The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-18

open, clearing tne FENCES Spienui
ly. flying along the stony path.
was beautiful sight. But consit
er what shot it was If the dee
now, could only have been .caugh
No doubt there were -hearts
people in the valley who would hay
spared her life, shut her up in a stabl,
and petted her, Was there one wh
would have let her go back to be
waiting fawn! 1t is the business c
civilization to tame or kill
The doe went on she left the saw
mill on Johns Brook to her right; sh
turned into a wood path; as she ap
preached Slide Brook she saw O bo
standing by tree, with a raised rife
The dogs were not in sight, but sh
could hear them coming down th
hill; there was no time for hesitation
with tremendous burst of speed sh
cleared the stream, and as che touch
ed the bank heard the 'ping" of I
rifle bullet in the air above her. Th,
cruel sound gave wings to the poo
thing. In moment she was in th,
opening ; she lesped into the travele,
road. Which way? Below her il
the wood was load of hay; a mai
and boy with pitchforks in thei
hands were running towards her
She turned south, and few along the
street. The town was up; womeI
and children ran to the doors anc
windows, men snasched their rifles
shots were fred; at the big boarding
house the summer boaders, who nev
er had anything to do, came ou. ant
cheered; q camp-stool was thrown
from a veranda; some young fellows
shooting at mark in the meadows
saw the flying deer, and popped away
at her; but they were accustomed to
mark that stood sill, II was all SC
sudden there were twenty people
just going 10 shoot at her, when the
doe leeped the road fence and went
away across marsh toward the foot
bills. IL was fearful gauntlet to
run. But nobody except the deer
considered it in that light. Every
body told just what be was going to
do, everybody who had seen the per-
formance was kind of hero
everybody except the deer. For
days it was the subject of converse.
ton and the summer boarders kept
their guns on hand, expecting anoth.
er deer would come to be shot at.
The doe went away to the foot
hills, going more slowly, and evident
ly fatigued if not frightened half to
death Nothing is 80 APPALLING to a
recluse as half mile of summer
boarders. As the deer entered the
thin woods she saw rabble of peo-
pie start across the meadow 10 pur-
suit; by this time the dogs, painting
and loolling out their lounges, came
swimming along, keeping the trail, lii .
stupids. and consequently losing
ground when the deer doubled.
But when the doe had got into the
she beard the savage brutes
bowling across the meadow. It is
well enough. perhaps, to say that no.
body offered to shoot the dogs
The courage of the painting fugitive
was not gone; she was game to the
tip of her high-bred ears; but the
fearful pace at which she had Just
been going told on her. Her legs
trembled aad her heart beat like a
trip hammer. She slowed her speed
perforce, but still fed industriously
up the right bank of the stream
When she had gone couple of miles
and the dogs were evidently gaining
again, she crossed the broad, deep
brook, climbed the steep left bank,
and fled on in the direction of the Mt.
Marcy trail. The fording of the riv-
er threw the hounds off for time,
she knew by their uncertain yelping,
up and dowa the opposite bank, then
she had little respite she used it,
to push on until the baying
was more distant.
1t was still race for life, but the
odds were in her favor, she thought
She did not appreciate the logged
persistence of the hounds, nor had
any inspiration told her that the race
is not to the swift She was little
confused in her mind where to go,
but an instinct kept her course 60 the
left, snd consequently further away
from her fawn.
Going now slower and now faster,
as the pursuit seemed more distant or
nearer, she kept to the southwest,
crossed the stream again, left Pan
ther Gorge on her right, and ran on
by Hsystack and Skylight in the d.
rection of the Upper Ausable Pond
lido not know her exact course through
this maze of mountains, swsmps, ra-
vines, and frightful wildernesses |
only know that the poor thing work
ed her wsy along painfully. with
sinking heart aud unsteady limbs;
ying down dead beat" at intervals,
and then spur:ed on by the cry of the
logs. She soon came to a lake If
she could pu. this body of water be-
ween her aud her pursuers she would
be safe Had she strength TO swim
-
At her first step into the water she
law sight that sent her back with
pound. There was boat mid-lake ;
.wo men were il it; one was rowing,
be other had 8 gun 10 his hand
hey were looking towards her they
lad seen her She did not know
hat they had heard the bsyiDg Of
hounds on the mountains, and had
,een lying in wait for her an hour
What should she do? Tie hounds
we're drawing near. No escape that
vay, even if she could still run
With only moments hesitation she
plunged into the lake, and struck OBJ /
iqaely across. Her tired legs could |
lot propel the tired body rapidly. |
She turned toward the centre Of the /
axe. The boat turned. She could |
hear the rattle of the oar-lecks. 1t
vas gaining on her. Then there was
i splash of the water just ahead Of
her followed by roar round the lake,
he words, "Confound it ALL" aud a
,attle os the oars again The doe
Jaw the boat nearing her she turned
rressolutely TO the shore whence she
came the dogs were tapping the wa
.er and bowling there she then turn
ID again to the centre of the lake.