My brother and I were at the Vet's office the other day with our two terriers, and we noticed a woman who had brought in a hound puppy. People seemed to be swooning over the thing.
True, it was very cute, but all puppies are. Could it be that these people were thinking back to the days when menfolk would light their lanterns and set loose their dogs, hoping to catch that old coon? No, probably not. Not all people think like that anymore. It was just a cute pup with long ears and a sweet face.
I was thinking about the hunting though. Where have those days gone? Why don't we hear that distant bay while the men are chasing after a fast dog and a faster coon. True, some folks still do that, but in reality, it is a lost piece of our heritage.
In an effort to soothe my longing for those days, I have found some great old photos.
Here is a great song I found, too. Popular in the Ozark Mountains during the early 1900's.
Hound Dog Song
Ev'ry time I come to town
The boys keep kickin' my dawg aroun';
Makes no diff'rence if he is a houn',
They gotta quit kickin' my dawg aroun'.
Me an' Lem Briggs an' old Bill Brown
Took a load of corn to town;
My old Jim dawg, onery old cuss,
He just naturally follered us.
As we driv past Johnson's store
A passel of yaps come out the door;
Jim he scooted behind a box
With all them fellers a-throwin' rocks.
They tied a can to old Jim's tail
An' run him a-past the county jail;
That just naturally made us sore,
Lem he cussed an' Bill he swore.
Me an' Lem Briggs an' old Bill Brown
Lost no time a-gittin' down;
We wiped them fellers on the ground
For kickin' my old Jim dawg around.
Jim seen his duty there an' then,
He lit into them gentlemen;
He shore mussed up the courthouse square
With rags an' meat an' hide an' hair.
Every time I come to town
The boys keep kickin' my dawg aroun';
Makes no difference if he is a houn',
They gotta quit kickin' my dawg aroun'.
