Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-20

terrain, and had some scruples about letting
her son go hunting SO near the Sabbath Day.
However, she yielded to persuasion and re-
luctantly consented.
my father told me exactly how to do.
Old Uncle John was to accompany me. He
was to. carry the light. / was to walk in
front of him with my gun. 1 was to walk in
cleaning fre.balls in front of me, l was to
know that they were the eyes of deer,
and l must take good aim at them and fire.
by my fathers advice, old John and l
followed little path that bordered swamp.
The deer would be likely to be feeding there,
my father thought.
AS we were proceeding along this path,
and before we had gone a half mile from
home, the pair Of glowing eyes that l had
been so eager to see appeared before me.
The deer was but few steps from me.
II had slight attack of buck-ague as they
call 1T, but | managed somehow to get my
gun to my shoulder and steady it against a
small sapling that stood convenient. l took
the best aim ! could at the shining eyes
and pulled the trigger.
The report of my gun was followed by
crashing sound which indicated to me that
tne me, deer had bounded into the thicket, but
stiffness ensued SO quickly that l felt con-
tident my shot had taken effect.
i directed old John to come forward with
the light, and we searched the edge Of the
thicket as well as we could. However, as we
could only see very little way into the
Jungle, we could not discover the game.
u went home very much dissatisfied. !
told my father what had happened, and
greatly to my qualification he agreed with
me in thinking the deer had fallen dead in
the thicket.
Il was up quite early the next morning,
and asked permission to go after my deer,
but my mother would not think Of letting
me violate the Sabbath In any such way.
pleaded with her to no purpose although
my father seconded me. The argument that
the game was killed on Saturday, and that
1T would spoil if left till Monday, had no
weight with her. She remained firm.
Il then resolved to disobey her. confess
It now to my shame l slipped down to the
horse-lot, and, having caught horse, let
down the back fence, and proceeded through
the woods to the spot where had shot the
deer.
With tf the advantage of daylight, / had
fallen in the bog and bushes few feet from
the bank.
"How to get it out and on my horse was
| now the question, for it was too heavy for
boy like me to lift. / set my wits to work
devlsng some means to accomplish my pur
pose, and was soon successful.
On the edge OF the little path have men
toned there was hickory sapling, | took
OH my halter, and climbed the sapling to the
very TOP IL l had made my calculations be-
Iorehand, and now was not disappointed
The sapling bent under my weight, and let
me down In the bog right against my game
Il then tied the deer to the sapling with
the halter, and, letting go, had the salts
faction Of seeing the sapling rise with the
deer halfway to its former erect position.
1t was now suspended just over the path,
and only triae higher than my horse. I
therefore, led the animal under it. and let
the deer rest on his back.
ut was only the work of moment 10 re-
mount, and, untying the halter. to LET the
saPling spring back to its place
In spite Of the fact that 1 knew should
incur my mothers displeaEre, / felt nride
in riding up to the front of the house and
displaying my trophy" '''-S
did your mother whip you?" asked Willie.
"She punished me very severely" said Tn.
Gle William, though she neither scolded nor
How then% asked Willie.
with a look, simply" said Uncle vii
Liam, his voice quivering with emotion. ut
was not look Of. anger or reproof. but AZ
! deep sorrow. 1t pierced my heart. Ii was
the most severe punishment she could have
inflicted upon me-
'rIn q moment it changed my feeling Of
exultation as successful sportsman into bit.
ter remorse and self-condemnation. / shall
never forget the expression of pain and eriei
in that sweet old face. Not for all the deer
in the world would ! have brought it there"