Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-22

Worthington' lips. None knew better
than he the danger into which Isam had
plunged. Not a stick, brush, stone or
weapon Of any description was at hand
except his small pocketknife. Hastily
opening that, he rushed upon the deer.
Isam's eyes were bursting from their
sockets and appealed piteously for the
help his stentOrian voice was frantical
ly imploring until the woods rang with
his agony. Major Worthington caught
the nearest antler with his left hand
and made fierce lunge at the animals
throat. But the knife's point was miss
ing, and only a triling wound was in
fiicted. The next instant the deer met
the now attack with rush that carried
Isam with it and thrust the major to
the ground the knife falling out of
reach. Seeing this, the negro let go
his hold rolled out of the way, and with
mighty effort literally ran upon the
top of branching haw bush, where he
lay spread out like bat and moaning
piteously:
stick ter i'm, Mass Craffud, stick
ter 'im Wo', deer; wo', deerl Stick
ter i'm, Mass Cratfud!"
And the major stuck. Retaining his
presence of mind, he threw his left arm
over tho deer's neck, and still holding
with his right the antler looked about
for Isam, who had 50 mysteriously dis
appeared. Something like the hold he
had had more than once in boyhood and
served him we'll in school combats. But
he had never tried to hold full grown
buck, and so he somewhat anXiously
searched the scene for the valiant negro.
The first words he heard distinctly
We're:
stick ter i'm, Mass Cratfud, stick
ter i'm! Hits better fur one ter die
den bofel Hole i'm. Mass Craffud.
hole i'm! Wo', deer; wo', deer! Stick
ter i'm, Mass Gratfud! Steddyl Look
out fur es ho'nl Wo', deerl Steddy,
Mass Craftud!"
By this time the struggles of the beast
had again ceased, and wearied from his
double encounter he stood with his head
pulled down to the ground half astride
the desperate man, who was holding on
for life. Whether Major Worthington
was frightened or not it is hard to say,
probably he was, but there was no doubt
about his being angry when he saw lsam
spread out in the haw bush and heard
his address. His face was livid with
rage, and foam and sweat mingled up
on it, AS soon as he caught his breath
he burst forth with:
You internal black rascal, why don't
you come-down out of that-bush ami
help-me?" Isam's face was pitiful in
e, -, III
he fairly shook the bush with trembling
Don, Mass Cratfud, don. You ain
got no time ter cuss now. Lif' up yo'
voice en- pray Lor. Lor, eff ev'r man
had err call ter pray, you dun got it
now"
For one instant it looked as if the ma
jor would abandon his attempt to hold
the deer and turn his attention to the
bush, but he did not have an oppor-
tunity to carry out such a resolution.
Revived by his moment S rest, the buck
made another effort for freedom and re
vengc. He dragged his corpulent cap
tor i'll circle, he rolled him on the
sod, he fsll over him, pounded him and
stamped, but without relief. The des-
perato man chung to his hold with a
grip that could not be broken. 1t was
the grip of death. Indeed it was now
a question of life or death.
Wearied down at last, the deer gave
himself and victim another breathing
spell, and the major continued:
eff ever-I get loose from this-blute
you internal scoundrel-I'll not leave
bone in your bodyr'
I 4 i
You mustn't let de sun so down on
20 wraf! . Lori he continued, got
ing on his all tours and rs near
'everent posture as the circumstances |
would admit of, don you mine nuth' II
lie es er-sayiu now, cos he ain 'spon-
'b'. Lor, eff de hes angel you got
vuz down dere in his fix en- er fool deer
vuz er-straddl n i'm, dcy ain no tell II
v at d happ'n er w at sorter langwidge |
he'd let loss. Wo', deer; wo', deer!
Stick ter i'm, Mass Cratfud, stick ter |
iml Steddy, deerl Steddy, Mass Graf
ud!'
The major got another resting spell
BY this time his breath was almost
zone, and his anger had given way to
apprehension. He real
ZeU tnat ne was IN a most desperate
blight, and that the only hope of rescue
ay in the frightened negro up in the
law BUSH He changed his tactics
when the deer rested again.
"Isam,' he said gently.
Yes, honey"
"Isam, come and help me, old fell
ow "
Good Gawd, Mass Craffud," said
he negro earnestly, "dere ain nuthin
woodn' do fur you, but hits better
ur one ter die n two. Hits long
light better
But there is no danger, Isam, none
whatever. Just you come down and
With your knife hamstring the brute.
IL hold him."
mo, sab; no, sab; no, sah!" said
sam loudly and with growing earnest
less mo, sab, it won wuk! No,
sahl You err in fur hit now, Mass
Craffud, en- ct can't be holped. Dere
,in' nuthin kin save yer but de good
Ior, en- he ain go'n ter, less'n you AK
i'm 'umblelike en- er-b 'liev'n en- es
nussy. l prayed Wen | wuz down
Iere, Mass Cratfud, dat l did, en- look
vat happ'n. Didn' he SEN you like
x aingil, en- didn' no git mo up hyah
afe en- wholesum? Dat he did, en- he
lev'r spec dis niger war go'n ter
ling 'essef und'r dat deer arter he trou-