The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-21
IN COLLINS PATCH
THE DEER ATE STRAWBERRIES OUT
OF SEASON AND CAME TO GRIEF.

The Pesky Creature Chawed and CIawed
and Paved and Wouldn't BE Driven
Away-UnsatisfactoryR Result of Gamo
Protectors Investigation.
Gamo Protector Kidd of Newburg, who
Is always ON the alert that no may miss no
opportunity to uphold the majesty Of tho
game law and that no offender against
It, nor tho incidental shere Of tho flno that
goes to the informer, may escape, heard
that james Collins had shot deer out Of
season. James Collins lives Mt or near
Marlboro, whore the strawberries and tho
raspborries and the blnokborries grow.
Protector Kidd went to Marlboro. He
learned that James Collins was straw
berry grower. He called on james Col
lins told him who he was and said:
Mr.. Collins, I am sorry to toll you
that am oredibly informed that you arc
guilty of having killed deer out of sea-
son."
James Collins pondered moment, and
then said:
caro- you any jodgo o. strawberry
patches, prOtectorP"
The protector replied that he knew q
strawberry patch when he saw ono.
but my business here is with deer
killed out Of season." said he "It has
hObuluB W uO Will bbTuW pCrry DaCOnoS.
"Nof" said Mr.. Collins. "Hain't got
nothin to do with strawberry patches, ehp
Jest como along with me and see If 1t
hain'tp'
The protector went along with James
| Collins who took him out to the straw
berry patch.
"Thore!' said Mr. Collins. Throw
your eye over that patch and see IL. your
business hain't got nothin to do with It'll"
Tho protector looked mt the patch, but
| said no could SEQ no connection between
| it and his business.
"Whatp' exclaimed Mr.. Collins. Don't
| you 500 how It's chawed and olawed and
paweds''
"I'm here, Mr.. Collins" said Protector
| Kidd, getting impatient, ito show you
that you have no right to kill deer out of
| season, Sir"
"And Pm hero, by gumbo," said James
Collins, Ito show you that deer hain't
| got no right to cat my straw berries out O.
season, SIR"
| "Huh!' said Protector Kidd nonplused
That's what said," exclaimed james
| Collins. "What right has deer to eat my
strawberries out o. season? SEQ how that
patch Is chawedl See how it's clawed |!
SEQ how it's pawcdl Maybe you think
COWS done it. Maybe you think 1 pasture
cattlo on my Strawberries. I couldn't
| blame you If you did, for it looks enough
ms if did. But don't. Cows nor cattle
didn't ohaw and claw and paw that patch
tho way it is. No, sir. Deer done it..
Jest rs soon as tho timo was up when tho
| game law said deer couldn't BIO killed any
moro, deer begun to como down from them
woods yonder and pasture on my straw
berries Shoe 'em off? Not muohl They
knowed wo didn't dare kill 'em, and every
! time we tried to shoe 'em off they Jest
bristled up and run lis of the patch and
| went OH with their chawin and PAWN and
clawin. Why amt thcy hero now? An
accident happened to one of 'em t'other
day. That's why they amt here now. i
guess they ain t quite so sure O. themselves
as they was, and they're layin low"
"An accidont!" said Mr.. Kidd, shifting
evidence. Eyes" replied James Collins.
"Ono O. the deer shot himself Broke the
gamo law, by gumbo, and shot himself
out O. season.
"Hahr thought the protector. TRAP
gum"
"Shot himself Dead" continued Mr.
| Collins. Shot himself dead. was in
tho patch hero tryin to red things up and
save little o. next years crop, when q
deer camo trottin down out O. tho woods
| drove mo off and begun to chaw and paw
and claw I've got an old army muskei
that must "a had the Same load in it tina,
1T camo out o. the war with, but / didn't
know it. It'd been hangin up In the gar
ret for 80 years that musket had.
Ding it,, says I, I'll git the old mus
ket and sort o. strut out in tho patch will
it. Maybe tho sight of it'll mako the deer
think wo don't caro- for the game Law
| round here and ho'll skip.
| 81
out into tho patch with it, 1 got within
| 90 foot O tho deer fore he seen me, no wa.
so busy Chawin and PAWN and clawin
Thon he looked up. He didn't turn scared
n bit. He turned madder than wild bull
| and como for me a-tearin. 1 whipped
around and broke for the house, but the
deer ketchod INC. He ketched mo Jest
about three inches below where tho hint
suspendor buttons fits into the susponders
and down went and plowed rs much as
ton foot through the patch. Tho old mus
kot was shook loose from mo by the jar
and then's when found out it had loat
in it. guess maybe tho butt end O. the
musket struck that fenco post yonder ant
ratified up the lock some way.
"Anyhow, heard o roar like Fourth
O. July salute, and when I got up there
was an nmazin smell o. powder hoverir
round, and the smoke WAS SO thick
4 couldn't SEQ anything for rs much as &
minute, 1 guess Then it cleared up
Yonder by the fence post tho old muslset
was layin, peaceful rs lamb, and ovel
| yonder, where you SEQ that biggest claw
in the patch, laid the deer, just as peaceful
rs the musket Tho unfortunate crittel
had shot himself. Broke tho ga1no law
and shot himself out O. season! What's
tho reason your business hero hain't got
nothin To do with strawberry patches, I'd
| like to lsnow:'
1 nMr Ceiling - soid prolnct Kill