Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-12

! projecting over the snow above me, which felt
certain was my knife handle. If could only
contrve way to reachihdt, thought, should
have some hope. BY The dim light Of the moon,
looked at it steadily for some minutes. in or
der to satisfy myself that it was really the ham
die, before making an effort to reach it. Salts
fed, at length, that it could be nothing else, |
spent half an hour, in trying to work my way
along, snake like, 50 slowly and imperceptibly,
that the buck would hardly realize movement,
but no care or caution could deceive the brute,
and the least effort was acknowledged by Sc
we're stamp. had hoped, at first, that his loss
Of blood from the wound would ut length
weaken him, but it proved otherwise, and the
reverse, for as time passed he seemed to stand
irmer, and stamp with greater yigor. Half a
dozen plans were malured in brief space of
time, tried, and found wanting. Isaw that the
only possible chance Of success, was by Drawing
the stamps long enough to raise my arm and
grasp it. was not sure that it was within
reach, but had no other resource but to try
the experiment. 1t was matter of too much
Importance to be stopped by any slight obstacle,
and after nervng myself for the work, very
suddenly and with all the strength could
command, raised my arm, and to my infinite JOY,
grasped it, mid the thumps and stamps Of the
enraged animal But the labor that had cost
me so much, in blows, was barren of any good
resIlt-the dark object, which had taken in
the dim light for my knife, proving to be moth
ing more than short dry limb, that had fallen
upon the snow.
But it was not only barren of any good re
suit, but prolific of great evil. had hardly
fallen down again into my snowy bed, when
felt something fresh come up into my mouth
At first thought but little of it, but soon as
certained that was bleeding in the region of
the stomach. 1t only came up slowly, | man
aging to spit it ont as it came at first, but to my
horror tile buck commenced stamping every time
spit. AS the blood came into my mouth, was
forced to eject it, and this new difficulty con-
WINGED me at once that all hope was past, and
had only to lay as still as possible and wear away
the sooner the better. The increased stamping
increased the flow of blood, and for time, whose
length | cannot form any idea Of, lay in the
mostdreadful agony, fully believing that should
end in the woods alone, in that terrible manner,
with no one to carry my dying message to the
loved ones at home. | remember even now Just
how it seemed, the light growing DINNER and
DINNER, the senses. closing by degrees, yet fully
realizing ny awSA situation lremember the
period of semi-unconsciousness very distinctly,
as one will remeInber the next morning, their
feelings when hall asleep the night before, but
alter that l remember nothing.
When ] woke to consciousness was in my
own house, surrounded by my family and being
carefully tended. l suffered severely for two
years, when by a change Of treatment lat length
regained all OF my former strength, and with it,
notwithstanding my terrible experience, all my
old love of hunting.
Ralph told me afterwards that the dogs came
home that night, which made him think that
purhaps something had gone amiss, and he start
ed Immediately out after me, followed by the
dogs. By the aid of lantern he tracked me
to the pond and over into the woods beyond, and
found the buck still standing upon my chest
His old dog GrOwler jumped and took him by
the nose and held him while he bled him, and
then by great exertion, he hardly knew how
himself, he carried me to the road, and hired
passing team 10 bring me home.
Dog Trains on the Lakes.