The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-11-04
ENGLMD'S SACRED BEAST.
uawritten Law Against Shooting Even
Hen Eatino nbms

fen Eating fpMs.
Down in the country the other
day There was village sensation. in
wkich | was called upon to adjudi-
cate for the farmers assembled in
the parlor Of the only village inn"
writes the London eorre poAelr Of
Town and CNlnty. cone OF their
number had slot foS which had
prowsd NJ out among tie fowls for
SO many nights that fowl keeping
was bccom z a risky business.
"The oruinary farmer does not
n,ild losing an Occasional hen. but
reyns.d Is greedy beast and kills
for the mere pleasure OF the thing,
and the hunt does not always pay
up promptly. So here was fine
point in sporting etiquette to be
settled. The farmer had shot fox.
He did not deny it. In fact, he pre-
ferred to throw out his chest with
pride, as if in defiance Of all the un-
written laws Of British sport.
"Now, custom from time imme-
moral has decreed that the fox
shall be as safe from gun and trap
a. I he were sacred. He belongs to
the hounds and must be allowed to
ruam throu4h tle covers and farm
yards at will. devouring what may
happen in his way Custom, too,
demands that tie hunt shall pay
tie damages. The hunt generally
pays, though il. .innumerabe cases
the secretary is weil-aware that he
l. bring sv.sdlcd.
"Bu. tAis particular farmer said
lac had Egntei for many years him.
self and lad never MADE a claim for
lost hens. \ year or two ago, how
ever, fox had paid a nocturnal
visit to his fowl yard and had played
havoc viih the feathered denizens.
\ night or two after it happened
.pain. A third time the foxueane
fIosnG and made a most dsplofabIe
mess 81 a lot Of fine Wysndottes
and sorre expensive Buff Orping,
tens,
Then the farmer wrote TO the
hsnt secretary. and sssed for dam
AGO. The reply was tsst ,ths.slsiEn
voull Ls attended .t% %ShoHly, snd
at Christmas the settAmeht e6n-e
in he fern ola ham. Thereupon
the farmer declared war on all foxes
ard killed them ruthlessly. And
this was the point which puzzled the
farmers on Saturday night.
"Jim Crawford shot . fox last
year said one of the men, and no
good has come to him since. 1t
amt lucky and II amt sportsman-
like. Let 'em kill your hens. That's
what. rhey are there for, and il one
hunt secretary is mean there are
hundred who are generous
There you have it. Sport Is
sport and its rules are adamant. 1t
must, however, be put to the credit
of British hunt clubs that they
spend millions of pounds a year in
England, Wales and Ireland for the
fpkeep Of tle sport.
Think of the hunters that are
bred and sold annually, the packs
of hounds, the huntsmen, the stable
people, the dozens of hangers on
Tho make living ont Of it. With
out the hounds certain districts OF
England would be tcpopulated.
Leicestershire and the midland
counties would BE- almost inipover-
ished if law vcrr suddenly put III
force TO make an end to the rich
mans pastmc. Country houses in
nonhunting diStrxt- may be had al
most for the price OF cottage in
Leicestershire. whereas in the
Quorn and Pytehley country ceun-
try house is as expensive, if not
more so, than a London mansion.
Instead OF diminishing, hunting has