FOX HUNTING. 75 



hostelry passed from the Cummings family it was 

 kept for a short time by William Beebe, and then 

 went into the hands of J. Morgan Baker, the 

 present well-known keeper of the Delaware 

 County prison. Under Morg's regime, beginning 

 in 1858, the present Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club 

 may be said to have entered on its career. Baker 

 laid out and built the present half-mile track ad- 

 joining the inn, where the fall and spring races 

 are now held. It was in Baker's time the old 

 hunters of the present club took their first lessons. 

 The kennels were tended by him, and once or 

 oftener a week boon spirits who gloried in the 

 chase during the season met at the old Rose Tree. 

 Well do we remember them ' Some time has 

 touched and in them softened the old boyish 

 racket and spirit with which they were filled of a 

 keen, frosty morning, when the light flurry of 

 snow threw over the hillside the silvery mantle of 

 winter beauty, they met to give the cunning fox a 

 death chase — the eager hounds, the mettled steeds, 

 the volunteer whippers-in, and the idle gathering 

 which met round the heels of the hunters to sing 

 praises of this or that famous leap or run of days 

 before. And there was 'INTay.' faithful old slut — 

 as fine a fox hound as ever lived. Peace to her 

 ashes, for she has long since ceased to vex Rey- 

 nard! 



