Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-28
A Fawn Scrape.

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A part of my boyhood was spent in
Virginia, or what Is now known as
West Virginia. There was then, as
now, large tracts of land, lying among
the cultivated farms, the title TO which
was so imperfect that they had never
been improved; and others owned by
non-residents who were holding them
until they should become more valuable.
Some of these sections were thousands
of acres in extent and there were
others equally as large adjoining; and
thus the improved lands were mountain
lands lying further back. In these
wooded sections there was plenty of
game. The people who lived there
wer so used to having 1t within reach
tina hey did not take much trouble
TO It 1t up, except once in a while
pa. y would be made up who would
go some distance and camp out for a
hunting trip. ! remember seeing them
return witch the sled loaded with veni
son, with bear or two frozen stiff.
and staonding up to look as If they were
alive.
Near one OF the towns where we lived,
lived a farmer whose land Joined one OF
thest wild tracts. He had several half
tanned deer, which he kept In a lot sur
rounded by very high fence. From
this enclosure there was lane leading
out to the woods beyond, and the deer
would go out in the morning and gener-
ally return in the evening. Wild deer
would often come with them as far as
the top OF the hill overlooking the farm,
and stand there while the tame ones
came down. / used to stand by the
fence and look at the beautiful crea-
lures when they were In the enclosure,
but never ventured inside the fence, as
II was not safe. In the spring learned
that there was fawn In the flock, and
was very anxious to see 1t. So went
out one day to get a sight OF 1t, but It
was nowhere about. / looked all
around, but couid not see any OF the
deer. knew it was hidden awaiting
the mothers return, and concluded 1t
would be good opportunity to get hold
of it, while the mother was not there
to defend 1t. l crawled through be-
tween tht rails and / began searching.
1t took me a long time, but at last
saw the little spotted beauty lying be-
side a log fast asleep. | looked at 1t
until / concluded that wanted to get
1t in my hands.
Slipping up on the other sidt OF the
log threw myself over on top OF It, /
knew enough about deer to know that
1t would not be healthy for me In that
lot as soon as 1t began to cry. Gath
ering it in my arms, with Its back
against me and my arm around its
belly, while 1t kicked and howled,
made a break for the fence. My load
was so heavy and struggled so that I
could not run fast, and before had got
ten more than half way / heard some
thing that made me stop and face the
music. l was In for 1t. for there were
the doe and buck within a few feet OF
me, and they did not seem pleased at
the attention was paying to that men,
Der of their family. The buck made for
me. but turned the fawn toward him
and backed toward the fence.
ut was evident by the way he
pranced about that he wanted to inter-
view me on some interesting theme,
but | was busy and did not want to be
interrupted Just then. II seemed long
time before felt the rails against my
back; and even then | was not out of
the scrape. The little reprobate that |
was holding so lovingly had been kick
ing and wriggling SO that | would get
his sharp hoofs in contact with my
clothes, and then | would hear some
thin grip, and knew that not only the
cloth was being. damaged but he was
skinning me alive. I could not let him
go because his loving parents lowered
near, waiting for their turn to finish
the skinning business. ! watched my
opportunity, and when the irate father
had gone a little farther away than
usual, flung Che little wriggler from
me and made jump for the fence.
reached 1t safely, but not a minute too
soon, as the horns of the kind parent
in his attempts to help ma over the
fence, just failed to reach the part of
my anatomy aimed at. When safely
over l looked back at him, and he
seemed to be disappointed. He stood
by the fence stamping and snorting
and looked altogether so unpleasant
that imagined he would try to climb
the fence; so / went In the opposite
direction a. fast as could. and have
never since had any desire to handle