The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-07-04

cl1d Something was coming; SOME |
thing which deer were no, afraid OF |
for the fawn and iis mother were not
ln the least frightened Gould lt be n
what he had been cxpectingf
Something did come, and it was ex.
aetly what Hal had been expecting,
waiting for. longing for without the
slightest hesitation a fine buck walked
out into the open. lie did not look to
the right, he did not look to the left
he did not even deign to look out over
the water. With a careless air he
threw q glance toward doe and fawn.
and then stepped forward to the water
his manner indicating that he felt per-
fectly at home. and that there was no
reason why he should not present him-
self 70 other deer as an example Of
courageous self-relIance.
lie drank q little water, he nlbbled a
little grass, and then he stepped toward
the spot where the doe and fawn were
lying. He raised his head and appeared
10 be breathing with delight the warm,
sunny air, so different from the atmos-
phere Of the shaded depths Of the for.
est Upon his head was a pair Of mag
nihcent anters, every branch and point
Of which showed clear and sharp in
the bright sunlight
Halls heart still beat fast his hand
was on his rife, and he was trying
hard to control the trembling of his
body. He knew all about this agita-
ton at the first sight of noble game,
and he. knew It must be controlled If
he wanted to make a good shot.
Yet in his excitement he could not
help being impressed with the rare
beauty Of the picture-the recumbent
doe, the fawn again lying by her side,
the buck standing not far behind them,
his head raised high, and in the back
ground the water, the trees and the
sky. Hal eagerly asked himself if 1t
would be possible to take a photograph
before he fred He had not answered
his own question before there was a
sudden change in the appearance Of
the buck With n quick movement he
turned his head toward the water, his
ears bent forward, his eyes dllated and
from his mouth came a strange, shrill,
whistling sound He was frightened;
Hal could see nothing, could hear
nothing that seemed to indicate dan
ger, but the deer had sharper senses
than his. Probably l. was only a fox
on the other side Of the water. Deer
are often very much afraid Of foxes,
although we know of no good reason
why they should be. But no matter
what the cause, the buck was alarmed
His antlers trembled as if his whole
body were pervaded by a sudden ire
NOR.
The terror of the buck instantly com
municated itself to the doe ana fawn
the one half-raised herself from the
ground, turning her head toward the
water, and the little fellow sprang to
his feet.
It was a wonderful picture. Hal had
never seen an engraving or painting
which showed a group Of deer at a mo
ment Of such intense nervous excite
ment. But it was also a wonderfully
good opportunity for shot.
There was no time for elaboration
The buck raised his head still higher
and leaned a little toward the wood
the doe sprang to her feet; the littl,
fawn slightly crouched as if about t.
make a bound-and Hal felt that what
ever was to be done must be done in
stantly. He seized the camera.
Click 1t was over.
At that moment the buck turned hi
head away from the water, the do,
leaned forward, there were three sud
den bounds and the startled animals
had plunged into the bushes and out o
sight
! Hal sat down on the ground ant
! leaned his back against the rock. AT
: ter his excitement there came a reac
+ ton; he did not want to do anything
{ but just sit there. He was tired, h
/ was disappointed, he was happy H
y sat there a long time, now thinking 0
the bucks head with its branching
$ antlers, which might have hung on tn
Q wall above his desk; thinking of tn
p little fawn and its petulant way 0
stamping its hoofs upon the ground
! thinking Of the tender-eyed doe so ger
o thy and steadfastly giving her little so
o a needed lesson in life; thinking of tn
4 grand buck, still alive and unframed
# standing in safety somewhere in th
: depths of the forest.
l. When Mr.. Clayton came back b
4 found his son still sitting by the rocl
well" he said, did you see a buck 2
q "Oh, yes" said Hal
e did he give you a chance for
!, shot?"