The midland journal., 1906-04-20

SpranE, ana Q0Wn 10 Cn0 prlnk OF SOm6
craggy ledgeR where the hill falls off
steeply to broad river valley. He
leaped out far from the topmost rock,
head and tail held high, antlers
thrown back, and seemed to sail down
on the air, scanning the rocks, as
would bird looking for safe place
to alight.
Surely it seemed that he must be
crushed and broken on the jagged
cliff. But no! He struck the ledge
with all four feet; he sprang again,
and so, springing and plunging, quick
eyed and sure footed, he flew unhurt
down the precipitous slope, leaving
the baffied dogs to find scent and fol
low as best they might. When they
reached the hilltop he was speed
ing over the lowlands, clearing fences
and bitches with tremendous bounds.
For life! for life! he flew! The trees
raced by: the air sang in his ears;
the earth flew back beneath his feet
as he sprang on and on.
At last, with heaving fianks and
steaming nostrils, he stopped on the
shore of the Merrimac to slack ilis
thirst, for the cries of the pack
sounded faint and far in the distance.
Here on the shelving bank. where tne
cattle go down to drink, he entered
the shallow water. He waded along
shore for awhile and then, as the
sound of the pack was nearing, he
plunged boldly into the cold and shin
ing flood, breasting his way to the
southern bank
His pursuers were baf1ed at the
shore, but still the deer fed south
ward, across a township, then stopped
to breathe and listen. The cry OF
the pack no longer rang in his ears
and he lay down to rest. With the
southing of the moon he rose and
wandered through the woods, munch-
ing newly fallen nuts under the tall
trees. Then he ventured into the
fields, tasting fine grasses and the
seeds of bitter weeds. He found
few wild grapes at the edge of a
thicket and picked up some windfall
dpplcS Ill du OlO HAo IIOA hAh5
came, he found soft bed under a
low-branching pine, at the edge OF
great pasture. There he lay wearily
down, tired, but happy, to runinate
in peace. A faint deer-scent in the
air gave him a feeling of safety Sc
curity and companionship. He lay
there as the rising sun threw its
slanting rays over the slope, bath
ing him in it's light. In safety he
heard the sounds of awakening day;
the rustic of the morning breeze
among the Autumn leaves; the crow
ing cock; the barking dog; the cav
ing crow; trains hurrying cityward;
carts rumbling along the stony road.
And so, dreamily to his semi-cons-
ciousness, the warm October day
waxed fair and slept upon the hills.
AS the sun reached the meridian,
he threw off drowsiness and began to
feel a renewed interest in life, for
there fingered in his ears the faint
sound of footsteps iii the pasture. In
a moment more seven deer, does and
yearlings, came over the pasture hill.
He went gladly to meet them. but
was stopped by strong, high. iron
fence He and his new friends could
only touch noses through the renee
in silent sympathy.
From that time on, the stag hunted
friends fed by human hands. He got
appetizing shifts of grain and sweet
hay, but from all the good things
within that fence of steel he was
shut out. His blood was filled with
a fever of restlessness. Night after
night he charged against the fence,
in vain attempt to reach a spruce
young buck who threatened him from
the other SIDE
His light was not long hid. The
fame of the big buck of the pasture
was noised abroad. He was bounded
by dogs, shot at by hunters and way
laid by camera fiends, but Winter
came on and found him still haunting
the pasture, unscathed, unpictured,
lean and wary. Then came his crown
ing trial. One snowy day in Decem-
ber the air rang with the cracking
of rifles. The flying bullets sang
about his ears How he ran, pursued
by men and dog3, over hills and
through valleys, the fear of death
heavy upon him. how he escaped un-
hurt and reached the borders of an
other county cannot be chronicled
here.
He found rest at last in the thickets
of deep ravile. Finding spring,
he quenched his thirst and then ex-
plored narrow path. The ground
smelled salt; he licked it, dug into
it, searched the ground for every
grain and taste So eagerly did he
follow the salted trail that he passed,
unknowing. through an iron gate. HIS
eager hoofs struck a tense cord. The
gate changed behind him. He was
trapped! In vain his furious efforts
to escape Day after day he ragged
and tore about the strong enclosure