Evening star., 1936-12-14
In the Hunt
Country
Activities Among the
Horse Lovers of Vir-
ginia ard Maryland.
BY NINA CARTER TABB.

glnla ara MdrvldIlu. ]
BY NINA CARTER TABB.
In Howard County, Md, where the
Howard County Hunt goes out three
times weekly, enthusiasm runs high,
both during the clubbing season when
meets are ut 4:30 am. and on days
when winds and clouds threaten storm.
Foxes seem plentiful and often lead
hounds on for hours, until even the
keenest riders are glad to have them
whipped of the line. Such days pro-
duce memories Of good cheer and good
tales told by delightfully."- tired fox
hunters while gathered around open
Ores.
Although the present hunt was not
organized until 1880. fox hunting in
the county is as old as the county
itself, many having hunted their own
hounds or with the old Patapsco Hunt
at Elkridge which some years ago
moved its headquarters to Baltimore
County and eventually became the
Elkridge Hounds.
Howard County has much historical
background, many old homes and old
families. There are four or five
manorS in, a beautiful state of preser-
vation, yet with the atmosphere of
days before the Revolutionary War.
and, too, there are still farms of
large acreage which give followers
Of the hounds uninterrupted territory
over which to hunt. The modest but
comfortable club house and kennels
are located at about the center OF
hunting activities in community
known as Glenelg.
Hounds 60 out every Saturday after
noon and every Tuesday and Thurs
day morning. weather permitting.
Augustus Riggs, Sd, and Philip Bowen,
joint masters, hunt an American
bred pack, noted for its speed and
stamina.
On Saturday afternoon, December
s, hounds met at Walnut Grove, the
beautiful farm belonging to T. Stock
ton Matthews, president of the hunt.
A cast at the rear Of the farm in
woods proved blank, but the second
draw at the adjoining farm, Hayland,
brought forth large dog fox. which,
after an exciting run, fell prey to the
hounds on the Parlett farm about an
hour later. He was game, If indis-
Greet, and came at once to the open,
running very fast over the large fields
at Hayland, hounds crying loudly at
his heels and the field viewing him
as they followed in feverish excite
nent. He came finally to a country
road and turned, taking the hounds
back near to the place where they had
picked him up, through some woods,
over q stream, through long meadow.
taking rail fences at intervals and
over wheat field. Another rail fence
came in sight. He ran through that.
The hounds were almost on him.
weaving his way back and forth
through this fence in an effort to rid
himself of the hounds he must have
heard the thunder of hoofs, for the
field approaching saw the run was
over.
Miss Neville L. Lee received the
brush. She is the daughter of MIR.
and Mrs. M. L. Dawson Lee of Howard
County. Her father is one of the
whippers-in and her sisters and
brother are equally enthusiastic over
hunting. One Of the masters presented
the mask to Mrs. Gerald ]. Muth,
member of a family of ardent fox
hunters, being the former Miss Mary
To nf VI
Carroll of Howard County.
On the following Tuesday, December
9, hounds met at Oak Hill in the upper
part of the county. The day was rea-
sonably clear and very calm and that
elusive requisite of a good hunt, scent,
was excellent.
Only the sound of hunter and
hound broke the stiffness of the morn
ing as the hunters entered Dead Horse
Meadow. Presently a note rang out
and another joined in, another and
still another. They are on line, they
circle the woods.
Gone away''-"Tally-ho The
calm Of the morning was broken. One |
of the longest and hardest rides of the
season was on. Hounds were flying,
horses eager. riders tense.
After three hours steady going the
hounds were whipped of. The fox |
had been viewed seven times, with the |
flying pack about 200 yards behind |
their magic notes in the valley and |
now on the hill. 1t would have been |
hard afterward for riders to retrace |
their course, for the fox had taken a
puzzling route-circling, zigzagging, up
the river, down to the mill, into the |
game reserve, back to its original cover,
in Dead Horse Meadow, across the |
= Kemp farm, back to Glenwood, to the |
FMacy's farm, to Dan Gathers farm,
to the game preserve again and then
> due west almost to CooksNlle. Hounds
were whipped of. Riders were weary.
Their minds turned to open fireplaces
and table, laden down.
. HUNTING LoG-TOMORROws
MEETS.
Virginia.
= The Fairfax Hunt-William Nc