The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-02-19
FOX HUNTERS EXPERIENCE

one OF the best packs of fox hounds
in this country, whilc talking with
several fog-hunter friends recently,
told some practical jokes ON himself.
What makes the stories more inter
esting Is that Professor Draughon Is
a man OF considerable means, being
president of thirty business colleges,
the biggest chain of business colleges
In the world.
One of the stories related by Pro-
fessor Draughon Is as follows:
Nashville people will remember
that some months ago there was con-
Quoted in this city q very interest
Ing religious revival-the Torrey-
Alexander meeting. One day, during
the progress of the meeting, | was
asked by the pastor to take some of
those conducting the meetlng-per-
sons from other clties-for an auto
mobile ride, enabling them thus to
see the places of interest in and
about Nashville. ! readily consented
to the ride, and the necessary
arrangements we're soon made. !
was introduced to those who were to
accompany me, and even In the in
Productions my business may have
been remotely referred to, but names
and other details of introductlons are
oftentimes lost so far as future refer
ence Is concerned. Anyhow, all being
ready, we started briskly on our ex-
cursion. One of the gentlemen sat
on the front seat with me. Our con-
versation naturally dealt largely
with automobiles, the gentleman ask
ing me all about the machines. ]
told him all | knew, perhaps great
deal more; at any rate, it Is likely
that he thought ! knew as much
about automobiles az he knew about
religion. Pretty soon he asked me
how long | had been driving cars.
| told him | had been driving cars
about two years. He then asked me
what cars | liked best. ! told him !
was then driving both a steamer and
a four-cylinder gasoline, and as be-
tween the two, | had no special pref
erence. He asked me II | had ever
had any wrecks. / told him that /
had had no serious trouble. Grow
ing a little nervous, 1 sought to
change the subject. | began to fear
that my companions would become
somewhat apprehensive, and this
served to recall to me my first ex-
perience as an automobile driver.
"My first car was a secondhand
one, purchased from our local tele-
phone company. The company kindly
volunteered to furnish man who
could and would show me all the
intricacies Of the carts internal
anatomy, its steering apparatus, etc.
and how to manipulate it. I in
vited Mr.. Calliouette, the gentleman
who was to teach me on Monday, to
go out with me on Sunday morning
knowing, of course, that / could
not learn to drive a car on Sunday
and / also invited some Of my
friends to accompany us on this ride.
We made a few trips up and down
the Granny White Pike, and the run
hlHS VI lHt cal OCEhltu blliDlC
enough to me; in fact, it seemed to
me to be as easy as the proverbial
falling off log. The simplicity and
ease with which it was run was so
impressed upon me that I finally
said to Mr.. Calliouette: That looks
easy to me; let me try it, He prompt
ly changed seats with me, and I took
hold of the steering wheel. We were
then going downhill just beyond my
home. AS we began to ascend the
next little rise Mr.. Calliouette said:
Open your throttle. If you don't,
you'll choke your engine down. l
pulled the throttle wide open, and
Immediately there was a very no.
ticeable acceleration in our speed.
1--WE began going down the pike az
a pretty good clip, when, Just as W
got in front of the Bible school, the
car tipped over ditch, into a wire
fence, and rolled over against tele-
phone pole. Now, / am not positive
as to which of two things that car
wanted to do, enter the Bible school
and enroll in a Sunday-school class
or, from sheer force of habit, climb
a telephone pole. Whichever it was,
certain it is that the car was incapaci-
tated for further service until it had
been detained for some time in an
automobile hospital. All the passen-
gers escaped personal injury. One,
however, needed a new derby hat.
"About the time we succeeded in
getting from under the car, Mr.. ]. c. !
Symmes and Mr.. John F. Davie came
up st very rapid rate, having seen
from a distance that we were in
trouble. One of these gentlemen in
terrogated me thus: 'Draughon, what
in the world are YOU doing?' l re-
piled: Don't get excited. 1t looks
as il you could see what / am doing;
but if you want to know what l have
been trying to do, that's a different
story. I've been trying this car to
see if it could jump bitches and
fences, while the chase is on, but
find it an inglorious failure in these !
particulars, for on the trial 1t turned |
over with us ard tried to climb a
telephone pole. 1t might, however,