dangerous our course; but in the
True courage never fails. In vain the
stream
In foamng eddies whirls; in vain, the
ditch
Wide-gapng threatens death. The craggy
steep,
Where the poor dizzy shepherd crawls
with care,
And clings to every twig, gives us no
pain;
But down we sweep, as stoops the falcon
| bold
To pounce his prey" -
Filled with such ideas as these lines are
calculated to inspire land long as Is the
extract it does but half justice to the
poet, whatever we may think of his sub
iect), it was with kindling enthusiasm
that I met the question from my old
| friend Dause on a clear chill December
evening.
"will you not join us in fox-chase
tomorrow
THAT I WILL" replied 7, with pleas
ure"
Have you ever been in a fox-chase?"
continued he.
Never said 7; but I have no doubt
but that should be delighted with it,
"Oh, it's the finest sport In the world.
with a full pack, and we shall have a
splendid pack tomorrow. Major Crockett
is coming in with his hounds, and George
Hurt Is to bring in his. and all unite with
Captain Reds here; and We shall have
pack of twenty-five or three. We shall
have glorious sport; you must not fail to
join u.s."
mo fear of that said I; 81 shall be
among the first on the ground
l went home mo matter where), and
FASTENED to bed at an earlier hour than
usual that l might be the surer to riso
betimes in the morning. But so bright
was the anticipation of the coming joys
that 1t was long before I could compose
myself to sleep; and when / did 1t was
rather the sem-sleep of vigilance than
the sound sleep of rest. 1t sufficient,
however to beguile the intervening hours,
and they seemed but few before the
long-drawn notes of Crocketts horn
reused me from my slumbers. I sprang
from my bed, and, without waiting to
throw over me a stitch of clothing
Though the weather was extremely cold).
seized my ram s-horn, hosted a window
and blew blast which, If 1t had had
fair play would have walked every hound
within five miles round. But It had not
fair play; for, partly from hurry and
Ipartly from ndisposition to thrust my
exposed body into the open air, 1 just
gave the mouth of my horn projection
enough to throw half it's voice out and
half inside the house The first half did
no great things; but the last half did
wonders. Bursting upon the unsuspect-
ing family at that still hour, it created
a sensation which no one can under
stand who was not at the falling Of the
walls of Jericho The house trembled.
the glasses ratified, the women started,
and the children screamed.
whats that?' exclaimed the mistress
of the household.
"Mr. Hall is going fox hunting" said
It. l.. - -