The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, March 22, 1879, Image 1
TII- WEEKLY( YET(N..._WINBRSC.ST UI 1) AY, iIABCI 22, 1879 ~ O ~N.2
FOXES AND WILD-CATS.
1100 T1rE SPORTSMEN OF FAIR.
.FIELD "GO FOR'" TRhEAI.
A Notable Hunt by Sorna Notable
Huntors, Which is Almost a Rival of
the Celebrated "Fox-Chase in Feas
terville."
WINNSBORO, S. C.
Editor Chicago Field :--Tho
genuine sportsman is bound to his
fellow in feeling, by stronger cords
than unite those of any other call
ing. Sectional lines and prejudices
are unknown to him. He cares
nothing for differences of political
creeds. He is not troubled about
defining the several casts of society,
and is, I think, the only specimen of
humanity who really does not ex
purience antagonisma of race. Hence,
it is common in your section, to see
sportsnl intin,ate and huuting
w ith the red-skin, and here it is
equally common to go hunting with
the black-skin.
Therm is, then, a "follow-feeling
which makes us wondrous kind,"
and which draws us toward each
other, and makes us anxious to co i
municate, even though long lis-.
tances separate us. With no apolo
gy, then, will I to the hunt.
Upon a beautiful November
morning, two years ngo, I was
standing in the Winnsboro and
Columbia road, which passes about
on e hundred yards in front of my
house, and turning my eyes, saw
approaching on horseback, two gen
tlemen, whoin I recognized as
Colonel , and Parson E- -n,
both of whom kept hounds, and
delighted in eitAer a deer or fox
bunt. '"Would you like to take a
hand in a uat-hunt ?" was my salu
tatiot,, as they rode up. "When,
and where ?" ejaculated both in the
same breath. "This very evening,
and upon Dutchman's Cruek." "Are
there any there: and how do you
know ? continued both, considera -
bly interested. For, although they
had slain several deer, and trailed
innumerable foxes (both red and
gray), a wild-cat was something
seldom heard of this far up the
country.
"They are there," said I, "for
whilst gunning for partridges yes
terday, I discovered huge tracks,
-which I know belong to them.'
"We are yours till death, only wait
until we can proceed to town for a
short time." "All right, gentlemen,
I will have dinner at 12 o'clock
to-day, as we will have to ride six
miles to the ground."
At half-past twelve we were in
the saddle, followed by fifteen as
line hounds as ever heard at horn
blow, all of my <wn "cry"-for my
friends were not allowed the del:y
which would have been necessitated
had they gone for their dogs.
In that "cry," or p)ack, were
Ilouser. Lee, Butler (not Ben),
Tfrimbush, Wash and Hampton, all
dogs of note, any one of whom
would have been a star in any pack.
Rouser, or "Old Rouse," as he is
still familiarly knowvn in these parts,
is an old veteran, now in his 12th
year, and has been "in at the death '
of 490 foxes, and assisted in the
killing of several deer and numer..
ous cats. What ho doesn't know of
fox-huanting, therefore, isn't worth
learning.
We ,had proceeded about four
miles on our way, and were engaged
in conversation, being careful to:
keep the dogs "in," so that they
would not start a lox-for the
thickets on either hand abounded
'with them--when we heard a noise,
not unlike the angry mutterings of:
a thunder-storm, and looking in the
direction, saw "Old1 Rouse," who:
had taken) advantage of our con.
-versation to.slip off and jump a fox
-straining every nerve in full view*
of a gray, and making directly for
us. It is needless to say that all
efforts to restrain the pack were
futile, for as the fox crossed our
path within a few paces of whereI
we stood, and in plain view of every
dog, they sped after him in a killing1
run, and with that eagerness eony.
anon to all dogs of good blood un'e
der similar circumstances. Know~
- ing that wve wvould have no dlogs for
the east hunt until Reynard w.as dig-.
posed of, and beina really untable to
* ~ resist the contagion ourselves, we1
joined the ohaseg:and' cheering on
-i he rtvening bounds hs ,their ut~
nicat speed, in. thirty-five minutes
had him tied up behind my saddle.
wamnrp," said it,b s sub, wo saw
~T 77i 2Te dr1T rngl
aroused by the blood of the fox, and
would soon be off again.
