St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-10-13
A Great Deer Story.

UIeit DctI StUIys
"Speaking of strange attachments, "
said well-known Arkansas railroad
conductor, reminds me of the strang
est freak of affection of which think
any record has been kept. On one of
the railroads centering at Little Rock
there is, a short distance from the city,
stretch of wood pasture about mile
and half long. The land is as level
as the floor and is surrounded by high
fence, with deep cattle-gaps where the
road runs through. One day while we
were rushing through the woods deer
jumped up and ran close to the train
until we reached the fence, when he
turned and was soon lost to view. Next
day, when the train came along again,
the deer met us at the fence and ran
along in great glee until we reached the
other side of the woods, when he turned
aside. NY engineer became very much
attached to him, and always blew the
whistle just before entering the woods.
The old engine, too, seemed to have an
affection for the animal, and would seem
to chuckle when the deer was at its
SIDE
Zone day we were delayed by an ac-
cident to a freight-train, and did not
reach the woods until after nightfall.
The engineer blew his whistle. A light
flashed in the woods. and, hope never
to tell the truth again if that deer wasn't
there carrying a lantern on his horns.
I won't pretend to explain how he got
the lantern. am giving you the facts,
and you can draw your own deductions.
When we passed he tossed the lantern
aside. One of the boys told me-and
mind YOU I don't vouch for its truth
that the lantern fell from a freight
train, and that the deer took it up and
kept it on a stump until our train came
along"
"How do gou suppose the deer light
ed the lanternp" asked one of the
company.
at may have been already lit, but #
it wasn't it's no lookout of mine, for
am only giving the facts as they oc-
Cured, leaving all speculation to you.
Some time after this we were rushing
along, nearing the deer's woods, when
we saw the animal standing on the track
waving red flag. We stopped and
discovered that an immense tree had
blown across the track. Well, sir,when
we chopped the log out that deer put
his horns against it and helped us roll
it away"
..Where do you suppose he got the
red fag?" asked an incredulous list
ener.
81 won't attempt to explain anything.
am giving you the facta, and, of
course, you can do your own figuring
for conclusions; but one of the boys
said that he took up an old white rag
that he found on the ground and rubbed
it in bed of red clay
"What became of this wonderful ami
mal?'
.sThat's what I'm going to tell you.
One day, about six months ago, we ar
rived at the woods as usual. The deer
met us and ieaped alongside of us. The
engine, feeling pretty gay that morn
ing anyhow, seemed to prance along the
track just as we got about half way
through the woods en- immigrant looked
out the window, and yelling, 'Look at
that ar deer, snatched up a double-bar-
relied gun and fired load of buckshot
into the poor thing. We stopped and
went over.to where the deer lay on the
green sward in the last agonies of
death. He held out his tongue and
shook hands with all the trainmen, but
when he saw the immigrant, whom we
dragged to the spot, he frowned dark
ly, folded up his tongue and put it back
into his mouth. The immigrant was q
nervous fellow and was much excited.
He bent over the deer as though to get
forgiveness, when the animal, brave and
revengeful in death, raised up and
brought him a crack across the head
with his stick-like foreleg and laid him
low. The deer and immigrant are
buried near each other, and our engine,
which has never recovered from the de-
pressing effect Of the tragedy, always
means when il goes through the deer's
woods. Little Rock Gazette.