The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-07-07
FLEETF0OT.
Observation-Disclosures

Tho night was lar ana sweet. ne
no,oI,er moon rode srantly up the
'an s,nss blue, and through the stu
e ,D came the seeping call-aotes CT
" ". warblers, passing overhead III
.sJ- autumnal s1uth-hight.
'n, ,,ong n narrow valley, set between
..r,s of granite hills. a tail and
's .Is-ad deer deity pic.el his sound
sl rav toward hill orchard where
-, Mellow applies lay beneath the age
NJ One of the outpcsts OF GER
~ INST that yearly tends to push
= r.rouard over and beyond the Bay
s,.,e bounds, this deer had Wandered
...bward Unmarked, he passed q
s.mhouse on the hillside, reached
=. monk and vanished in the shad-
" posa the great farm dog, lay on
~ grassy slope before the farmhouse
soor The good dog was uneasy. His
DAMP cold nose-pad quivered shiftily
= tho gentle uplife Of warm currents
-,nad almost imperceptibly from the
v,l,ey's depths. He seemed to sense
new and disturbing presence. Quick
Z i h,s keen senses caught palpaole
.,nt in the air. Up he sprang and
Nth head held low, swung in a long
hne down toward the brook. His
nerves thrilled with exultation as the
mint grew stronger. When he reached
4 me brook.bank, the blood quickened
N his veins, for the reek Of a not
tr.il assembled to his brain like wine,
a be stood over his first deer track.
At last he knew the meaning Of life.
This was what he had lived for. The
mad rage Of the Scotch deerhound,
the undaunted savagery of the mas
Z af the ravening fury of the gray
voN all had come down to him
through centuries of DEMONSTRATION.
The spirit of his forebears possessed
him now. The startled bay, with
which he gave tongue to his discov-
cry, was hushed as he nosed the dewy
ground and snuffed up the warm
scent. Then, tossing his head aloft,
be shook off the weight Of the cen
turtles that had made him a fawning
slave and howled as the gaunt wolf
bowls upon the barren steppe. Next,
turning to the trial. he gave with all
the force of his powerful lungs the |
iullthroated hunting cry. No famish- |
Ing black wolf ever sang a more stir |
ring wild and resonant hunting song. |
It echoed among the trees, startling
the birds on the branches, and the |
little furry creatures that creep in the
shadows Of the woods. Come, broth
~! come away" it sang, TO the
Wild wood and the hills. We hunt
Tie deer tonight"
The rugged granite cliffs tossed it's
echoes from rock to crag along the
nley's length, and SO the tidings
Sped Away on the north ridge
ncngel coon-dog heard it and sent
hack an answering cry. He knew Of
% the song Of blood. Next a young
hound, looping across the wide fields,
allowed the call.
Again and again the leader SOUNDED
ne gathering cry OF the pack, the
song OF the red fang, the music of
MURDER, the raging voice of blood
'aifst As it passed up the valley,
VERY dog In whose veins the wolf
oood predominated was carried away
~ the excitement of the chase, and
strained painting, after the hunt.
but one there was who heard 1t
Win terror and alright.
10 the hill orchard. the startled
eeeF sprang erect, with wide eyes and
suatea nostrils; then leaped away
inward thicket Of young hemlock
ender the hills brow, where he stood
aouonless, head up and ears pricked
inward to catch every sound from
ue pack, which, running well togeth-
4 and In full cry, was coming up
ae valley.
40 Well the deer knew the mean
d u mat sound. Ever through the
~ the timid deer have heard it
10 feeling akin to that shivering
saeor-that ungovernable impulse to
lsnt-oefore which child fees from
! oarK cellar, fearing the ghost, COB
- Or grisly wolf will leap upon
lis back.
20 now the noble buck stood, still
] me dark hemlocks around him, only
'Auns to make sure if the terrible,
ssernearing cries were mouthed upon
= lau. AS the pack burst noisily
.asn q brush fence into the I'M
lowed field below the orchard,
4. PED bodies lurching forward,
g and falling in the moonlight