But we had not gone far before
there was another "burst," and
away went another fox. Thirty
minutes sufficed for him, and as he
was caught near the cat ground, we
hurried the dogs into the cane
brake and awaited the result.
"How do you know that you can
'strike' a cat?" doubtingly, asked
the philosophical Colonel. For he
knew that my dogs had never smelt
one.
"I'll guarantee that I can make
them run anything from a wood."
mouse to an elephant," was my
rather curt reply. Nor were we
long in doubt, for Butler, a large
headed, deep-cheated, Beet-footed
hound, with courage like a bull dog,
and a note like a bugle, was already
in full cry in the canes in front of
us, and one by one the rest of the
paek were rallying to his assistance,
and soon swelled the straggling cry
to that deap, heavy roar which tells
the hunter that his dogs are all
packed, and that the game is "up."
"Who dares say that is not a
cat?"
"I'll wager a tan yard to a shoe
string that it is."
. And there were no takers, for all
were hunters, and had detected
greater fierceness in the tones of
the dogs, which indicated that no
ordinary game was at hand.
The canes pop and the water
splashes as the maddened dogs tear
through the thickets and plunge
across the creek in eager pursuit.
"Sweet music of heaven, ain't it a
pity that the Governor ain't here 1"
ejaculated P. R., an embryo hunter
from the neighborhood, who had
joined us with Streak and Shake
and Granger, two black and( tans
and a blue speckled, who had tasted
cat before, and who were crowding
in most beautifully ; Shake con
testing manfully but uselessly,
with Butler for the first place."
"I tell you, Major," continued
P. R., pale with interse excitement,
"old Shake is pushing Butler mighty
close."
"Yes, and old Butler is pushing
that cat mighty close," was my
prompt rejoinder, for old Shake was
keeping closer to Butler than any
other dog had ever done before,
and I was anxious to divert atten
tion, lest he might spoil Butler's
reputation by being seen ahead.
"There he comes, boys, and a
whopper he is, too," exclaimed the
Parson, who had been too much
engaged in watching the chase and
in yelling to the dogs, to take part
in the conversation, and turning
toward him, we beheld a large
"brindled cat" bile out of the canes
immediately in front of his horse,
and with tremendous bounds make
into another cane-brake a few hun
dred yards below.
With breathless expectation we
wait to see the dogs "bre zk c iver"
also, but instead, they suddenly
wheel about, and dash off up the
creek in h )t pu:snit f another
cat, which proved to be the same
one which they had chased all the
time, for but a minute now elapses
before the music shifts to anoLher
key, and yells and howls take the
place of bugles and flutes. "They
have him, by-," excitedly yells P.
Th "Help the uogs' exclai ns the
M~ajor himself, and there is a simul
taneous sliding from our saddles,
and a. general rush. through the
canes in the direction of the fight.
The.wiry Parson leads the run, but
although a good Baptist, he pauses
upon the brink of a small lake, and
the Maijor, who, by the by, weighs
only 225 pounds, and has more d'ogs
at stake, bulegs in, and arrives first
at the seat of war. I quickly dis
cover, however, that no assistance is
needed, for Butler has anchoAd his
huge fangs directly in the cat's
heart, and ribs, and with each tigbt
cning grip of his ponderougs jaws,'
I hear the crushing of bones, and
note.the dying gasps of the cat,
whilst eighteen other are strug dogs
gling for a placein the picture, and
have hinfliterally covered from nose
to tail. Thej iAght is soon ended, and a
critf) .examination of the dogs
reveals only j few .split ears. and
other inaignificant scars-.-tha,nks to
Butlei'your'age, which masdb .:xie
of the oat.at once, and allowed gll
the other dbas to bit~e without
mutch fear of being biten them-~
selves.
