Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1902-01-17

papers nowadays relative TO
the awful waste of human
9 life in the woods. caused by
/ the careless use of firearms, together
/ with the demand for more stringent
laws bearing upon the subject. that
feel it a duty to write this sketch.
While we deplore the fact that many
hunters have been taken for deer.
snot and killed. let us. if possible.
have some charity for the man who
all his life must carry this awful bur-
den of having killed perhaps his best
friend unintentionally..
Three of us started out one beautiful
day in October a few years ago after
deer. We were the best of friends;
two Of us We're hunters. and one was
new at the business. After travelling
awhile, we struck an old woods road.
ana although one of my companions
!!he 9Ge--'vHo was well versed in wood
ccaft and the rifle-proposed travelling
just hack of the road a few rods and
parallel 70 it, so that if there might be
a deer about he would be most likely
10 jump right into the road when
startled. thus affording us a good shot,
did not agree TO it, knowing its dan
gers. This plan had always objected
IN, and so told him. 1t affords the pos
sibiiAy of an awful mistake.
L. Is keep together" l said.
a litle later we were travelling
through a beautiful clump of spruce,
when, as quick as a fash, a deer
jumped over a small ridge to our left
and disappeared.
Hold on! He has gone into that lit
tie ravne and he will follow it," said
my companion.
Don't you remember where the road
crosses that piece of swale just be-
yond? Now. you are so much quicker
On the shoot than 1, let me go and drive
him down that run. and when you
see piece of him as big as your hand,
LEI drive"
NO, don't worry" said he, as he saw
my hesitancy. you can't hit me, for
the ridge viii be between us. You are
too careful, you are"
Well, he went over into that ravine,
and seeing nothing of the deer, would
you believe it, he followed that run
right down into the swale, where he
said the deer would be, without a sign
or haloo. He had on one of those
ead-grass-colored shooting jackets
and, by the way. have never put one |
on my back since. and would advise
gt.t.-. o., f,l1o,r- NV
Standing at ready with my rife at |
fun cock, l was waiting for a snapshot. |
when l caught sight of what l sup |
posed, of course, was the deer in the
sWa,e.
Remember that this was in a wild |
country, where there was no POSSIBLE
ity of any others being about
Now, knew my man; of course he |
wasn't fool enough to be down there. |
Just that instant's hesitation while this /
thought passed through my mind was
all that saved his life and my peace Of |
mind.
Gfasplng my rife more firmly and |
it to my shoulder. took dead
aim and had already begun to press
the trigger when l caught the outlines
Of h5 hat. Instantly throwing the
muzzie Of my rife to one side. 1 be-
Gan TO grow first hot. then cold;
trembled, vomited, and, although
man full-grown, In my excitement l
cried ike a child. and the hardest
tramp I ever took in my life was my
trip back to camp.
Unmanly you may call the nerve
collapse If you will, but don't judge
too harslIy until you've been there.
Silently my companion Joined me,
ard we slowly wendell our way tack
&c camp. The occasion did not demand |
very lively conversation, and the latter
was conspicuous by its absence.
lie was never able to give a reason
able excuse for his action.
Had my friend been killed, who
would have been at fault?
Would 1 have deserved a term at
State prison for my mistake?
Twice since then have / myself been |
mistaken for deer and saved an acct
dent 10 myself and. at least, embar-
rassment to the other man, by quick, |
SHARP halloo. and, although angered |
by The carelessness. my own experience |
made me very charitable. for | c0rid |
very easily put myself in the other
fellows place.-Correspondence in For
pet and Stream