394 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
{Nov. 15, 190a. 
FIxtares. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Nov. 2<)-29.— Philadelphia.— Philadelphia Dog Shovr Association's 
show. M. A. Viti, Sec'y. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Nov. 17. — Glasgow, Ky. — Third annual trials of the Kentucky 
Field Trial Club. S. B, Hays, Sec'y. 
Nov. 18. — Branchton, Pa. — Central Beagle Club's seventh annual 
trials. A. C. Peterson, Sec'y. 
Nov. 18. — Ruthven. Ont. — Fourth annual trials of the North 
American Field Trial Club. Alfred Wigle, Sec'y, Windsor, Ont. 
Nov. 24. — Glasgow, Ky. — American Championship Field Trial 
Association's second annual trials. C. B. Cooke, Sec'y. 
Nov. 29.— Thomasville, N. C— Continental Field Trial Club's 
eighth annual trials. 
Nov. 24. — Glascow, Ky. — American Championship Field Trial 
Club's second annual trials. Chas. B, Cooke, Sec'y, Richmond, Va. 
Dec, 15. — Huntsville, Ala. — ^Alabama Field Trial Club's (member 
of the American Championship Club) third annual trials. John 
F, Fletcher, Sec'y, Birmingham, Ala. 
I Only a Rabbit Hunt. 
My sole last season's chance to tramp the fields, hills 
and woods after game was near the full moon of brown 
October. As my aged foxhound. Tamarack, who had 
been the partner of my joys and sorrows afield for ten 
years, had crossed the divide, I was obliged to borrow 
a dog. This was a beagle. Spotter, which a week later 
competed in the N. W. field trials and secured a prize. 
It was a typical, warm, smoky Indian summer day. 
We were ready for the morning train. The hound ob- 
tained good quarters in the baggage car, and the bag- 
gage master also obtained a good quarter. I under- 
stand the railroad magnates intend to charge expressage 
for dogs, even if accompanied by owners. Well, the 
former way is the better one for all concerned. 
We alighted at North Prairie, where friends made 
us fee! at home. Harry, the chip of the old block, acted 
as guide. The best hunting ground of the region was 
among the Kettles, but the tract was posted. Happily, 
the proprietor of these lands was met. I received an 
introduction and the permission to hunt on his estate. 
The first favorable looking territory was not investi- 
gated because the possessor, who was husking corn in 
the field, ordered us out. A spry gray squirrel was the 
first game seen, but it sttccessfuUy shunned acquaint- 
ance. Near the school house the beagle sniffed tainted 
air, and music floated through the woodland when the 
first bunny was blazed at as it scurried onward. Had 
it been a yard longer the charge would have reached 
it. The next thing that roared up with noisy flight was 
a grouse. This, probably, was missed, because a horse- 
shoe that I had just foimd had not been saved. 
Then the pup was missed.. I suspected some wood 
cutters on the knoll of abducting him. but my fears 
were ill-founded. Hie' developed the provoking defect 
of occasionally working behind instead of ahead of the 
hunter. When we got to Hanford's farm we found it 
very promising, and soon the solitudes were ringing 
with the quavering cry of the pursuer as he struck the 
spicy aroma of lepus. My first quarry was an incomer, 
which was bowled over. Hardly had it been assisted 
into the game bag when Spotter, signaling with elo- 
quent stern, began another solo. This was Harrj^'s 
opportunity, but luck favored the rabbit more than the 
hunter. He escaped into his catacomb, out of which 
his wagging admirer tried to excavate him. 
Then we lunched and enjoyed the woodland scenery 
painted by the lavish brush of autumn. Oak and maple 
covered ridges bounded the view. The trees had most- 
ly shed their draperies, and the stained, ripe leaves lay 
in purple, crimson, gold and wine color at our feet, like 
a Turkish rug; now and then a single bronze or scarlet 
leaf fluttered slowly through the unstirred, shirnmering. 
hazy atmosphere. Some gnarled oaks were stdl robed 
in leather-colored apparel and the few beeches in yel- 
low livery, but the vermilion dyes of the maples had 
mostly departed, and only the delicate tracery of their 
bare branches was left to the gaze. Brown acorns 
nestled among the fallen foliage, with tawny head, where 
the cap was detached; while grapevines were sprawling 
along the ash-gray, dilapidated rail fence near by. The 
woodsy odor of the amber, dreamy air was mingled 
with the blue-gray smoke of our cigars, and the kodak 
was brought into requisition to furnish us mementoes 
of the glorious times we were having. 
