Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-12-27
CHRISTMAS FOX
HUNT IN AMERICA
the weather is favora-
NV BILE on Christmas day the
" members OF many country

chase that used to furnish game Tor
the great holiday feast.
Long ago in the middle ages before /
the day OF markets, OF storage houses
or refrigerator cars the lord and vas
sails shared the traits of the lion and
scorned to eat that which they did not
kill. At daybreak on the morning OF
the holiday the chieftain summoned |
the men Of his clan. and TO horse they |
went in pursuit of the wild boar !
Across hills and level stretches.
through swamps and across frozen
streams they Salloped till they came
up with the fierce prey.
In the battle that ensued the priv
lege of the most v0lorous feats. OF
undergoing the greatest danger and
OF finally administering the death
stroke was intruSted to the nobleSt
Then the body Of tho boar was carried
back 10y the vassals. the body roasted
and the head garniShed and decorated
to take the place OF honor in the cen
ter OF some long table laid in the cen
ter OF baronial hail.
Far into morning Of the next day
would the roiStering continue, and
the poor gentleman who could drinl
only one bottle was destined to sad
experiences in this bout of mighty
bibblerS.
The boar has passed from the earth
! No longer does the lord kill his own
| Christmas feast. but in small measure
] he revives the joys Of the holiday
| hunt by his pursuit of SLY reynard
There are in the United States seven
~ first class clubs devoted to tn
sport Of fox hunting. The season be
gun at Thanksgiving day is at its
height by Christmastide. for then the
| air is crisp with frost, and the last Of
the crops that hunters might have
damaged have been gathered into the
barn and safely stored away.
For persons Of wealth these are ear
w risers who. Mt O'Clock in the morn
iny. have gathered near the clubhouse
One comrade joins another. and ;
merry exchange of Christmas greet
ings recalls the holiday.
Trotting behind the huntsmen an'
the whippers-in come the hounds, nov
quiet and busincsSlike. but at th'
word Of command ready to break int
very babbe of dog noise. Horses
: superb horses. strain eagerly at thei
brides. anxious TO bear their red coat
t ed riders off in the chase.
S The master OF the hounds gives hi
9 word Of command. and across corn
L field the mad Christmas race starts
y To the first fence comes the mad cav
|, alcade. 1t is high one. over, unde
!. and through the bars scramble th
d dogs Grandly on his horse the mas
|. ter takes the fence. Others follow
o some not so gracefully. Some on
e falls. but the race goes on. all cage
u y. to reach that place where in front II
:, hound is giving tongue.
There comes a ditch whose surfaC
~ is only partly frozen. the middle la
ID ing the water free. The leap is ba
is one, with the footing covered with ic
Id but one after another the hunters p
l. their steeds at il. Some slip Al
Il. scramble. splashing seas Of mud I
% % their riders. but none cares. Too gre
A is the joy of getting over without 10
se of time to worry over a couple
ne pounds OF mud added to the weight
what the gallant horse must carry.
n. A level stretch is reached. The thu
in oughbreds are put TO it to keep
IN with the dogs. Then come a wild
Is' outburst of barking and the captu
~ of a fox. The brush is taken a
awarded to the lucky rider who W
~, in at the death.
- Then the party turns sedately ba
,tv the excitement of the day over. l
horses are carefully rubbed down,
on. participants in the hunt have IN
res shower bath and are ready to DIR
ell for dinner after the most exciting {
ENJOYABLE start Christmas day
I'M well have.
and Not only members OF the clubs h
ooo taken part in this chase. The grow
"a good will between farmer and MAJ
has turned the attention of the MAJ
~, agriculture to the delights of this
nty iday ride He has mounted his
5 In horse ana joined IN the race iie'
Ick- returns home to n hearty dinner TO
what good time he had.
lies In less aristocratic clubs such as
we'll many organizations of farmers ar
ngs, various parts Of the country. the !
oed, IS less ornate. but it results in L
Christmas killings Of foxes.
ton, Tho wild rough country of virl
peI, makes directly following behind
pPie hounds n hazardous. if not imposs
% performance This gives rise to
. ioni distinctively American style OF /
lila, ing. which is to let the hounds
much Of the time alone. the hunte
,ing. lowing only in spirit catchin