"AWe will .now have the boy that
ran down the creek," was the univer~.
gal proposition. "Not this evening,''
said the Major; "two foxels.an4 Que
o dogv for goe sevening,
a i a ownear night, and I
usure you that 7 Me~ 110 Idea of
t4.ing hb6 %e ~ h.. riars .by
for--astinga .ly glanee -at th
Parson-I see that these Baptists
can't be depended on in an emergon'
cy. We will ride up to Tom Rem
bort'w and lodge till morning. Tom
has hearty welcome and plenty of
sausage for all hunters."
A beautiful morning awaited us.
A clear sky, a genial sun, cool brac
ing still air, and a splendid white
frost, all betokenod a good morn
ing's sport. So, having dispatched
an early breakfast, which divers
and sundry yards . f friend Tom's
sausages wore ma.i' to disappear,
we mount our horst and make for
the same swamps, about one mile
distant, where we confidently oxpect
to "strike" the cat which had esQap -
ed the night before. Upon our
arrival we find that the dogs, who
had already anticipated the move
wont, are in the canes and giving
an occasional dull note, which told
that the cat had been there home
hours before, but that we might
expect some hard work and olose
tracking before we would got himi
up. But, patient reader, don't sup
pose that I was disheartened, for in
that pack are six dogs that can beat
anybody's on a cold trail, and I
know if I could succeed in
finding where the trail led off, that
that cat was bourd to run for its
life. "Be patient, therefore, gentle
men, and don't hurry the dogs," for
the cat has fed around and around
in the cane-brake, and they must
needs follow leisurely or we may
over.hunt the spot where he left."
In this way half an hour is con,
sumed, little progress being made,
as the trailing is all upon an acre or
two of swam', but directly the
thunder tones of old Rouse are
heard in a broom-sedge, field near
by, and boefore the echo of his
v.'ice had died away, every dog is
seen making to the sound, for they
knew that he, as was his custom,
when a trail could not be made off,
had been "circling" on' the outside
and had now found the track upon
which the cat had departed. Slow .
ly, but steadily, the trail is followed
through the sedge field and into
a wood along fences where the cat
had hunted for rats and birds the
night before, then across another
sedge field and into some thickets at
tho head of a branch which flows
into the creek.
"Look at Butler," said P. R. -
"What ails him ?" By a novice the
question was pertinent, for Butler
was leaping above the grass and
weeds looking around whilst in the
air, and behaving much like a
crazy dog. At a glanco I took
in the situation ; the cat is in
that small thicket and Butler knows
that he must soon break cover, and
is leaping up to get a sight race if
possible. There he goes, and away
goes every dog close behind, and in
full view. Shake and Butler side by
side, but soon the long stride and
strong back of Butler begins to tel',
and after that day even P. R. never'
doubted which of the two wets the
floater, for he continued to widen
the gap between Shake and himself,
and was well in advance of hunters
and dogs, and within ten feet of the
cat as it bounded into the cane
brake where we had struck the trail
in the morning.
Here the dodging and doubling
peculiar to the wild cat was resorted
to, but it did not avail, for the sight
race had so ( oa.p'e'ely blowin it, th, t
but twenty--seven mmnutes by tho.
tvatch were necessary to land Butler
upon its back, when the scene of
the evening befoi'e was re-enacted.
"And now, gentlemen," said I,!
boastingly, "two foxes and two cats
in less than a day's hunt ; we must
have another before twelve o'clock."
"All right," said P. U., "I see noth
ing to prevent old B3utler from
catching all between here and the
river." The cat having been tied
behind the saddle of one of the
patty, .and a few exalting blasts
upon our horns having beetn sound
ed, we proceded further down the
creek where we stopped to start,
more eats. B3ut I fear I may be
come tedious and will bring this
article to a close, by stating that
before we had proceeded half a mile
down the creek old Uouse jumped
another fox which was tailed after a
splendid run of an hour, after which,
the morning being wvell spent, we re
turned to Tom Rembert's and took
dinner, and then caught an eighteen
pound eat on the way bomne. Three
foxes and three wild cats in one day
and a half's hunt. Deat it who. can,
and authenticate it as wvell as can be
dlone in this cese, and I'll send you
one of either Butler,'s or Rouse's'
pu~ps, as you prefer.. Lotu, Exa.
IPay your subsoription Jto the
NesA / eay
GRASPING TILE REINS.