I reproved mv companion for climbing over fences 
with a loaded and cocked .gun in his hands, but he 
ar.g.ued that he had always done so; was now nigh on to 
seventeen years old, and had never been killed yet 
After resuming the chase another partridge with a short 
"quit, quit," thundered up. I thundered after him, but 
his eccentric flight twisted him out of the difficulty. 
The dog, nosing along, opened up again and sang a 
duet with the echoes among the hills. My chance was 
coming around on its circuit, when Harry yelled like 
a fruit peddler, which drove the leveret in another di- 
rection, and it was finally lost. The next cottontail 
was urged along a ridge. I observed him limp damtily 
forward for about thirty rods, but when he came op- 
posite me, the distance was considered out of range. 
This was a mistake, f<^r it was less than forty yards. 
The next drive I witnessed from a kopje. It was 
f)eginning to become dusk. I noticed how the doe 
stretched herself at full length, in fact, she buried her- 
self in a pile of leaves. Her foe was perhaps twenty, 
rods behind her, imbibing the ravishing perfume of the 
trail and uttering yells of triumphant delight. Half a 
minute later the rabbit ' would, in all probability, steal 
into a nearby stone pile. I had for my day's labor but 
on£ trophy, and. although conscience shrieked, she was 
.swindled out of her life by a pot shot. 
In the scramble to gain an advantageous position to 
bag the next scamperer, my kodak, which _ had been 
sHmg 10 my back, was lost. It took some time to lo- 
cate it. My comrade ultimately discovered' it dangling 
i.n a wire fence. The sun was preparing to bow itseH 
from sight. It was time for me to take the back trail 
in order to catch the home-bound train. At this juncture 
anotHer grayback displayed the white feather. I shot 
behind, but the rabbit shot ahead. The four-footed 
troubadour trilled merrily along the scent, his jubilant 
notes growing fainter and fainter. The muffled chimes 
may have been as sweet as the tinkling of evening bells, 
or like a vesper hymn, still I did not relish them just 
then, in fact, the affair cost me my entire vocabulary of 
imprecations. His white coat at last betrayed the vag- 
rant into the leash. 
Twilight had long ago melted into darkness; my 
train was gone; we were tAVO miles from the station; 
so, now, we had ample time for the homeward tramp. 
The full moon flooding the open patches with a mellow 
light, enabled us to stumble our way out of the glooiny 
woods over steep mounds and across plowed fields 
into the village. We had put up nine cottontails that 
day and had killed all but seven of them. 
A very pleasant evening was spent at the residence 
of Mr, S. A delicious supper, at which oysters and 
other fats of the land, as well as myself, played a prom- 
inent part, was one of the features of the entertainment, 
which was rounded out by music, cigars and conversa- 
tion. Harry enthusiastically vouchsafed to have me out 
of bed before dawn for hunt No. 2. We then compro- 
mised to start at six. We got up at 6:45. 
The following morning the landscape was clothed in 
its prettiest. My young confederate hooked one of the 
horses to one of the buggies, and we, Hess, Harry, my- 
self and Spotter rolled eight miles to the south. A fox 
squirrel and a hollow tree delayed us under way. The 
nutcracker saved his scalp. We stabled the nag at Bill 
Box's quaint old place. Bill is a crony of Harry, and 
he extended a welcome to me, the stranger. 
It was near the wnnding Mukwonago River, of which 
we caught glimpses now and then, where our hunting 
grounds lay. An added advantage was that the tract 
Avas also provided with trespass signs, for the presence 
of Bill secured for us the right to hunt thereon. We 
started about thirty bunnies in all, of which fifteen were 
extinguished. Bill is an experienced sportsman and 
keeps a serviceable hound. I did not care to embarrass 
dog or master by inquiring into the pedigree of the 
canine, for the hunting instincts of the half-breed Avere 
such as to overlook all shortcomings of his lineage. He 
had a fair voice, although it Avas not that weird and 
melancholy moan so highly valued by huntsmen. He 
Avas partly a pointer. He was a long legged, gaunt 
three-year-old, his ribs stuck out like hoops on a bar- 
rel. The grounds were chiefly meadows checkered with 
bushes, and only here and there sprinkled with alder, 
elm and aspen groves. 
My first booty, driven by the mongrel, was an un- 
accountable, because it was procured at a distance that 
I usually do not attempt. Shortly after Spotter howled 
a gray-fur up to the river. We saw the Avhole comedy. 
We perceived the rabbit plunge into the stream, SAvim 
it, reach the other shore, and speed up the slope. When 
the trailer got to the spot where the fugitive had entered 
the Avater, he knoAvingly swam the brook, picked up the 
scent on the further bank and followed him. A very 
creditable performance, but the hero of the burlesque 
•disappointed the spectators, because he declined to re- 
appear on the stage. . j 
We then meandered along a beautiful wood road and 
searched the network of brushland that adjoined it. 
