St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-09-21
FAwN'S SWIMMING LESSON.
p.+,.,.. and w.tcbfulnesy of the
Mother During the Interesting
Performance.

kOttIS VI lllC "OOuS1 ~ -
who has learned that there is more
pleasure to be had in letting animals
live than in killing them. His resi-
dence of many summers in the Adiron-
dacks has shown him higher enjoy
ment to be had among his wary, but
unoffending, neighbors, be they deer,
bear or trout, than he ever dreamed of
in his bloodthirsty, game-killing days.
The following quotation from the
book echoes the authors sympathy:
"John and I concluded to fish the
river below again. said Hardy, land
to walk some distance down the bank
before we struck in, so as to get to the
pools below. The fish were not biting
well, but it was very beautiful, and we
got few before lunch time. John car
ried my camera, and have got
hope have got-some good pictures.
While we were within half mile of
Cross pond, though it had no fish in
it, I, of course, wanted to see it. We
went there, and I made the worst
break that I have ever made since I
went away from my rod ON the edge
of the burnt ground. left my camera
at the river, instead of taking it with
me. We walked part way around the
pond and sat down, and pretty soon
doe came in opposite, perhaps 40 rods.
She came without sound, slowly, not
like cat, not like anything else but a
deer; just slipped in, a quiet, smooth
glide, and drank and nibbled! OF
course, she looked around, and studied
the whole pond, but she seemed most
anxious about the direction she had
come from. She kept looking back.
"'Course I knew she had fawn
back in the woods soon as saw her act
in that way said John, and then I
thought about Mr.. Hardy's camera,
for she'd come to stay, and would work
round nearer us. And I'd left the
dinged thing at the river, though I
might have known we stood to see
deer any time of day at Cross pond.
Eff he'd to do it ag'in, I wou'd't "a done
it,
eyes, John said that she was prob
ably worrying about fawn back in
the woods, and directly the fawn came
scampering in. It stood stiff-legged
and stared at its mother with it's head
turned comically, so that one of the
big ears was partly over the other one.
Then it twined down the beach, kicked
up its dainty hind legs, took few high
leaps and stopped stiff-legged again.
It bucked like a broncho, going
straight up into the air and lighting
squarely with all four feet close to-
gether. 1t was continuous perform
ance, little, but not much like q
lambs gambols, for it was graceful.
The mother waded breast deep in the
water for grass roots and lily pads, but
watching the fawn and seeming to
coax it. Several times it put its toes
into the water and quickly sprang
back. Directly the doe went into
deeper water, and swan slowly toward
us, often stopping for tender lily pad
and to look back earnestly at the little
one.
Suddenly, with rush, the fawn
sprang into the water, tore in and
made it fly, and in doing so fell upon
its knees and wet its pretty little
nose. It was plainly frightened at
what it had done, but its mother was
ahead, SO it kept going. It churned and
pounded the water with it's fore feet,
and soon got too high in front and was
frightened. It bleated, calling for its
and when she swan alongside,
the little rascal Immediately climbed
on her back and ducked her. When
she came out from under she cautious
ly kept a short distance away, work
ing toward US, but with her head over
her shoulders watching the fawn.
About the middle of the pond the fawn
got in trouble again; got too high in
front, and apparently had another
panic. The doe swan near him, and
he therw his fore feet on her back a
second time, but she was wary, and
kept her head above water. Then, for
The first time, she made sound'-not
a bleat, but a cooling sound, such as
pigeons make, and it seemed to soothe
the excited little fellow. He swan
more steadily, but not at all smoothly,
for he appeared to get his legs tangled
and lose his stroke. Sometimes his
neck was high out of water, and some
times his nose was buried, but he final
~ came ashore, just 21 feet from
where was sitting on a balsam log.
paced it after he left, but they did
not Cd for several minutes. The fawn
trembled so it could scarcely stand,
while the mother licked it and kept
making the cooling, grooming sound. It
was very tired, meek-looking fawn
that slowly followed its mother into
The woods. have the picture in my
mind. 1t was not over-exposed or I'M
and it will never fade,
but can't show it to anyone else. 1
feel as John does about leaving the
'amera: If had it to do over again
wouldn't "a done it,"
A Juvenile Bunko Man.
Tommy had been quiet for fully five