The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-03-10
80 81
Affections ana Sags0sg 81 a Doc RsaEa
in Cap2gitg

Affections and slgaosg 81 a Doc RsaEsa
in CaP2gity.
Something HAYS oeen written late
ly about deer in general and pet deer
III particular.
MY elder brother and i picked MP
d fawn in the woods while ona berry,
ing expedition in strawberry time.
She grew and thrsved, never being
subjected to injurious handling she
always objected to being touched BY
anyone but myseH-and was as large
and perfectly developed as a deer in
its natural state. This is unusual in
domesticated deer and was often the
subject for comment amongo old hunt-
ers, who hadseen deer, wild and tame.
She jumped fences for amusement,
and rather enjoyed a short run before
the hounds, which she easily dis
tanced for a mile or two, and would
make straight for home as a house Of
refuge. The house dog was her
friend and protector, and the two
would lie near together for hours.
i remember with what delight /
discovered she would follow my trail,
1t was the first time she had leaped
the yard fence. had gone to look at
my line Of traps and had returned to.
find her gone. She had followed my
trail into the woods. Returning, /
found her tracksin a soft place. After
that she was never confined, and !
frequently tested her trailing powers.
From some elevated point I would
watch her galloping on the trail, head
to the ground for a few steps, then
running on a hot scent, following
every winding Of my path, made per-
haps an hour before.
When she came to where I was
/, she would express satisfaction in the
meeting by standing near to be
caressed, and then, selecting a place
near by with great care to lie down,
, unless I moved on, when she would
follow at heel as faithfully as a dog.
No animal Of 50 light a frame can
compare with the deer for strength
and poise. They are built for speed
; like the racing yachts, and there is ne
, question that in speeding like an ar.
row through the woods they surpasl
all their kind.
. My first Photographic attempt wa
: q picture Of this deer as she lay on tn,
shady side Of the house on awarm da,
:. in early spring, all four leg
sprawIed out in a way that in any an
) imal but a deer would be u~ngraceful
but a position thought was particu
4 larly fetci ng. I lave a faded prip
y Of that picture yeti was heverclea
!, cut-but the dim outline serves t
: fix in mind a happy companionship.
The ec~centricities of pet deer az
Z found to be annoying to all but tn
!, one person who stands between th
= pet and the outraged neighbor, wh
would deal summary vengeance fc
the wreck Of kitchen garden or foW6
i bed. Out Of fondness for the creature
he soothes his friend and repairs th
4 damage, if possible, but the deer ca
never be taught to respect propert
u rights.
We have yet to hear Of a tanner {
deer that lived out its days in peac
- In its natural wild state every man
J hand is against it; domesticated, i
chances for survival are small. ON
Z the wealthy could give adequate PR
lection to a favored pet Of the dee
~ kind.
As remarked before, it is only Whe
& reared in his bosom, as the Arab
a steed in his tent, that there is a bon
.es of protection between man and Il
beast only second to the human a
lBs = MI IL C4-.c-