-O -
THE D,DOCRA8 's ASS TrArI TIuV. COx
TIcOL o o'OICESS.
Organization of the I ouse--Handall
Elected Spoaker on the Farat Ballot --
A Close Vote, Boong a Majrity of One
for Mr, Randall Over all Opposition.
WASHINGTON. March 18.-At noon
the Houso was called to order by
Mr. Adams, the clerk, who read the
proclamation of the President con
vening Congress, and stated that
the time designated having arrived,
he would call the . roll, which, as
clerk of the House, he was required
by law to prepare. He thereupon
prooceeded to call the roll by States
beginning with Maine.
The State of Florida having been
reached the olerk called the name of
Hull as representative from the see
0ond district and explained why lhe
had put on the roll the nane of Hull
rather than that of Bisbee. He
said that he had received the certifi
cate of election of Hull, duly signed
by the governor under the seal of
the State, and had subsequently re
ceivod sundry papers in behalf of
the election of Bisbee, among which
were a certified copy of a canvass
subsequently nado by the board of
State canvassers in obedience to
the order of the Supreme Court of
the State. While that subsequent
canvass would show the election of
Bisbee, the clerk did not feel at
liberty to regard anything as a oro.
dential within the mnening of the
law except the certificate of the
Governor.
The State of Iowa being reached
tha clerk explained why he place:l
on tho roll the names of nino mom
bers whose names appeared there.
They had presented certificates duly
signed by the governor, and the
quest on whether the eloction had or
had not been held on the day fixed
by law was one which the clerk
did not feel called upon to dooide,
but which the House itself whon
organized could decide.
The call of the roll showed the
presence of 285 members, only two
members, O'Reilly and James, of
Now Yoi k being absent.
On motion of Mr. Wood, of New
York, the Ltouso proceeded to tho
election of Speaker. When Mr.
Blackburn was called and he voted
f)c Randall, there was a round of
applause on the Democratic side
and in the galleries. The vote re%
su.ted as follows . Whole number
of votes cast 283 ; for Mr. Randall,
143 ; for Mr. Gartield, 125; for Mr.
Wright, 13 ; for Wim. D. Kelley, of
Pennsylvania, 1. The members
voting for Wright were Do La
Matyr, of Indiana, Ford,' of Mis
souri, Forsythe, of Illinois, Gillette,
of Iowa, Jones, of Texas, Kelley, of
Pennsylvania. Laddl, of Maine, Lowe,
of Alabama, Mlurch, of Mieaine, Rus,
soll, of Massachusetts, Stevenson, of
Illinois, Weaver, of Iowva, and Yo.
kumn, of Pennsylvania. The mem
ber voting for Mr. Kelley was Bar
low, of Vermont. When the tellers
aInouinced the result there was but
143 votes fo)r Mr. Randall, and Mr.
Coniger, of Michigan, hlad just rais3d
the question that that Was less than
a majority of the whole number of
members elect, when Mr. O'Reilly,;
of Newv York, (one of the two ab
senteos) arrived in the. Chamber,
announced his presence and 'cast his
vote for Randall, thus giving that:
gentleman a mcajority of thle whole
number, of members elect. The in..
eident was the occasion of much ap
plause.
Messrs. Garfield and Blackburn
(having been appointed for the pjr
pose) then condueted the speaker to
the chair,
The Speaker, on taking the chair.
addressed the House as follows ;
llepresentatives, by your vote I
amn elovated for the third time to
the exalted offlne of Speaker of the
House. F?or this evidence of your
approval and confidence I offer yon
mny heartfelt thanks, The responsi
bilitie0 and duties inmpjosed on me
are heavy and difllit. With the
blessing of God I shall discharge'
them with'out personal bias or ignQ
ble partisanship, observing strict
impartiality as to men, theasuros,
parties and. sections. It will . be to
me unspeakablo joy i~f I can help to
bring about that substantial fra
ternal union wbhhgmes alone
through wisdom,. anoderation ,and
justiae. The' ne* Congtnis mneets
Ii dedirati o under the call
of tbe ?siden Wivng td irr.eo1
eilable'diftenrs oli vital issue
is otentnd Tppropria
tion, bills failed to pass at the previ
ous-sessioit. Thon the political aen
tinent of the two houses, was an,
tagonistio. It is now in complete
accord. This House, froh from
the people, brings with it their latest
will. We are hero for such legila
tion as their necessities, welfare and
honor donand, TChat as oxprossed
by the majority in caln and deco-.
rous form lot us. hope will 1oot with
universal acceptanco. Moreover,
the country expeots of this Congress.
that it will wisely and deliberately
legislate to remove the burcona
that have too long weighed upon
the patriotism and prosperity of the,
people, and is filled with fervent
hope that the spirit as well as the
let,ter of the constitution shall be
the controlling influence in direct
ing such legislation.
The oath of o$3ee was then ad
ministered to the Speaker by 1r.
Kolley, of Pennsylvania, the oldest
member in continuoils longth of
service, after which the oath to.
niembers was administered by the.
SpoIker in groups of States. When
the members from Delaware, Mary
land, Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina were called in one
group, and when the Speaker said
that he would first administer the
oath to those who could take it in the
usual form (that is, what is known
as the iron-clad oath) there were
only five members who stepped fory
ward and took it. Among the most,
conspicuous of those who took the
modified oath was Gen. Joseph E.
Johnston, of Virginia.
Mr. Frye, of Mainp, objeteod to
administering the oath to Mr. Hull,
of Flo i ida, and that gentleman was
requested to stand aside for the
present. Subsequently Mr. Harris,
of Virginia, offered a resolution that
Mr. Hull be sworn in, and Mr. Frye
moved as a substitute a resolution
reciting that the crodentials.Qf Mr,
Hull had been annulled and made
void by the judgement of the
Suprene Court of Florida, and that
the State hoZrcl of canvassers had
deelaroc and certified that Bisboo
had been duly elected, and that
therefore l3isboo is entitled to be
sworn in on his prima faeie case.
The matter was allowed to go over
till to-morrow, and the papers were
ordered to be printed in the Record,
The other offeors, as nominated by
the Democratic caucus last night,
were then elected. Several resolu
tions referring to committee business
.wore presented and ordered to be
printed for action to-morrow. The
drawing for seats took place and the
House adjourned.
A potition against the right of
Butterworth, of Ohio, to a seat in
the House, was presented, but'Went
over till to-morrow.
WHITE KID GLOVES IN COURT.-At
the recent term of the Court of
General Sessions for Qeorgetown
county, there was no criminal busi
ness whatever-the grand -jury
having returned "no bill" on all the
indictments submitted to them.
This was the first instance of such a
state of things in Georgetowneq~un.,
ty. InI comtpomoration of'The event,
in following out the custom practis
ed in England for many conturies,
the solicitor, in a few appropriate
remarks, presented a pair of wvhite
kid gloves, omubletie of peace and
good order, to the Co irt, on behalf
of the high sheriff of the county,
Judge Mackey, on receiving the
same, spol*e in glowing .torms of the
present peCaceful condition of the
country as com)pared with times
past, when the fires of civilization
had been almost extinguishedi
congratulated the county, and hdce'
the succeeding -presiding jidges
would in like manner be so forturf te
as to 1)e enabled to receive ie, similar
symbo)..
1NJOY.AFE.--What a tralf beaw.
tiful world we live in I Nature given
us grandeur of mountains, glens
and oceans, and thousands of nieans
for enjoyment. We can desire .no
better when in poerfect healtlM but
how often .do the majorit.v of p,eo,
ple feel lilp, giving it up dishgartiene
ed, discourag.ed and wQrried. 'out
with aiseaso, when there is .no .oo.
easion for this feeling, M every
sufferer can easily obtatijs ptiIac-.
tory prfof that Qr9eg' 4qugs~
F3lower Will nmake,tli) as t9e fra~
disease a's wvhen 'h~ ~~ssu
and-'LAver CJogiplain i
aase of s'eventy-fle ' to
such malWi as" [ n
digestion. Sick He 3
soss of the gea,d Pa_
t?ows. Thrle doses o
Floer illproved ts
efot atalebotle 1v