New Britain herald., 1915-01-12
Rabbits.
(NeW York TimcS.) )

On the whole, the Game warden of Fairfax county, Virginia, is tech nically right when he declares that II a WOOdchOpper must be prosecuted for hunting rabbits in defiance of the law. a secretary of state should be similarly punished. The game warden may even have sense of humor, though the joke. thus far, is MT Bryan's own, not his. The warden may see an opportunity to teach the eminent friend of the common peo- pie something new about the 'rlghtS of man." but county game laws are poor stuff to get much fun out Of. NIT PiCkwiCk's case was exceptional. MT Bryan does not deny that he was out for rabbits on Christmas day, or tand this is even more to his credit) that he failed to find a single rabbit. II the game warden is a humorlst, ms prospective victim has Glsarmed hlm. If he is merely a hUmorless, obstinate man, set in his ways, who is deter mined to make a mountain out of molehill, the secretary of state will have to let him do his worst and take the consequences. So many of MT Bryan's perfectly reputable fellow citizens have been fined for speeding. through the interference of officials of the mental habit of this game war den, when they were willing to swear that their cars were not exceeding the lawful limit that he will not lack sympathy. Theoretically, of course it is MT. Bryan's duty, as it is that of every citizen, to know every law that he might possibly be placed in position to break. But. nevertheless, the ablest statesmen cannot hope ac- tually to know all the laws.
 That MT. Bryan never bagged a single rabbit in the hunt is not re- markable. There are very few rab- bits, when you are looking for them; when you are out walking. unarmed, in a rabbit country, you may see thousands of them, but take your shotgun along and the verity of that happy phrase of Joel Chandler liar ris, "Br'er Rabbit, he lay low" will be forced upon you. Moreover, MT. Bryan's fame is not associated with sportsmanship. Rabbit hunters are born, not made. Shooting ra bbits in it's way, is as difficult as playing the violin. But we do not believe the secretary of state was seriously pursu- ing rabbits. He was merely taking recreation in the open air, tramping through Virginia woods and over 
 happily qualified with the faint, stim- ulating odor of wood smoke and the ra bhits were merely an excuse to lend tho mblancc of purpose to the brief outing of an ver-purpOscfuI man. Why should Mr. Bryan want "a abbits? Speaking frankly, now, as man to man, how many of us con slider rabbits reasonable focd?
 Rabbits, to be sure, are sought in Washington at this time oC year but they arc the Cambrian kind. There is nothing better for a light rcpast on a cold night, if one may he seated in sight of a comforting open fire and the rabbit is "short' as the saving is, not suggestive of a candy pull or a contraption of warned wax. hut properly made by the right cook with the right kind Of cheese, Let M,
 Bryan, when next he goes rabhit hunting. pursue the Welsh rabbit in its wholesome lair, and let the ale he cor&ur1o@ with it ho not too heady, not nf tho n"stN kird. which i: snI- Iy nvorrntef. not too cool. aud anlj,c: t,oai-ju stay, Mr. T,ya~ docs not drink ale. and Washington is un- dor the shadow of prohibition; but that can never decrease the numbers of the Welsh rabbit, lessen it's appe-