We combed the thickets pretty thoroughly, and a num- 
ber of leapers Avere harvested. Seven or eight wood- 
cock zigzagged out, but none of us made proper con- 
nections. MeanAvhile that beagle had strayed again. 
'\fter a while the epicure Avas detected quietly munch- 
ing a rabbit that had been killed, but not collected^ 
Another dead cottontail, which Avas also found, seemed 
lo be quite fresh, but nobody Avanted it- , 
Presently the musicians, forging ahead with Avavmg 
tails and stimulated by the alluring fragrance of another 
spoor, commenced another melodious sylvan concert. 
The undergrowth was very thick. Parting the everlast- 
ing twigs before the half-closed eyes, caused some dam- 
age to the bridge of my nose. The animal was hustled 
for a long time. I had changed my position repeatedly, 
Avhen at last he scudded in my direction, a left quarterer 
and the field trial winner twenty yards m the rear. 1 
dropped the leader. . 
Soon after the pointer-hound pointed a graycoat in 
a brush pile. Hess mounted the heap, trampled out 
the occupant and checked his career before auy of the 
others had a chance to touch the trigger. Hess was 
handicapped somewhat by using black poAN'der 
One gravjacket that had been slightly wounded slipped 
into a hollow log. Harry pulled it out alive; beside 
he covered himself with glory that morning shooting 
his first rabbit in his life, and a riinnmg one at that 
A remarkable incident of the hunt was that m spite ot 
my partners' carrying cocked breechloaders, there was 
no accident. 
It was now about noon, and we returned to the house 
Bill invited us to dinner, but as we had provisions with 
us we divided them with the hounds at our Avagon? 
After lunch we Avent south into Walworth County. 
Marshes, half withered, half green, .studded with alder 
coppice and flanked by wooded hillsides, formed the 
cover Aly first conquest was a straightaway, which 
hobbled along a hay rod. Turning toward the fusilade 
of the other gunners shortly after, I noticed a par- 
tridge" whizzing toward me like a feathered baseball. 
I missed twice, which proves that I had no pump gun. 
Five cartridges had been expended, but he sailed away 
with flying colors. He Avas marked doAvn on a hill- 
top, but was not retrieved. 
Then the beagle after a few whimperings, rendered 
a recitation as he inhaled the intoxicating redolence o( 
a fresh track My colleagues did not care to Avait, and, 
as the soloist could be heard no longer, thej' Avere sure 
that he could not unravel the trail. But as I knew his 
stanchness, I made up my mind to tarry a while. In 
about fifteen minutes he hurried' the runaAvay back from 
the oak ridge to the starting point. I pocketed the 
whitetail and hastened after the others 
\ woodcock Avas flushed by one of the party. J se^ 
cured it in sportsman's style and Avas glad to add its 
russet and velvet plumage to my collectiom A young 
man, who accompanied the crowd with a Flobert riile 
to accumulate some squirrels if pos.sible, also reahzed a 
rabbit. Bill had espied one sitting m a little hollow. 
He motioned up the youag fellow and showed him the 
crouching victim, Avhich was picked through the head 
at less than ten paces. 
In the meantime that wayward beagle was vagabon- 
dizing again. We had not seen him for two hours. As 
T had either to return the creature or forfeit his price, 
$35, I trudged back to look for him. A half hour's 
search revealed him afar off, across the marsh, trailing 
my footsteps. When I had again overtaken the party, 
which had once more drifted to the morning's grounds, 
it was time to prepare for our departure. While the 
rest had amused themselves with firing at tomato cans 
hurled into space. Bill had sneaked to the- river and 
had pulled doAA'n a plump wood duck just as it skittered 
doAvn stream. He had also bagged a snipe. At his 
home Ave were entertained by a pitcher of wine, which 
our ho,st had unearthed from his cellar. 
The homcAvard ride was a treat. The moon's sil- 
very disk, a fleet horse, smooth roads, an old pipe, a 
damp, lazy autumn evening, agreeable company, a dozen 
rabbits and a woodcock in the game coat were the in- 
gredients. The only unpleasant element of the trip was 
lis end. T. Le Trab. ^ 
MllWAUKBE, Wis. ^ 
Another Dog Hero. 
