The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-02-12
On the Wing.
Mr.. JACKSON. Fen. 10Th. 1853

4 MI JACKSON, Fen. 10th, 1868 !
4 Dear Vayyiaian II read a few days ag
an interesting account of your ssDeer Hunt
near Mt Jackson, and being persuaded tina
! you are fond Of such sport, and would fee
an interest in the fate of those who might Sc
proper to engage in that kind of amusement
| have therefore concluded to give you tn
details of few, of the many sziftle incidents
that occurred to me, in great Foe Chase,
in tAe vicinity where you passed such al
''eventtM career. Before the sun had wheel
ed its course above the heights Of our loft,
mountains which hold such high position
in this beautiful Valley, we were vending
our way toward the notable place callee
'.Third Hill,'' WHERE s'Reypard" loves te
dwell; consequently we anticipated but little
difficulty in finding plenty of the game we Dc
sired This being hunt on larger scale
than usual consisting of many asports" and
some thirty or forty hounds requested to
be placed on the highest point. Twas noun
ted on anoble mule" remarkable for not
being ertrenacy fast, even when 'swell tried, y
| therefore [ concluded to remain mounted. In
this unenyiable position | remained several
hours listening with anxious Impotence
for the hounds to approach my stand !;
but no could hear the baying Of the dogs
in the distance. | resolved to quit the posi-
ton held, for another nearer the scene Of
action but had scarcely started to put my
resolution into execution, when I discovered
that the hounds were approaching rapidly
the place was about leaving In few
moments Mr.. Reynard passed, and as the
hounds approached they made such an un-
earthly noise, that this eepedHious nag be-
came alarmed for its safety and took fight
and l was hurried down the descent with
such rapidity, that could scarcely believe
that / was on the mule, but was being hurled
through the air by some supernatural force.
Directly heard something strike, and stimuli
taneously with this noise, | heard great
roaring, and it seemed to me that I was a
whirlwind or roaring cataract How long
this roaring lasted do not know, but nv
eyes finally opened and saw just above me
a large Black oak limb and the mule gone"
The conclusion was forced upon me, that the
noise | heard was {. collision between nv
head ana the old oak limb What became
of the mule, | learned few haurs afterwards,
from the hunters, but what would have be-
come OF her had it not been for the hounds,
| don't know ; as they were in the habit Of
hunting deer more frequently than foxes
and this extraordinary mule, looking very
much like deer, they pursued instead Of
the fox. And as the chase was sight race,
they did not discover their mistake until they
captured her. The hunters found me in a
bruised condition, but upon the application
of a little Of the ''spir;tus actus" outwardly,
| was in condition for traveling-and thus
ended the faz-hunt, IN the capturing Of
runaway mule.
| must not forget to tell you, that notwith-
standing my bruised condition, was not too
badly injured to notice that the wheat crop
is looking we'll. tits to be hoped that We
will be blessed with an abundant harvest next
summer-for the present prices are too high
for the laborlng classes to support themselves.
Corn is selling for ninety cents in the field,
and wheat cannot be bought for less than two
dollars and fifty cents, and not much to be
had at that price. We are anxiously looking
for the arrival Of the cars l suppose they
will make their appearance here by the lst
Of April. The bridges over North and South
rivers are completed, and the others between
Strasburg and this place, are framed and
some Of them partly up. The most difficult
portion Of the road to be completed is be-
tween Strasburg and Front Royal, which
needs grading, &c, for about eight miles, as
the road was used as a wagon road after the
rails were removed to the Winchester 4 Po-
tomac E. r. by the Yanks.
I aim happy to inform you that the ssUnion
League" is not as well organized as it was
some months ago, and many who were iden-
titled, as we thought, with them, have left
them and are openly opposed to them. 1t is
to be hoped that more Of those, if not all the
misguided, may see the error of their way
and return to the aid of those, whose in
terest is their interest
| We are having nice time now, sleigh
riding, the only difficulty to full enjoyment
is that the ''projectle force" can't stand the
pressure.
| don't care how soon winter leaves us now,
as every one in this place has laid in fall
supply of ice, With my best wishes for
your future success,
| am, truly yours,
RUSTICUS.