The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-01-15


.sos,hoss sinkins deep 10 The nssy e'u'l
stood psbtins slib bic tfsriioos Ine
nishty ,,illnets Of toe voois oppressed
hin. 0ntbe,d the dali eloads wete
uufky snd ihres'tuies
mast be fEe miles fron home, Dopsld
u att, red. II slIl BE- = lard poll, sud
lhs,es more suos eonias.
lie rested some nome is sssinil 8 bsar
ily l.dsa birch tree. whose white bark BE-
ussbspic.lly stripped OF While sns's
81 10 this o9cnps lon be heard toi'e
shich sfouses the na'ursl lns,iuets oitee
han,u IL xss isiot biest Of deer, bot
~nh /. strangely pi,iiui plant 10 II 'est
o msds Donald IclsiD:
whsts OPT Somelhiog is wron.l IL
q ust be volt or sos
The possibility Of s.rsy dos 10 the
gree, lonely ~o1ds wss not great, sud be
coon dism issed if.t ves from miod.
Iimust be wolses OF some otter Wild
bes.t / wonder hos ~ II isl
II. listened iniently, applying bis tsr to
the surface oi The snov. The dismal ciS
OF TIE deer wss rrpe,ted at i1tefvsls, eroS
ipp i.ieter st every call. Snddenly D0n
slj locked up OF the sty aoIionsly, ana
then dosp The trail which led 10 bis home
Bot With a nes resolve be tisbtened the
strap OF one OF bis snowsboes, picked up
his iif,, and started Cd 10 another direc
iiop.
mus, fod out the trouble, be ssid he
tween bis clsnchei teeth,
Tired though he was be rli1 along On
bic snow shoes With seiliiy, and quickly
passed beyond the opening 10 the forest to
the thickest part OF it. From this difec
ton came the strange blest OF the deer,
Five minutes later be etood 10 40 open
glade With one OF those rare sights oi obi
msl struggles pictured before BIN that Is
allowed to .he fortunate few.
Two large bucks stood facing each 9th
er. with lowered hesds, and horns inter
locked 10 deadly embrsce Jn their
derce struggle for the mastery their horns
had become entviued so that neither
could escspe.
Back and forth 10 the email opening
they had been plugging, pushing, showing
sld pulling, hoping to bresk the deadly
embrace, but sll they bad accomplished
vas TO pack the snow hard uuder their
feet and tighten the fearful grip Of the OF
the horns.
Donsld stood moment 10 surprise sDd
.mtz imeut watching the struggling, doom
e1 snimsls. No power OF their own could
ever release them One might prove the
stronger and gradually tire out his oppon
ent, bat death to either one meant lioger
ing starvation to the other. To be inter
lacked with the bo;ns OF dead deer was
30 victory TO anticipate Bjth snimsl' sp
pssred to resliz, their danger. Iustesi OF
buckiug and Hsh.ins With the 6re Of eng
sr H,.hing 10 their eyes. they stood q1iet
aud rembling, blestins pitliully.i for the
help which nigh. never come. Nothing
could bre.k the lock Of the terrible horns.
Well, this is . conundrum, remarked
Donald With . whistle. II l shoot them
both it will relieve them OF lingering
death; but l cant take home their bodies.
aud II l leave them here the wolves will
soon make way with them.
De stood idly by, gszing st the snimsIs,
shile the two bucks stood quiet ss il vsit
ing for bis verdict. A fsr.awsy cry ois
volt suddenly made them shiver With
fear, snd one uttered . bali broken ples
for help. This reused Donald TO ssy.
I'll get them ont OF the trouble II can.
lis shsme TO leave them here to be kill
ed b, wolves. Bot ii will take timel
He glanced mp at the gathering sisns Of
. new storm, aud the dsrkening landscape
s,ound; but as il iorgetIol OF her own dan
ger he stepped up to the two struggling
snimsls. They vinced end renewed the
struggle ss he placed hsnd on their
heads. Bu. they we're helpless and uosble
to make resistance.
Now keep quiet. be ssid soothinsly,
strokins them with his bsnd Bot 1t re
ouired some effort on his part 10 induce
them 10 be quiet While be studied the
problem before him. Ths horns we're
locked 10 one OF the simplest ways imsgin
able bnt nothing would ever break the EN-
brace unless they could be pried si'ewiss
ct ja.t the right angie.
Douald placed bis ride between the
horns sud started to pry them spsrt; but
this csused renewed kicking and bnckine
90 lbs part OF the two terrified snimss.
Back and forth be followed them, holding
nis rin, 10 position aud prying hsrd Of ev
cry isvorsble opportunity.
You foolish things Why doL't you stand
stllli be mu,tered, IS be tnssed sssy.
Can't you see I'm helping youP
Finally. worn out BY ,heir continued eI
.rHons the backs stopped 10 The niddls
Of the glade aud p.n,ed and bies,ed mourn
iuIif. A4otbsr cry OF . distant wolf usde
them qois, and iestinl. Daring this luil
10 their struggles Don,ld pot oil OF bis
.,rersth srd energy toto fev desperate
,nota to pry the horns spsrt How bard
spd tousb they sppssrsd. yielding slosiy
10 bis ,us aud poll, Tsics be had The oh
s,ius,s horcs a. the poiu, Of slippies
sp,r.. bnt they tell back 10 their former
position sith . sharp click. E'ch time
The backs jampsd sidessys snd tried to re
ue. their struggles
Ba, the third time Donsl3 sss more soc
ee..foI. Wiihs Hssi tfat hessune The
l.,s.st horn sround the bend 10 the other.