Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-14
SAW THE FAILING STARS.
Experience Of n Fox-Chascr In the
Year 1873.

Experience of a Fox-Chascr in the
Year 1873.
LEXINGTON. VA. November 13-(Spe-
sH)-LoXineton has I'm the person Of her
venerable ex-Mayor. John w. Haugha-
vort. who celebrated his Sth anniversary
o Thursday. November 2. 1893. witness
Of Che great meteoric shower which took
place in 1885, He is the oldest native
bonn uhahitant Of Lexington. and is q
y-r-s man yet. and IS 20 be seen daily
.. streets engaged in conversation or
his numerous friends. lie has a
N lection Of the falling of the
s the old people called the me-
t. om Of that time, which hap
f ODD the morning Of November u,
SIS. He takes great delight in telling his
e. fright" on that occasion. and says
certainly wanted to see the display
which s predicted to take place either to-
lr 0r within the next few days. ON the
..g preceding the falling of the stars
cold Huck" had made arrangement with
. boon companion of his 10y the name Of
I.dI. an old field schoolmate. for fox
hunt and chase The next morning cola
Huck' is even now known as the mighty
hunter OF Rocbbridge county. and possibly
with the exception Of the past two years
has never failed 20 take his annual deer
hunt.
la order to get an early start. which
was at O'Clock In the mornns. "old
luck spent the night with Iidd, but ON
arising found that Tidd could not CO. as
Iha was sick. lie would not miss the
tp9rt of running the fox, and went alone
ilt first woke the echoes with his horn.
which brought forth his pack of fourteen
pa.l-traincd hounds With the hounds DE
..ruck for the Brushy HIS. about two
miles away. The woods then extended
.. within O. short distance OF Lexington.
-..a~ where the present reservoir stands
l. loo-ei his hounds. and their music
SION rang out in tho morning air as they
r...rk the trail. He followed, crossing
land dale. until the summit was reach
WHOM. ra sat down 20 rest and listen
+. tr. hounds MS they ran around first one
Did and then another. back and forth.
rr. r.r.t was perfectly clear. and the
sons u.r. orl..Eed with stars, when
-.- and -uarkltd. "Dlu Huck
tu.r looked up al the Hea
rt rf.r suddenly star appeared 70
leaving streak like rocket tAen
c..r m tla West This did not dis
h.m r tle lc1st Another star,
I.. more BRILLIANT than its predecessor,
SHOT eastward. Then several chased
across. Matters We're now getting inte--
t...rr ilt not exactly pleasant. Several
1.0ra took "a shoot' and they brought
.ll Huea' I'D bis teat with great sud
s.rae. IIe n0 longer heard his hounds;
ln al eyes, Could there be anything
Nr ID. bad never seen so many 'IaN-
tr .. olec The stars now began
.r.r.s. and those chills when
l. 0r. l. experienced when fright
,... n FL. rur races up and down ms
fr. Ile stars began now 10
t fo r-.rs. and the chills In
CREASED PROPORTIONS: PRESENTATION bead
e. DIS forehead The stars next began 20
1I 10 n.r ana now his hat rested
ir- or bead bat upon bis hair. wnich
f. Up. The trees stood forth
DEVILS and everything Was
stars. stars His past HIt
before him ike rapidiy-moVinlH
The reason for the leaves NOS
f.nr r,e was that they were yet damp
Nl Thus DE reasoned until a star
rU.E LIN on his arm. lie smeued 10
Did. could detect the sulphur. There
SIS r.thing 20 indicate 81. by now the
tr were falling like the flakes OF ter
Oil. .aw-efCrm Then he thought that
rrt day had come. Down the noun
f.- Dr.. rushed headlOng, over logs,
.e and brush Through briers he
C. nothing stopped him in IBIS mao
f.ff rfu. for mile or more DE iacet
t..r until reservoir hill was iedchtu'
tI t.u Doe turned and expected 10 sec
...ra-rne hills in fall blaze. He saw
r..- outlines but no fire, leapinS WIN
&c. ar s.vourinc tongues. Nothns p"'
t-. .ran OF stars not abated lh lhe
. U. aeam turned his face TOWARDS
l...r..n and pressed on with greater
r..r-t thinking That 10 bc with his friends
better than 90 Doc alone. Lexington
no appeared. and again no con-
f..afI1n was going on-nOth'ng but inc
l..m OF failing stars and The brlilldh'
tt. On Doc pressed. ass streaks or dawn
IDS of approaching day, appeared lh
r E4st Through Woods creek he
ol and up the bin he pressed. Lex
.... WAS reached. and tine houses stood
l. and tho storm was abatng. As
b. .lhed The main street thc stars had
DISAPPEARED. and day was breaking. An
O. f.e.leut hailed him from across the
tI... aud asked him where he had been
ouch an early hour. He replied that
is l. been 10 a neighb0r's % get his
This was passngly strange. Tor
iu OH. distant hills came the music OF
il. bonds and the old man remarked
on .f md said that he feared that cold
4-'f tI been a-hunung, ana that the
.fars" had chased him home in
r This eventful chase served as
for years 10 come with the old