The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-13
In COLLINS PATCH
THE DEER ATE STRAWBERRIES OUT
OF SEASON AND CAME TO GRIEF.

Protectors Investigation.
Game Protector Kidd of Newburg, VIII,
Is always on the alert that he may miss u,
opportunity to uphold the majesty of tn,
game law and that no offender agains
il, nor the incidental share of the fine tina
goes TO the infsrmer, may escape, heart
that James Collins had shot deer out O
season. James Collins lives at or neal
Marlboro, where the strawberries and tn,
raspbcrrics and the blackberries grow
Protector Kidd went to Marlboro H,
learned that James Collins was a straw
berry grower. He called on James Col
Inns, told him who no was and said
"Mr. Collins, I am sorry to tell you
that am credibly informed that you are
guilty of having killed a deer out of sea
son."
+ James Collins pondored a moment, and
then said
"Are you any jedge O. strawberry
patches, PROTECTOR
The protector replied that he knew q
strawberry patch when he saw one.
but my business here is with deer
killed out Of season, said he. at has
nothing to do with strawberry patches"
"NoS" said Mr.. Collins. "Hain't got
nothin to do with strawberry patches chr
Jest come along with me and see if IL
hain'tp'
The protector went along with James
Collins, who took him out to the straw
berry patch.
'There!' said Mr.. Collins. Throw
your eye over that patch and see if your
business hain't got nothin to do with i'll"
The protector looked at the patch, but
said he could SEQ no connection between
it and his business.
"What ~ exclaimed Mr.. Collins. Don't
you see how it's chawed and clawed and
pawedY"
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. f"
"And I'm here, by gumbo, said James
Collins, Ito show you that deer hainlJ
got no right to eat my strawberries out o.
season, sir
"Huhv" said Protector Kidd, nonplused
That's what / said" exclaimed James
Collins. "What right has deer to eat my
strawberries out o. season? See how that
patch is chawed! See how it's clawedl
See how it's paved Maybe you think
cows done it. Maybe you think pasture
cattle on my strawberries. l couldn't
blame you if you did, for it looks enough
as If did. But / don't. Cows nor cattle
didn't chaw and claw and paw that patch
the way it is. No. sir. Deer done it,
jest as soon as the time was up when the
game law said deer couldn't be killed any
more, deer begun to come down from them
woods yonder and pasture on my straw
berries Shoe 'em off? Not much They
knowed we didn't dare kill 'em, and every
time we tried TO shoe 'em off they jest
bristled up and run us off the patch and
went on with their chawin and PAWN and
slawin. Why amt they Gere nowS An
accident happened to one of 'em t'other
day. That's why they amt here now.
guess they amt quite so sure o. themselves
as they was, and they're layin low"
San ACCIDENT" said Mr.. Kidd, shifting
evidence. Yes" replied James Collins.
lone o. the deer shot himself Broke the
game law, by gumbo, and shot himself
out o. season."
"HahW thought the protector. TRAP
gun"
"Shot himself dead" continued Mr..
Collins. "Shot himself dead. was in
the patch here tryin to red things up and
save little o. next years crop, when a
deer came trottin down out o. the woods,
AIONO AlO Oh anu Dtkun W CiluW anu paw
and claw. I've got an old army musket
that must "a had the same load in it that
it came 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 l, IN git the old mus
ket and sort o. strut out in the patch with !
it. Maybe the sight of it'll make the deer |
think we don't care for the game law |
round here, and he'll skip,
Il took down the musket and marched |
out into the patch with it. l got within |
20 foot o. the deer fore he seen me, he was |
so busy chawin and PAWN and clawin. |
Then he looked up He didn't turn scared |
a bit. He turned madden than wild bull |
and come for me a-tearin. / whipped |
around and broke for the house, but the |
deer ketched me. He ketched me jest |
about three inches below where the hind |
suspender buttons fits into the suspenders,
and down went and plowed as much as
ten foot through the patch The old mus
ket was shook loose from me by the jar,
and then's when l found out it had load |
In it. 1 guess maybe the butt end o. the |
musket struck that fence post yonder and |
ratified up the lock some way.
Anyhow, heard roar like a Fourth /
o. July salute, and when l got up there
was an amaZin smell o. powder hoverin
round, and the smoke was so thick l
couldn't see anything for as much as
minute, 1 guess. Then it cleared up
Yonder by the fence post the old musket
was layiD, peaceful as a lamb, and over
yonder, where you see that biggest claw
In the patch, laid the deer, just as peaceful
rs the musket. The unfortunate critter
had shot himself. Broke the game law
and shot himself out o. season. What's
the reason your business here hain't got
nothin to do with strawberry patches I'd
ike to know?"
"Mr. Collins" said Protector Kidd
sternly, where is that deer?"
Soon as l see what had happened, re-
piled Mr.. Collins, II run In the house and
told the folks, and then run down yonder
10 tell a nsighbor. When 1 got back, the
ieer wasn't layin in the patch any more.
asked my neighbor, who knows all about
ieer, whether he thought other deers could
have come out o. the woods and carried
hat dead deer back with 'em and he said,
KNOWN what he knowed about deer, es-
Decially Marlboro deer, 1t wouldn't sur
Prise him IL they had. But / can show