El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-25
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

II AOIILIAR to every country born
boy in the land is the spectacle. Of
a general assortment Of dogs Of
high and low degree. reinforced by a
yelling pack of lustv youngsters, armed
with sticks and stones. joining in pur-
suit of that classic quarry, the fleet
footed MOLLY Cotton-tail.7
Every hunter, as a matter Of fact,
began his hunting with a rabbit. for the
cotton-tail falls victim to his two
legged enemy long before that hopeful
is the proud owner Of a rifle, an air
gun, or a single-barreled shotgun. Ev-
cry boy that gets a genuine square deal
in this life has a dog. and the greatest
dog in the world for any boy is a rab-
bit dog. The term IS, a broad and gen
eral one. Almost any kind Of dog will
run a rabbit, with varying degrees OF
success. depending on the size OF the
dog, his speed and the nature Of the
ground in which the quarry was
jumped. What is more picturesque than
a field full Of happy youngsters, Lned
Up like q row of piCkets, as they Scour
across the stubble behind a nOndescript
bunch Of CANNES, each looking Tor the
supreme moment when RABBIT Shall
be jumped. None Of them owns a gun,
the authorities at home having ru1eu
that guns shall come later on IN lie,
but what cares the kid just so he gets
rabbit meat?
The onward march is not without re-
suit, for presently a wire haired cur
roustS e rabbit from his warm bed at
the foot Of some weeds, brown form
gives leap, cur dog gives tongue,
the rest Of the pack joins in the animal
chorus and then each boy employs a
pair of lusty lungs to swell the music,
while a brown flash carrying white
tail behind makes for the nearest fence
ma 0f
gish nose and dOggtsh eye IO1-
low the course OF that raoDll
and it must be q willy old field
mule" that can dart into Shelter from
which that crowd cannot rOust him.
The Attack on the Brush Pile.
Come on fellers," yells leader OF
pile" Then one by one, flee fox ter
rier, pointer, setter, coon dog possum
dog, hound and all, Joined at intervals
by a boy all out OF breath, surround
that brush pile with It's frightened in
mate. What chance has that rabbit to
get away2 Not the slightest. Thanked
on every side, Molly COttOn-tail has but
to wait for the finish It is coming
swiftly and surely. Every kid grabs a
piece OF brush and losses It aside. Each
dog, sentinel like. takes position
about the brush pile. Smaller and
smaller grows the brown and tangled
heap and nearer and nearer that rab-
bit draws toward the final curtain Not
much more Of the pile is left, and
yOungster mounts 1t in Jtffy and be-
gins TO jump up and down for dear
watch out fellers," he yeIs in
warning admOnition, he'll be comm
out in a minute" and tighter grows
the Gordon about the prisoner. Each
dog hears and understands thoroughly
the bOyish tip, and with new mani
festation OF alertness. watches the
brush pile.
Here he comesr, yeIls a sharp eyed
lad as the brown form makes a break
for liberty and the great chorus OF
yens and barks and yelps breaks out
afresh. The contest is brief Confused,
the cOtton-tatl knows not where to
turn. He darts this way only TO en-
counter a dog and a boy. He turns yon-
der and is confronted BY others, AID
that very turn cost him dear, for in g
Jiffy a cur dog and brown form
merge into one flying image yellow
and brown and a white dot ming1e in
fur floats in the air there's a squeal
of despair. a chorus Of joyous shouting,
that rabbit is snatched from the jaws
of a cur and a proud yOungster Is car
rying him by the hind legs. That rabbit
is meat
Every Country Boy Knows II.
Every country boy has been a. men,
Der OF just such a chorus in boyhood s
happy days. Long before he was given
his first gun he hunted rabbits with
under brush piles, smoking them out
of a hole, pulling them from hollow
log or other place Of fancied security.
Rabbits were the first game he hunted
when the proudest day Of his life arrived,
and dad give me q gun" That day
boyish heart beat prOuder than a kings
on coronation day. That boy, and you,
hunted rabbits with an old muzzle-
loader longer than himself. It was load
ed with black powder, No 6 shot, an