The sun., 1916-12-31
NOW Is TIME TO
SEEK The POSTUM
All Species Of Dogs Used by
.Gunners-The More the
Merrier.
WINTER NIGHT PASTlME
- 4. L. HUGHES.

Die condition. but Tor inc lattcr tue
sport Of hunting them Is more enjoyed
thar the eating. although every n
does not see the sport In going after
poOsum or coon. and, M n matter Of
fact II may be said to 10 an acquired
taste.
Most persons are familiar with the
postum by name. However. let us take
a short survey os its habits and traits
The possum's body Is stout. clumsy.
about sixteen inches long and weighs
about twelve pounds.
It's mouth is wide and filed with
formidable looking teeth.
IT'S eyes are high UP in its forehead.
and as there are no eyellds worth mem
,ioning they have the appearance OF
Two black beads stuck ON the face.
These arc not very powerful In day
il9ht and even bright moonlight nights
ssem too much for them.
The fur Is of two kinds-a soft.
uoolly hair next the skin and au outer
coating of longer hairs, concealing the
under coating 10 some extent. The
hair on the upper portion of the body
is white at the base and black at the
tiDs. with a line Of dark brown run
ming from the forehead to the shoulders.
Young Carried In Pouch.
10 the male and female the tail Is
as useful as to the monkey. being used
IN much the same manner With its
tail and with feet resembling human
hands Il Is no difficult matter for II to
secure It's food.
The greatest PECULIARLY Of This ami.
NAL is It's pouch. situated under the
belly and in which the young are car
ried before they are completely de-
veioped and afterward ~retreatins to II
xyhop AanRar Threatens This nOtkNt
contains ten, twelve or thirteen teats
in the Interior, TO which the young are
attached after their seeming premature
birth. and to these they hang for
about fifty days.
Another popularity is its cunning and
it's ability to feign death after a very
slight blow. In this condition It may be
beaten, Its flesh cut and half skinned
and not a muscle will move. but leave 1t
quiet q few moments 1t will draw a thin
aim from It's eyes and. If not interfered
with. will quickly disappear.
Negroes and whites have many ways
of taking the possum. but there IL an
easy way and n hard way. The easy
way would not be tolerated mt the pres
ent time. AS II entails LANCER from fire.
4 dark night Is chosen. and after the
dogs nave freed the game u fire is putt
near the foo OF the tree.
As the fire begins to throw out suffi-
cient light to make the outline Of the
tree visible a place IL chosen In the
darkness and the u branches of
the tree are closely scanned for Mr..
Possum. After discovery the shotgun
or rifle does the rest.
Some years ago the writer was invited
to 20 after possurn. and the hard way
was chosen. As II was necessary TO wal,
for the moon to come up the meeting
place was set at the home of n farmer
who was going to move. and the possum
hunt would take the added form OF pay
ing him n last friendly visit.
The house was reached first by the
writer and his friend. Soon followed
others, accompanied by all kinds of dogs
hounds. black, yellow n spotted
farm dogs. sheep dogs, general utilit.
dogs and then some more dogs.
..HustIImg'' for Chickens.
The farmer wife was away and woull
not return until after church, which
would be about the right time 10 &c
after possum. So men and o r. al
came into the large general room anc
the first number on the programme wal
log hghts--all seemed fighting at once.
The table was overturned. dishe'
broken and the room generally wrecked
After sundry beatings. k.ckings AM
Ulu8xllnkE uutCt WaS $500 a'
cider was passed. and when 1t had loos
ened their ideas some OF them sough
some form OF amusement TO pass TIL
time until the moon came up.
As said before. the farmer was goini
10 move. He had about fifty chicken
which che allowed No didn't want Il
take with him." He was willing to "hus
tie" e on. each hustler to contrib
ute 10 cents. Now, "hustling" mus
rave been a local term. anyway. It con
sisted In putting a certain number o
pennies into r. hat and shaking them ur
the winner being the one having tn
most heads or tails" up, as the cas-
might be.
The game opened with about six o
seven playing. but this number wa
added to from time to time by late ar
yiyuis, and every time the door VIA
opened more dogs slipped in and NOR
fights interrupted the disposal Of tn
chickens.
The game continued for some time an
wa at its hilarious height when the doc
opened and the mistress Of the hous
look q few steps into the room. TIL
writer, being near the door, after
nasty glance at her face and seein
amusement. horror and anger dep!cte
there, quietly made his escape Into III
darkness.
He heard a few high pitched words
q feminine voice and then there was a
exodus of men and dogs into the chill
air. followed by more dog fights. bea'
inEs, curses and calllngs for Jack. Rove
and others OF the canine tribe.
Quiet being restored in a measure
council Of war was held. the plan Of a.
ton decided on being that those thu
had won chickens should &c and cate
them. This was agreed to. and II II
dogs had made an uproai, the comm
ton in the chicken house was ten tim'
worse, hens cacklcd. ROSTERS gave war
ing, dogs barked n men cursed, al
the sauawking OF the chickens W
heard even along the roads and aero
fields as those that did not finally
after possum made their way home.
Dogs Tree Possum.
The real possum hunters who had ",
chickens, after decapitat!ng them, ma
a start on their delayed expedition W,
laden with hard cider M chickens.
After travelling across fields. throuI
woods. wading swamps. being scratch
by briars and thorns and falling oy
logs. stumps and stones. the party
last heard the dogs barking far avn
Then followed the rush. every q
wanted to be first.
All eventually arrived-sOme In wO
condition than others. II that was pos
ble--at the edge Of "A clearing where I
dogs were policing a patch of und,
brush In the centre OF which was a Z
sized tree,
After deciding which way TO fell
tree one OF the party produced an O
ard by the light Of pitch knot SO
=" Wrought the coming monarch OF