1 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
As I have given the readers of Forest and Stream 
the history of tAvo dogs from Idaho, I now ask your 
further indulgence in giving the history of one of the 
most noble dogs that has ever come under my notice, and 
his performance should be inscribed in letters of gold 
upon the scroll of Fame. I think that fcAV dogs are 
AA orthy of being placed ahead of this one. 
His appearance indicated tliat hound was the larger 
part of his pedigree. I think there was some New- 
foundland in his make-up from his size and disposition. 
He was owned by Mr. and Mrs. LoAvrey, of Republic, 
Washington, who kept the Montana House, and as the 
dog was used to being petted by lots of people, he was 
very affectionate. 
Mr. and Mrs. Lowrey not having any children, of 
course the dog Avas a great favorite Avith them, and 
wherever either went the dog was their companion. 
Along in the Avinter tAVO years ago Mr. LoAvrey had to 
go to Sheridan Camp on some business, and the dog 
went along. While they Avere at camp there a A'ery 
scA'ere snowstorm came up, and it was very cold. Mr. 
Lowrey started to return to Republic against the ad - 
vice of his friends, who wanted him to stay till the storm 
Avas over. But he Avould not stay, and he and his faithful j 
companion started on Avhat proved to be the last trip ji 
of Mr. LoAvrey, and came near terminating the earthly ij 
career of his noble dog. 
After traveling for a while he lost the trail, and wan- I 
dered off to the left of the trail, and Avhen he reached j 
within about two miles of the Tom Thumb Mine he '! 
became exhausted, and lay down near the roots of an 
upturned pine tree, there to take that last sleep that ^ 
knows no aAvakening. The storm proved to be a very ( 
severe one, and it was a week before any otie passed 
between the camps. Mrs. Lowrey thought Mr. Lowrey 
Avas in Sheridan Camp, and those in camp thought he 
had reached home. As soon as it was known that he 
was lost, quite a large crowd started out to hunt for tl 
man and dog. 
Some miners near the Tom Thumb mine had heard !| 
a dog hoAvling over across Granite Creek, but had at- 
tached no importance to it till they heard that Mr 
Lowrey had been lost; then they Avent over in the direc- 
tion whence they thought the howhng proceeded, and 
soon they came across a sight that brought teairs to the 
ejTS of those sturdy old miners. There lay Mr. LoAvrey 
in the cold embrace of death, and there was his poor 
dog nothing but a living skeleton, standing watch over 
that master, he would die before he would desert him, and 
wou^ld starve before he would despoil him. There Avere 
tracks of coyotes in the snoAV where they had come near 
and had been chased aAvay, and the magpies Avere not 
alloAved to light near, and Avhen the miners approached^ 
he would not allow any of them to come near; but he vfsm 
so Aveak that he Avas easily overpowered, and Avhen they 
placed the remains of his dead master on the sled the 
dog was too Aveak to walk and Avas placed by the side 
of the one he had so faithfully stayed by for nine days, 
without food or Avater, on Avhat snow he must have eaten. 
What a sad home-coming it was to that poor woman, 
as Avell as it was to that faithful dog, Avho acted as if he 
Avould like to tell his mistress how he had watched ovv-. 
his master, Avaiting for him to awaken and return horn 
It Avas only Avith the most tender care that the dog av 
nursed back to health, and for a long time after his ma: 
ter had been buried he would moan and cry out as 
though his heart Avould break. Not long after, Mrs. 
Lowrey moved to Butte, Mont., accompanied by one 
of the most faithful dogs that Avas ever met by 
Lew Wilmot. 
Kei.I-er, Wash. 
**A Vctmont Mode." 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
For the benefit of your Philadelphia correspondent, Mr. • 
Albert Converse, who criticizes a "Vermont Mode" in 
your issue of this Aveek, I beg to call attention to the note 
on Arkansas fox hunting on page 372 of the same number. 
From what Mr. Louden there says, it appears that to' 
shoot a fox before the hounds is an approved Arkansas 
mode. And as Arkansas took its shooting ethics from 
Davy Crockett, I assume that what is a la mode there 
must be followed by the rest of us; though as Mr. Presi- 
dent Harrison once remarked. "Many things are done on 
the KaAV that don't go in Washington." 
NoAV, as to digging out a fox that had been run to, 
earth, wliile I should not like to do that, I confess that I 
can see mighty little difference between that and thv 
English fox hunting practice of sending out a man befo; 
hand to stop up the entrances to the holes to Avhich it 1., 
thought the pursued fox Avill run for refuge from the] 
houn'ds. There may be a difference between stopping uJ 
"a hole so that' the fox cannot get into, it and digging hirtd 
out after he has got into it, but I cannot see the distincij 
tion. To me it means just the same for the fox. Vvv 
