Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-16
DEER HUNT.
The Beautiful Doe that His Daughter
Wept Over.
St. Louis Republican,

~ 0l000AN vi n AOOA
hunt which appeared in the New York
Spirit of the Times, in 1897, upon the
prairies Of Illinois, opposite Jefferson
Barracks, in which Daniel Webster
distinguished himself By striking
down a fat doe with the rife. The
correspondent, writing from Jefferson
Barracks, says:
A party was formed, consisting of
Hon. VIM. II. Ashley-whose deyo-
ton to field sports is so we'll known
Judge Walsh, DIR. Hoffman and many
other gentlemen equally ardent in the
sports Of the field, forming quite a
formidable party. About 9 o'clock
Mr.. Webster and his, family, with
many other ladies and gentlemen in
attendance, together with the hunting
party, crossed the river. A short ride
of about two miles brought them into
the heart of a beautiful prairie, which
stretched out for many miles in extent,
and stationing those who were merely
lookers-on the scene upon one of the
singular mounds which dot the plain
in every direction, the hunters horn
brought a noble pack of hounds on the
qui viye. The dogs had scarcely put
their foot on the huntihg-ground be-
fore a deep-mouthed bay from a vet
eran old hunter warned them to look
out for game. A few minutes brought
them on the trail of a fine young doe,
which had just sprung from its bed Of
flowers, alarmed by its keen sense of
danger, and few with the feetness of
the wind across the plain. Twelve
noble hounds were on its track, max
ing the air resound with their deep
monthed bayings. The beautiful doe
went bounding on, with its eyes wide
staring and its head thrown back
on its shoulders, now skimming
over the level surface of the plain,
now bounding over some intervening
knoll, and endeayoring with the cum
ming of a fox to elude the pursuit of
its enemies. On, on it speeds, strain
ing every nerve to reach a little strip
of the forest which skirts the prairie
on one side, for which the deer always
make on being pressed by their hot
pursuers. One bound and with a
mighty effort it clears a broad and
sluggish stream filled with a tangled
mass of long grass and watar lilies
almost impossible, except by leaping.
The dogs came rushing on with naught
but the wishes for deer before their
eyes, and needless of the treaeherous
stream, rush in and are soon entan-
gled in the meshes of the rank grass.
The frightened deer stood on a rising
ground and blew from its nostrils a
wild, unearthly whistle peculiar to
itself. 1t stood out an instant to see
how cunningly it had brought them
into the snare, and again bounded for
ward, making for the wood. But the
dogs we're old uns' at the game, and
the hunters were used to the strata
gem which the deer made to elude
them. In view of this movement a
portion of the party, with two noble
greyhounds belonging to DIR. Hoffman.
had been stationed near the skirt Of
the wood to intercept its fight in that
direction. A few more bounds and
the timid deer would have found an
asylum in the depth of the forest-but
its enemies were there. With tn,
speed of lightning the greyhoundi
leaped from their leashes, and went
full-cry after their prey.
The poor deer was now sadly per.
picked which way to turn its foot
steps. Enemies before and enemies
behind, and nothing but a boundles,
plain over which it could fly, without
having any hope that it could stand
the race for any length of time with it,
f~eetfooted tormentors, it stood an i'm
age of despair. One ray of hope
seemed to CLEAN from its eyes as il
: strained them toward the now far dis
: tant mounds, on one of which Mr.
} Webster and his friends were sta.
! toned.
Not an instant had it to hesitate
life or death was the result of its pres
, ent move. 1t flew for the mound Will
the speed of an arrow for its mark
The hounds are close at its heels i
must reach that place with a few NOR,
bounds or it is lost, Look, it is at tn,
foot of the hill it thinks it has game,
J at last a resting place but in its swift
{ flight it does not see new enemies be
fore it. See it struggling up the steeI
Y ascent-it has gained the top and j
! Just taking refuge in the woods, secur
from his hot pursuers, when a sharr
report is heard-the crack of a rife
: and with one shrill cry of agony tn
I stricken deer bounds high in the al
/; and falls dead almost at the feet of th
= party. Mr.. Webster has phot II, /
his excitement of the chase he la
seized a rife that stood by the side q
a a tree, and with the unegFing aim of
$ backwoodsman has shot it through tn
heart, Poor man He looks q
though he had committed a guilty az
ton as he stands by its side So sorrow
# fully gazing at his fatal work,
c His lovely daughter was hangin
oyer ~ her large black eyes (ohl hor
black and l%ustrQus), swimming WI.
tears as the poor deer III
at her feet, her bosom h%eayine wit
: agony as its life is flowing away i
the purple stream that triokles owe
! the grass. They are not hardened /
If such scenes, A portion of the part
g which had been out in another dire,
e ton now returned, bringing wit
them a fine, large buck, and as Il
&c whole were htlsued, either by Il
81 chase or the excitement Of witnessir
% II, they We're glad TO cease from Il
ig sport which had so richly rewarde
10 them. Ripe and delicious strawbe
p. ries, which grew in great plenty ever
II where over the prairies, afforded the
ID a delightful refreshmAgt, and the pu,
i water which flowed from a sprir
10 ~, cks,r - 80 n ,..-~I .I-l -