Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-07-20
10 e.be he cam. along, and we went

was settin' ag'in tree and was keep
in nv eve skinned, and by and by
grabbed the gun and let her belch into
a bunch o. laurels. OF course Gaoe
hadn't seen nor heerd nothin', and when
the buck jumped out from behind the
bushes and went lopin' away see had
put a bullet in him fair enough. Gabe
see him goin', and with yell he started
hot-foot on his trail and got plumb IL
range so couldn't foller the buck with
another shot. Gabe could run like a
hound. and at first | was madden than
a hit snake cause he got in my way so.
| couldn't shoot ag'in. but then sort OF
an idee struck me and had TO smile.
THAT deer is hit SOS he's bound TO
lay down fore he goes great ways
| saws. and If Gabe happens TO run agin
him shouldn't wonder but what he'll
have a chance TO show how easy he kin
lick a buck, we'll or wounded, as he's
been braggin' so much that he kim.
Il calculated that If the deer lasted
long enough. the way he was headin'.
he'd strike the creek and lay down in
the water, so | took a short cut and
made for the creek. got there jest
as the buck came plungin' in and
dumped himself down at the edge OF
deep hole. longside of a pile Of DRIFT
wood | squatted behind a row OF
alders and peeked through. l had
hardly done it when along came Gabe
He stopped on the bank and seen the
deer. After lookin' at him minute
Gabe. talkin' to himself, but loud
enough for me TO hear, says:
IL guess the best thing for me to do
is TO souse right in there and jest mop
the durn critter over and drownd him
aud yank him out on the bank, so he u
be all ready when Dan'l comes upl
"And burned If Gabe didn't souse In.
He grabbed the buck by one horn and
put his foot ag'in t'other, TO jest flop the
deer over and drownd him. Say! !
come the highest kind TO spilin' half the
fun by Dustin out and rolin' and ho!-
lerin', for that deer jest riz up, and for
the next minute or two il churned and
doused Gabe up and down in that deep
hole as If the buck was washerwoman
| and Gabe was a bedquilt he was givin
an all-peryadin' washin and rensin' to!
Every time the buck sloshed Gabe down
in the creek the water'd fly up more'n
three foot, and kept goin' up and fallin
back on Gabe as proper as If he was
standin' under mill dam. | could see
Gabe cape and gasp and ketch for
breath every time he'd come up from
outen the water, and see that he was
changin his mind about how quick and
easy he could lick the snortin' buck
hat run them woods.
sThe fun Of 1t was, you see, that Gabe
didn't dast let go o. the bucks horns
and pike for shore, cause he had al
inklin' that II he did the buck would
ketch him with horns and hoofs both
and spike and punch him full O. holes
before he could git up the bank. Il was
hard on me, tell you, to lay there a.
seein' that little circus and have to keep
in from howlin'. but had 10 do II or
| spile the fun, for If G.be had found
out that | was there he'd "a let go tbs
deer and dug for land, KNOWN that I'd
"a been neighborly enough. TO put ball
| In The deer and stop / before Il could
spike him. SO I had TO stun my bat in
my mouth to keep from spilin' the fun,
''By and by I see that besides churnin
Gabe in the creek the buck was dressin
| him down every now and then with one Of
his sharp fore hoofs. which would ketch
Gabe nigh the shoulder and slash down
almost the full length o the arm. Il
want long fore the clothes was all
ripped often the arm, and the hoof be
| gin at the meat. Gabe didn't have much
time TO do II, but he'd manage to wiggle
and vince considerable every time the
hoof slid down and took the skin with
It, and the faces he was maxim was bet
tern any clown in a circus. This here
went on for nigh five minutes before
Gabe said anything, and then he begun
to boiler. He wouldn't hardly git his
boiler started good, though, fore the
buck would shut it off by sousin' him
under the water, and that was so con
sarned funny that how | ever did keep
in | cant begin to say. After awhile
the buck begun to git tired, cause he
had ball in his shoulder and he was
bleedin' like Sam Hill.
This is gittin' too hard on that poor
deer says l to myself, and guess II
boiler to Gabe 10 come in
Il was jest goin' to raise up and do II
when the deer quit churnin' Gabe anc
stood still. Iguess Gabe thought that I
be a good time 10 make break for
shore, and he let go the deer's horn.
and turned to make il. The buck squirt
ed up ag'in, and, maxim one lunge
ketched Gabe some'rs nigh the seat 0
his trousers and riz him so amazin' tina
he landed in a sprawl on the bank
Gabe gathered himself up and looke'
back quick to see II the deer was comm
at him ag'in. But the deer wasn't.
stood in the creek glazing at Gabe, bu
It was too tired to have any more fu
with him. Gabe sot there and moppe
+ the water and mud out Of his eyes wit
I his sleeve. and | heerd him say: