Show SACRED BEAST Unwritten Law Shooting Even Een lien Fatting Foxes OWN In ill tho country the other DOWN D day da thero there was a village sen sensation sensation in which I was vas called upon to adjudicate for the tho farmers assembled In ha tho time parlor of ot the only village inn writes the Lon IAn London London don correspondent of ot Town and Coun Country Co Country un try tr One Ono of ot their number lend had shot a fox which had prowled about among tho limo fowls for so many man nights that fowl keeping was v as becoming a risky business 1 The ordinary farmer does docs not mind losing an occasional hen but reynard is Js isa isa a greedy Y beast and kills for the tho mere pleasure of tho time thing thin and the tho hunt docs does not always ala s pay up promptly So SQ hero horo was a fine point In sporting eti etiquette etiquette quette to be settled The former farmer had shot a n fox Ho He did not deny it In fact he ho preferred to throw out Cout his hische chest che t with pride as If In defiance of oC all the unwritten laws of British sport Now custom from Crom time timo Immemorial has decreed d reed that tho the fox Cox shall shaH bo be as safe afe from gun and trap as If It ho were VON sacred Ho belongs belong to the tho hounds and be allowed to roam through the tho covers coers and farmyards at will devour devouring ing what may ma happen in his way say a Custom Cus Custom Custom tom too demands that the tho hunt shall pay the damages Tho Time hunt generally pays pas though in Innumerable cases rases es the I secretary Is well ivell aware that ho lie is Js wIn boin swindled But this particular farmer said he had lied hunted for many tunny man years jears himself er and had never nevor made a claim for lost hens bens bensA A year jeor 01 or two ago asO however a fox Cox had paid pallI a nocturnal visit to his fowl H yard jard and had played havoc with tho feathered denizens A night or two after acter it happened again A third time the tho fox canto came around and made a most deplorable mess of a n lot of ot fine fino Wynn Wyan dottes and some somo expensive Buff i tons I IThen Then the tho farmer wrote to the tho hunt II secretary and asked for damages Tho Il reply was that the claim would bo be at attended attended attended tended to shortly and at Christmas I Ithe the tho settlement came in tho form torm of ot ofa ofa a n ham harm Thereupon the tho farmer declared ed cd war on all aU foxes Coxes and killed them then ruthlessly And this was tho point I q which puzzled the tho farmers on Satur Saturday Saturday i iday day night h Jim Crawford shot a fox last year w i isaid said suld ono one of ot the men and no good has come to him since It aint lucky luchy 1 and It Jt aint sportsmanlike Let em Kill 1111 your our hens hat what they aro are i there thero for and if one ono hunt secretary Is mean there ore are a hundred who are aro 1 generous I H There Thero you OU have It Sport is sport and its rules aro are adamant It must however be bo put to tho the ot or 1 Ish hunt clubs that they spend mil millions millions lions Mons of at pounds a year elii In England Wales and Ireland for tor tho the upkeep of ot the tho a x sport Think of tho the hunters that aro bred 1 and sold annually the tho packs of hounds land and huntsmen tho the stable people tho the it dozens doens of ot hangers on who mako a 11 living out of it Without tho the hounds i Li certain districts of England would woul 1 bo be depopulated and the tho i midland counties would bo be almost im Jm impoverished im If It a ri a law were suddenly put 1 in force torce to make an end to the tho rich mans pastime Country houses mouses In districts may ma be had al almost almost almost most for tor the tho price of a cottage In 4 Leicestershire whereas In the Quorn and country a country house Is as us expensive If not more so than thana a London mansion Instead of ot dimin diminishing hunting has grown In lu popular favor |