The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-01-31
FOX HUNTERS EXPERIENCE.

Nashville, Tenn, who doubtless owns
one of the best packs of fox hounds
in this country, while talking with
several foy-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 a very interest
ing religious revival-the Torrey-
Alexander meeting. One day, during
the progress of the meeting, l was
asked by the pastor to take some of
those conducting the meeting-per-
sons from other cities-for an auto
mobile ride, enabling them thus to;
see the places of interest in and
about Nashville. l readily consented
to the ride, and the necessary
ARRANGEMENTS were soon made. l
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 introductions are
oftentimes lost so far as future refer
ence is concerned. Anyhow, all being
ready, we started briskly on our eX-
n,,@ ~f thn
on the front seat with me. Our con-
versation naturally dealt largely
with automobiles, the gentleman ask
ing me all about the machines. L
told him ali knew, perhaps a great
deal more; at any rate, 1t is likely
that he thought I knew as much
about automobiles as he knew about
religion. Pretty soon he asked me
how long 1 had been driving cars.
I told him 1 had been driving cars
about two years. He then asked me
what cars I liked best. I told him l
was then driving both steamer and
a four-cylinder gasoline, and as be-
tween the two, I had no special pref
erence. He asked me if I had ever
had any wrecks. l told him that L
had had no serious trouble. Grow
ing a little nervous, 1 sought to
change the subject. I 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 car-its Internal
anatomy, it's steering apparatus, etc.
and how to manipulate it. L IN
vited Mr.. Calliouette, the gentleman
who was to teach me on Monday, to
60 out with me on Sunday morning
knowing, of course, that l could
not learn to drive a car on Sunday
and l 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
ming of the car seemed simple
enough to me; in fact, it seemed to
me to be as easy as the proverbial
falling off a log The simplicity and
ease with which it was run was so
impressed upon me that | finally
said to Mr.. Calliouette: That looks
easy to me; let me try it. He prompt
ly changed seats with me, and l 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.
pulled the throttle wide open, and
Immediately there was very no
ticeable acceleration in our speed.
1--WE began going down the pike at
a pretty good clip, when, just as w
got in front of the Bible school, the
car tipped over a ditch, into 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.. j. G.
Symmes and Mr.. John F. Davie came
up at a very rapid rate, having seen
from 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 if 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 ditches and
fences, while the chase is on, but
find it an iDgloriOus failure in these
particulars, for ON the trial it turned
over with us and tried to climb a
telephone pole. 1t might, however,
be good for coon hunting OF for
gathering persimmons,'
But back to my story. At the
time the inquisitiye gentleman of the
Cyangelistic party was plying me with
questions regarding my experience in
driving cars, the remembrance OF
this narrow escape, of course, made
me a little nervous, and | frequently
tried to change the topic, even shift
ing a time or two to the subject of re-
ligion; but the conversation would
invariably revert to the original topic
automobiles. Again | save, in an
swer to questions, every Bit of infOr-
nation [ possessed regarding auto
mobiles in general, and particularly
the car in which we were riding.
But he Piled me once more. How
much said he, do they pay You fel-
lows down here for driving cars?'
replied: The size of the salary de
ren3s very largely on the amoHnt ot
experience man has had, thC
caution he exercises, and the skill he
exhibits as driver