The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-06-10
KING GEORGE
CurOsiiies Revealed by the Late Hndstorm-
Extraordinary Results Of Coon Hunt.


To The Free Lance:
\ lew weeks ago the newspapers teen
cd with daily arcouut~. NOR. or less iu
tcwsting. Ol thc exploits oi Prr~ldrn
/ Roosevelt lu his hunt lor bears and coy
OtcS iu the mountains OF Colorado. Ihtl
told also of the adventures OF Secretary
Loeb with the icrocilu~ iack-mbbt
which abound ln that region. and upOl
/ the return OF the~. distinguished NlmrOd'
10 their home ia Washington the -am'
/ types were made hot in printing de-
scrIptlOnS OF the many scalpS and Othel
/ trophies of the great hunt. which wep
/ placed on exhibition at the White llou-.
again. readers viii remember that q lew
years ago many news columns Wen
printed 10 description ol "a human -AeI
ton. euca-cd in Wcli-httcd iron cage
which had just been rNhumed ON th'
roadside near our courthouse by Mr. Ca
wood. olthiS county. This excited wild,
attention throughout the country ano
ELECTED many letters from distant
States seeking 10 purchase it ior public
exhibition This writer received "a letter
oi that tenor from an cntcrpri-ug Yam
kec I'm New England State.
We rccite these Incidents and refer t.
the great hurrah made over them at th'
time OF their occurrence. as preface "a
the record OF another incident we an
about to relate. and 10 show that some
time minor happening, are published IN
minute detail and heraded with great
pomp and circumstance. while Others O
more Importance arr passed over with a
bare mention.
The Free Lance has already reported
results OF the terrific storm OF wind. hal
and rain, which wrought such destruc
tlon at King GcorgeC {. II. last Wedncs
day; how 10 tOrr away chlmneys ano
stripped the village Of it~ pretty Shad,
tires We wish now to supplement that
report by giving further details oi ON,
incident Ol the storm at that place whicl
Received only slight mention.
Among heyictilus Of thecyclOnic Wino
was Il large locust tree that had stood
sentinel at the front door OF the county
clerk office fOr more than "a century
Owing 10 H. prominent position it had
during % long lie, been mute witness
/ Oi more business transactions and heard
more bargain, begun and struck than
any OF It's neighbOrs. and being the eldest
Of the group ii had seen more people
/ heard more stump speeches witnessed
more lawn PARTIES and picncs. seem mop
/ fst fights and heard more cuss wOrd'
than any tree OF the grove. Beneath IL
/ friendly shade many am Old-time Wing
or I.OcOfOcO speaker. after hours Of heat
ed debate in the courtroom ON the Res
olutiOns oi - and %. or on the Tar
| hi OF -. has paused 10 cool the ipvereo
brow of politics. and against its sturdy
trunk many "a Chatanker of former days
having lost his bearings amid the iOg
that he always found prevailing during
the closing hours of court day, has found
kindly support while he repaired his
steering gear and consulted his pocket
compass as To the true course towards
home. This famous old friend has now
fallen. but it iell not as Abner. who fell
and died rs the fool dieth. but like Samp-
son, who in his death. greatly enlarged
his fame. IL was this way: \ moment
after the storm subsided. citizens OF the
village heard cries Of distress coming
from direction OF the clerk office. Two
expert hunters. whose ears were quick to
detect the notes OF wild game, concluded
at once that a coon had been entrapped
by fallen tree, and hurrying with axes
they cut into the one from which the
cries orsqueaks proceeded They iet their
labor rewarded when they discovered
and pulled out a fine, large coon, meas
uring five feet seven and hall inches
from tip TO tip. Stunned by the fall he
offered no resistance when captured, but
presently revived and looking upon the
picture Oi ruin and desOlatiOn made by
the storm he uttered "a cry which sound
ed like "Whar aT-ar-at' Some thought
the cry merely expressed the sense OF be-
ing lost, but Prof. 4. h., who is an eX-
pert antiquarian and inguist aud we'll
up in coonology and all kindred Sciences,
translated the sylables and explained
that Just after Noah's great rain storm
had subsided his cook, Ham, looking
out OF the kitchen window. uttered a
similar cry which was merely the name
OF the highland upon which his house
boat had run aground. So this sixtieth
century son OF Ham. when he looked out
after last Wednesdays storm simply
called out "Ararat" as railroad con-
ductOr would announce way station.
\ well grown scion OF the house OF Jap
heth was found in the same tree. but he
got away. y.