The Wilmingtonian., 1884-11-22
CORRESPONDENCE.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
AN INCIDENT OF COLORADO LIFE


at its head, gave full view of either slope
to the junction of the valley with Plum
Greek, tributary of tie South Platte. The
bed Of the gulcb, which, during tine hot sum-
mer months was dry sandy bottom, gave a
natural cover for my purpose; averaging
two or three feet in depth and running along
at the foot of the slope at whose side we
had seen the antelopes. Alter proceeding
as thought about a mile running along
hurriedly at first and then slackening pace,
changed my movements, carefully picking
my steps and treading as lightly as possible
Now crouching and scramblng forward
more quietly and occasionally peeping over
the sharp-cut brink for any signs by which
might recognize the locality, using still
greater care as drew nearer the spot where
supposed the animals tobe. At length l
perceived, outlined against the sky, tree
tops which seemed to resemble the scrub
oak clumps, and upon careful inspection
their appearance satisfied me that the desir-
ed spot could not be very far off. Every
thing was now done with re-doubled eau
tion. Laying my rifle gently down / drag
ged myself noisilessly along the sloping
sand-bank to its edge, and, carefully pluck
ing bunch of grass elevated it into view
and peeped between the spears. Hurrah!
There was the buck, not so yards Off its
gray brown body distinctly visible through
the grass tops and, better than all, it was
browning quietly towards me, drawing near
er and nearer with leisurely steps and with
out any sign of suspicion or alarm. What a
novel and attractive picture it was as l
watched it through tie grass-stalks, almost
hearing it MUNICH and nibbe as it threw its
head from side to side in quest Of more
toothsome tid-bits. As l watched, discoy-
cred, few yards beyond the buck the long
neck anil head Of the doe. She was lying
down perfectly still and contented, the very
ideal of confident security: lazly tapping
her long ears in the sultry air and occasionly
shaking her head to free herself of flies. l
drew back to calm myself and to regain
breath: as lay there the perspiration fairly
streamed from me was in such state of
excitement.
Most unaccountably, during those short
moments, the thought flashed across me as
L lay stretched out OH the sand resting on
my elbows and peeping through the grass,
what an odd illustration for abstract specu-
lation, my position, in moral sense would
affordl An intelligent consciousness, imbu-
ed with the usual moral and religious teach
ings, lay in ambush, deadly machine in
hand, premeditating the most extreme and
even dastardly outrage to all recei we'd teach
ings! acting the role of breast of prey while
deprived of the palliating excuses that nat
ural laws extend, necessarily, to the carni-
vorel A harmless and beautiful object en-
dowed with the highest and most attrac-
tive attributes of animal life, in the midst
of its glorious sunlit heaven, its RANT 10y
BUSINESS of freedom and pleasure is doomed
to an instantaneous and cruel death to
CRAFTY swhim of mine. The agent, hu-
man being recog nizing the demands of his |
moral surroundings and the requirements of
a religious code the most benign the world
has ever seenl--Certain compunctions as
to the deed were felt and fairness requires
that it should be recorded, but their exist
ence in this case point their ineffectiyeness
only the more clearly.
Suddenly, with quick movement of
alarm the buck threw its headl Away flew
introspectionl My thumb was on the trig- |
gerl shrank back and lay still-Craw-
ling into position, again took another peep,
oarelessly, however, making a slight noise |
with the metal strap rings of my rifle. Up
went the bucks head again, neck and ears
extended towards my hiding place. dared |
hardly breathe, so closely did he listen and |
80 intently did he test every sound: his large |
black lustrous eyes protruding and rigidly |
fixed on the spot where lay, looking as if |
they would burst from their sockets, and his
fexile nostrils dstened and quivering with |
nervous movements. At length his suspic-
ions seemed allayed, as he took to b.ows-
ing again, still, however, every now and
then, gently and gracefully raising his pref
ty head and pointing his long ears at differ
ent angles in order to catch any stray sound
the wind might bear towards him. His
light and agile limbs seemed ready at any
moment to carry him off Altogether he
was the very ideal of wary sentinel taxing
every sense by which he might gather know
ledge of an enemy's presence.
Quietly drawing my rifle into position l |
took aim and carefully covering the bucks
shoulder,I pulled the triggerl Through the
smoke saw the beast jump several feet
straight into the air! In an instant | was
upon my feet running towards him. Off
flew the doe, skimming the ground like
bird circlinQ around and around i'm 5yiden
ing curves, her head thrown back and fluffy
tail erectl~ Too late thought of my rifle
and of how thougatless had been in leaving
it on the ground. Running back, however
as fast as could, l snatched it up, and
chucking out the old cartridge and replacing
it with new one, a bullet went whistlng
after her; but all to no effect, in few Sec
onds she was far out of range.
Returning to my successful shot l found
the poor brute lying with its head in small
pool of blood, its breath had gone and
thin blue film was creeping over its dark
moist eyes. The heavy conical bullet had
crushed completely through its head, max
ing terrible hole in the forehead. In
mediately thought of my knife, but find
ing hadn't it with me / ran back to the
shanty. Arriving there found some visi-
tors. They asked what the matter was as l
hurried past them; snatchiug up knife
and unhitching my pony, in few moments
was galloping back to the antelope. As
lrode off Ihollaed to my friends that would
bring them some deer-meat, noticing, how
ever their dubious looks ror my hrot1,ar anJ