The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-04-18
AN INFURIATED BUCK.
he Makes Things Lively for Sym.
pathetic Stranger,
Who Is Unarmed and Hence Has to Use
His LeS,-An Over Jealous Plunge
of tho Vicious Beast Ends
the Contest.

exciting adventures in the woods"
said William Demuth, OF Jobs Bridge,
Sullivan County, Pa, "but the one I
had with a brolsen-legged buck, a
couple of years ago, almost within
sight of my house, was the liveliest Of
all, and gave me the closest call.
1T happened about the middle of
March. The snow was deep up
Through the lumber regions that win
ter, but there had been a couple Of
weeks of warm weather and frequent
rains, and in the open country the
ssleighing was nearlyTall gone, There.
Awere many deep drifts left along the
6roads, and cold snap Of day or two
I Shad frozen quite crust on them. l
twas on my way home, in low-bodied
Sslelgh, ana when within mile OF the
bridge saw. standing at the side Of
the road, and not more than ten feet
#from it, in an open space in the woods,
Zone OF the biggest bucks l had ever
&seen. He did not move away as l ap-
#proached, much to my surprise. My
8horse SHE'D to one side when he saw
8the buck, and ran several rods past the
Sdeer before | could stop him.
II turned round in my sleigh and
looked pack. The buck still stood in
&the same place. l noticed, then. that
khe was very poor and looked sick. I
=had heard that a lumber operator over
ion the creek had several tame deer in
Ia small park, and made up my mind
&that this must be one of his that had
sgot out of the inclosure. He was a
Sfve-prong buck, and If in flesh would
xhave been as magnificent a specimen Of
This kind as ever led chase. Feeling
that it would be a pity to leave him to
Perish there, l tied my horse to tree
Rt the roadside, and walked back to see
couldn't drive the buck along with
hne, so it could heEd and pick up with
tny cattle, among which. in severe win
ters, have often found wild deer feed
ing.
';As I neared the buck with this
nerciful purpose he began to show
ome sign thai he recognized my pres
nce, and when was within ten feet OF
i'm his recognition became SO positive
hat l at once knew that, whether he
Fas a tame deer or wild one, he did
lot intend to accept my services in the
pirit in which l had intended to offer
hem, and that the chances were that
nless l returned to my sleigh with
|ut delay my interference would be
esented by the buck in man
Ter not at all to my advantage.
Che hair on the deer's back had
ristled up as | approached him, his
ars were laid back fat along his head,
md his eyes glared fercely. From
aunt, half-famished looking animal,
Indifferent to his surroundings or his
hte. he suddenly became fierce and
ehant, presenting front that plainly
lhowed pride OF race and determine
pn OF purpose in adversity. took
ep backward as the preliminary
ctics in my retreat, and the buck i'm
ediatcly sprang forward to the at
ek.
'On the opposite side Of the road
tgo hemlock tree had been blown
wn, leaving stump six or seven
It high. cleared the road In
np, almost, and lodged behind the
imp. Peering around 1t, saw the
ck coming, then discovered for the
Il time that his right hind leg was
ken, and that it dragged helplessly
hind him. Then the bucks dogged
ceness was explained. There is no
per or more dreaded object to be
in the woods than wounded buck,
oil hunters know. No matter
Sther you have inflicted tho wound
Khether some one else has, the buck
attack the first that appears. Con-
pently knew that l was In for
ly time before l got away from that
Sken-legged buck with my life.
IA deer can handle itself with three
IND legs almost as we'll as 1t can with
u, provided the disabled one is not
right fore leg. A deer can get
4 II the course with broken fore leg
a fly as rapidly as 1t could before,
broken hind leg retards its
ngress scarcely any. But II Its
bit fore leg DO broken, that moment