Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-16
Wall Street
In the Jungle
BY JAMES HENRY RICE

In southern Alabama many years
ago there were two prominent Wall
Street brokers out for winter airing.
They were native New Workers. In
those days Dr. Hornaday had not
created his wonderfur Geological Park
over in the Bronx. Natural histories
were few. Then as now native New
Yorkers had hazy and imperfect
conception of the outside world. Tigers
and lions they had read about; but the
countries they inhabited were India,
Africa, South America or Alabama.
They had forgotten which. This ignor-
ance led to trouble.
These gentlemen, Benson and Taylor,
told me they wanted a night hunt
Wild cats were suggested, and chat
met. with favor. They thought of
wild cats as being somewhat simila: to
the tabbies known at home.
The Hunt Begins.
a pack of hounds was secured and
we started for the woods. 1t was
dark night, with now and then faint
star, looking like grease spot, show
ing through murky clouds.
Our guides took us at once into deep
woods and the hounds started. AS the
trail warmed, the New Workers got
nervous, with the yelping and barking.
Benson, it should be said, was built on
the order of a rhinoceros; Taylor like
a gazelle. They wore ordinary clothes
and the Congress CATERS of the day.
Cat claw ,brars and cypress knees had
been working their will on these frail
coverings.
Benson asked me, in an awed voice
if were sure that the hounds were
after cat. Z tod him there was no
telling what they were after. We
should have to wait and see. He and
Taylor began to compare notes and
were hopelessly muddled as to the
mammalian fal llna of Alabama.
Suppose they are after some big
animal: what should we do?' asked
Benson. Climb a tree" l answered,
ana stay up lneTc,
~ have read about them," said Tay-
lor, but | forget now whether lions
climb Either lions or tigers do, l
know" Unfortunately they did not
have the advantage of that brilliant
naturalist, William Jennings Bryan,
who advised Colonel Roosevelt to look
out in Africa or tiger would get him.
Just then the hounds bayed in a
dense place through which branch
ran. We shouldcred in somehow, the
Wall Strecters sticking TO us like
brothers, in truly beautiful way.
The dogs had treed up a big tree,
covered with vines, right on the edge
Of the branch, which here ran between
PERCEPTIONS banks. Across it there was
a log.
Safety First.
Two negroes came with their axes
and began cutting down the tree. 1t
took some time and the Wall Streeters
were uuieting after the excitement.
They entered into the spirit of the
sport and were ready with advice.
Both of them had got on the log
which spanned the branch, and were
looking up the tree.
Look there" said Benson, IL see his
eyes"
The negroes had cut through and
Just then the tree topped, swayed and
fell splashing water in every direction,
Will" the hounds rushed in. Benson
and Taylor were yelling and whooping,
when the log gave way under their
weight and down both of them went,
just as the dogs had seized an old
tiger coon.
No hippo ever went down an African
stream faster than Benson went down
that branch: no gaZelle ever sped up a
mullah faster than Taylor sped up the
same branch. They were literally do
ing time We called t" them, but they
got faster.
Slept in Chicken House.
It was necessary to look after the
dogs. and we trusted to luck for the
rugitivcs. The coon was soon finished
and We went home, after calling In
vain. Taylor was t1Sre, minus hal
and most of his clothes.
Next morning old Ephrain came up
/ to say: "Dc white gcmmun, say, please
sir. sen um some close" 'Where is
! he. k,phraim?" was asked. HE wuZ cen
| dc chicken house wild whole passel
/ Of egg ncS' pull over he haid, wen
/ fine um.' suh." said Aphriam solemn l.
I Loo In