Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-04-15
HUNTS ON ESTATE
AFTER FRIGHTENING
THE LADY OWNER
MASQUERADING ATABALL MAD"
THURSBY MAKES BET
AND WINS.
SHOOTING EXCITES
COlORED SERVANT
THAT VIII Certainly BE an Honor IA
Well "a u Pleasure"
He Asserts.


One night, or, rather one morning,
about fifty years ago group of young
men were standing before a ideboard
in the city of Nashville Tenn, drink
ing mint juleps. They were all in
fancy costume, for they were attend
/ ing masquerade ball, and strains OF
\ i1usic and laughter came in from the
I adjoining rooms. The season was the
1 beginning Of autumn, but i'm that
southern location warm weather ling
cred
i What shall we do for hunting this
season." remarked one OF the young
men at the sideboard. The country
is all taken up. and every estate has
sign up forbidding shooting"
Among these young men was one
Tom Thursby, a graduate of the Uni
versity Of Virginia, who had come out
tc Tennessee to practice law. Some
called him Mad" Thursby.
81 think" said Thursby musingly
slpping his julep, that / shall shoot
or Miss Woodbridge's estate"
''Trespass on the estate of a young
lady," asked one Of the group.
mo; | shall gain her permission"
Stlt mas dlItduN ItIuStu IL W olH-
ers. She can't consistently give ii to
you"
DO you know herr
NO; l have never seen her"
VERY well. I'll bet you $50 you
don't shoot on Miss Woodbridge
plantation
81 take the bet"
1t was about o'clock and Virginia
Woodbridge was out among her dew
covered flowers.
MAY | beg a boon?'
Turning she saw a young man dres-
sed in white satin. His coat, trimmed
with gold braid, was cut in the fashion
that we call "clawhammer," with two
long extensions in the rear reaching
almost to his ankles. From his vest
escaped a profusion Of ruffled lace.
His breeches were tight to the skin and
reached only to the knee; his stock
ings were silk his shoes were orna-
mented with enormous silver buckles
In the hollow of his left arm was a
gun; from his shoulder were suspend
ed a shot pouch a powder flask and
game bag The figure was bowling
low before her.
IL have called" said the visitor, ito
ask your kind permission to shoot
few birds on your plantation"
1t occurred TO the lady that To re-
fuse the man would be a tantamount
to an invitation to shoot her. No mar
in his senses would go hunting in such
costume, and, although this poor de-
mented creature looked harmless
enough, it was impossible to say that
a refusal would not rouse him.
Certainly" she hurried to say as
soon as she could gain speech. Hunt
all over the plantation"
The lunatic bowed again, thanked
her for her kindness and strobe away
AS for Miss Woodbridge, as soon as
his back was turned she darted into
the house and locked the door behind
her. Then when she was sufficiently
recovered she sent for her overseer,
told him how by her presence of mind
she had saved herself from being shot
by a mailman and directed him to send
TO the insane asylum, a short distance
south of the estate, and ask them to
send at once and capture the lunatic.
BY this time "a perpetual bang was
heard without. A colored servant rush
ed in eXcitedly.
Miss GIMME, dere's ha'nt down
in de medder KILN all de bobwhite
He dressed like "a ghost all in white,
with stars and things on de breast
For heavens sake don't try to stop
him." said the mistress IF you do
he'll kill you"
ooh no. I'm not gwine to stop him.
As soon as / sor him / run like de
debbil was after me. Ebery time he
shoot down comes a thousand quail
Never mind the quail. don't care
how many he kills if he doesn't kill
any one else.
At this juncture the housekeeper
entered the room. When informed OF
the facts she smiled and said:
/ saw your lunatic go by my win
\ dow. He's Tom Thursby, that Virginia
scapegrace"
| Then why appear here in such cos
tune and ask permission to hunt 2
IL don't know. There was mas
querade ball i'm the city last night, and