The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-07-06
ENGLAND'S SACRED BEAST.
Un~ritteo Law Against Shooting Ever
Hen Eating Foxes.

O0WFftte0 Inv hSatnst SHoSAihH 1Nc'
Hen Eating Foxes.
! "Down in the country the other
Day There was a village sensation III
which | was called upon to adiudi-
cate for the farmers assembled in
the parlor of the only village i'm"
writes the London correspondent Of
Town and Country. Zone OF THEN
number had shot a fox which had
prowled about among the fowls fol
30 many n.ghts That fowl kcepin.
was becom risky business.
"The Of ingry farmer docs no.
mind losi.: an occasional hen, b.
reynard is greedy beast and kills
for the mere pleasure OF the thing
and the hunt does not always pay
up promptly. So here was a fne
point in sporting etiquette to be
settled. The farmer had shot fox
He did not deny it. Ia fact, he pre-
ferred to tb&yout his chest with
pride, as if id defiance of all the un
written laws OF British sport.
"Now, custom from time imme-
mortal has decreed that the fox
shall be as safe from gun and trap
as II he were sacred. He belongs to
the hounds and must be allowed to
roam through the covers and farm
yards at will, devouring what NAV
happen in his way. Custom, too,
demands that The hunt shall pay
the damages. The hunt generally
pays, though in innumerabie cases
the secretary Is we'll aware that he
10 being swindled.
"But this particular farmer said
he had hunted for many years him
self and had never made a claim for
Lost hens A year or two ago, how
ever, q fox had paid nocturnal
visit to his fowl yapd and had played
havoc with the feathered denizens.
A night or two after it happened
again. A third time the fox came
Ground and made q most deplorable
mess of lot Of fine Wyandottes
and some expensive Buff Orping''
tons.
"Then the farmer wrote to the
hunt secretary and asked for dam
ages. The reply was that the claim
would be attended TO shortly, and
at Christmas the settlement came
in tho form of-a ham. Thereupon
the farmer declared war on all foxes
and killed them ruthlessly. And
this was the p int which puzzled the
farmers on Saturday night.
"Jim Crawford shot a fox last
year. said one Of the men, 'and no
good has come to him since. II
amt lucky and it amt sportsman
like. Let 'em kill your hens. That's
what they are there for, and Is one
hunt secretary ID mean there are q
hundred who are generous.
"There YOU have it. Sport is
sport and rs rules are adamant- II
must, however, be put to the credit
Of British hunt clubs that they
spend mil.'rns of pounds year If
England. 'es and Ireland for the
upkeep OF sport.
think tie hunters that are
bred and ! Annually, the pack:
of hounds. - hnn's the stable
people, the ,la1ens % hangers or
Tho MAKE i ~ cut = < WI
out the lna....- certain districts =
England vao.d hr Jeropalate,
Leicester.h-e acd n.e indian.
counties Ool'L he u"9as' 'apover
ished If lew vrrr spt 'ceiv put !.
force to make an end to the riel
mans pastiine Country houses II
nonhunting di,trlo.s may We had a.
most for the price of cottage II
Leicestershire, whereas in Il,
Quorn and Pyte hlcy country a coun
try house is - expensive, If no
more so, than London mansion
Instead of diminishing, hunting hs
grown in popular favor"