The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-07-04
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE D0NE2
BY Frank stockton.


tiently backward ana Forward along
the shore as n he thought his mother
should come out and behave herself
like respectable deer.
The doe paid no attention, however
to the fawn's annoyance. She even
walked further into the water, until
her legs were nearly concealed. The
fawn now became very much agitated.
and after sprlnging backward and for
ward two or three times lac went to
the edge Of the water and put I'm one
foot; then he drew 1t back and
stamped; then, encouraged by his
mother, who might have been supposed
to be speaking gently to him al the
time, he put in both forefeet and stood
still for minute.
But he dew back, and after stamp
ing as If he hated very much to have
wet feet he bounded away. Then he
turned TO look at his mother, hoping,
probably, that she would think he had
done enough, and that she would come
out and cease her efforts to make him
do very unpleasant thing. The doe
probably knew what was in the mind
Of her son, but instead of paying some
attention to his evident appeals she
moved farther from the shore until
the water was so deep that she was
obliged to swim.
Hal thought that the little fawn now
became possessed with the fear that
he was going to lose his mother; that
she intended to cross the water and
leave him where he was. Made brave
by this anxiety he forget everything in
the frantic desire to be with her, wher-
ever she might be going or whatever
she might be doing, and he plunged
into the cold water. He splashed and
kicked and tried to jump, but in a min
ute he was out of his depth, padding
as fast as he could toward the doe,
who was waiting for him.
Hal watched these proceedings with
the most lively interest 1t was plain
enough that the little creature, like
nearly all animals except man, was
able to support himself in the water,
and to swim without being taught to
do so, but it also seemed plain to Hal
that the fawn did not like cold water,
| and would need 4 good deal of educa-
ton by example before he would have
proper confidence in himself and run to
water If pursued.
On he went, with not much more
than his head out of the water, and
working his little legs with an excited
energy that soon took him to his moth
er. Then she swan gently round him
| putting her head close to his, and ap
parently endeavoring to encourage him
But the fawn did not want encour
agement. He wanted his mother to &c
back to the shore, and to take him Will
her, and as soon as he got a chance he
made as if he would climb on her back
This pulled her down in the water, ant
So without any regard for the feeling,
of her son, she shook him off and swan
to a little distance, moving toward thu
shore.
The fawn followed, trying his hes
to reach his mother and compel her t.
carry him, but without leaving him fal
behind she kept out Of his reach, al
though she always kept her eyes OF
BIN, and seemed to be urging him t,
swim ashore without her help.
In a short time the doe was standin;
on dry land, and when the fawn coult
touch bottom he gave a great bounC
up the shelving beach, and began rae
ing backward and forward as if to &c
warm by exercise. Meanwhile hi
mother stood looking at him with evi
dent pride Although his temper ma,
have been ruffled by the way his moth
er had treated him, he was now a
happy as any little fawn could be- H
had already forgotten he had eve
been afraid of the water.
The doe, having performed her moth
er duty, lay down in a sunny spot t
dry herself. and the fawn. ever willin
to emulate her in this respect stretche
himself on the ground beside her, nc
in the graceful attitude she had al
sumed but with his slender legs reacl
ing out in four directions, his hea
resting upon the ground.
In all the time he had been watchin
the performances Of the doe and til
j fawn Hal had not even thought Of HI
rife. To shoot at any time, or undo
: any circumstances, a little fawn an
0 its affectionate mother would hay
been not only unsportsmanlike aad
+ legal, but shamefully cruel. And no
{ after the boy had in manner, mad
o the acquaintance of the pair, and ha
taken so much interest in the swim
p ming lesson he would have felt almot
d inclined to shoot any one Skho shoul
n dare to shoot that doe and fawn.
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