Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
THE DEATH OF ACTAEON
LAST CHAPTER IN THE LIFE HIS
TORY OF A DEER.
Fell a Victim to a Bungling Crime
Committed in the Name
of Sport. 9m

! "Actaeon,'' the little spotted fawn which
| was picked up in the Blue mountain forest
| nearly two years ago, which ran loose
| about my home for nearly a year. and
| which was finally returned to his native
| forest. They may remember, too that we
| frequently met him while walking through
| the woods, and were able to watch the
| changes in his pelage, and the develop
! ment of his first antlers. He was always
| glad to see us, aud, matter how far we
| were away, he would come leaping over
| streams and bushes to greet u.s. Even the
| love of his forest companions was not
| strong enough to keep him from u.s. for,
| often enough, when we found him in com
| pany with several other deer, he would
leave them all to come and walk with us.
When we first returned him TO the woods
he was clothed in his heavy brown winter
| coat, but early in May he began to shed
| the long hair, and by July 1t had been
entirely replaced by the thin red summer
coat, which permitted every line OF his
| graceful inquire to be seen to the best ad-
vantage. In the meantime, the antlers,
which in May were two little dark round
| ed knobs, covered with fine hair, had
grown to be six inches long, and were al
ready well curved. They were growing
rapidly, and during the next month they
not only reached their full length but de-
veloped a second point, something unusual
for the first antlers of white-tailed bucks
hereabouts,
But they were still soft, covered with fine
hair and blunt at the points ends. In
September, however, they shrank and
hardened, first at the points where they
became very sharp, and gradually all over.
AS they hardened, the furry skin or vel
vet which had covered them became
loose, and was presently rubbed off
against trees and rocks and bushes, and
was blown away by the wind.
Nothing Vicious About Actaeon.
Many bucks at this season become very
dangerous, and will kill even those with
whom they have been most friendly only
month or two before. But there was
nothing vicious about Actaeon. He was
full of play, but never showed the slight
est disposition to use his weapons in
earnest. OF course, one had to be careful
in playing with him, for his movements
were often extremely rapid, and there was
always a possibility OF his driving home
one of his bone daggers, in fun by
cident. He was always, also, very fond
of using his fore feet, and If any one
leased him too much he was apt to deal
out few smart blows with his sharp
pointed hoofs, as a warning that he had
had all the nonsense he would stand but
even If the teasing was continued, he
would not get angry, but would walk
away to the peace and quiet Of his own
shady woods.
When the hunting season began we were,
less little fellow would come to grief, and
twice l went so far as to lock him up
in a small Enclosure, where he was safe
from the gunners. But after the freedom
of the woods, he chafed under the con-
finement. and seemed unhappy that
decided TO let him go and take his chances.
He was well known to all my neighbors,
and I knew that not one of them would
shoot him, for they thought almost as
much of him as we did. At least one of
them allowed several deer to escape him
rather than take the risk of shooting
Actaeon. But to a stranger a bucks a
buck, and at little distance it is difficult
to distinguish tame animal from wild
one. There were times when l. could not
be cure myself whether particular deer
was Actaeon or another.
Recognized His Friend
Once, 1 remember, I was walking with
hunter and as we rounded a bend In the
trail a buck sprang away with tail in the
air. and as the man threw up his rife he
asked, hurriedly: do you think that could
possibly be your deer?" | did not believe
1t was, but I noticed that it was two
pointer, and cried Don't shoot" on gem
eral principles The buck cleared brook
and came to a stand less than a hundred
yards away His attitude was one of
alarm, and the hunter, whose rife had
been leveled from the first moment, re-
marked that 1t was altogether too wild to
be my deer. Still l was uncertain, and
a moment later the buck, after giving US
a careful looking over, turned and came
trotting up to me. It was Actaeon. sure
enough, but we had come upon him sud
denly, and startled MIN so that ne hao
fed as for his life.
On crisp November morning | met the
buck again, and we went for a long walk
together. He was particularly afrectionate
that day following closely at my heels,
and seemingly unwilling to have me out of
his sight for moment. If sat down, he
would come up and lick my face and
hands, and playfully ntbble at my coat
We went far away up mountain trail,
and at last came out on a ledge of rocks,
whence we had n broad view of the country
to the west of us, to old Ascutney and the
Green mountains of Vermont l lay down
to enjoy it all and Actaeou lay down be-
side me- and seemed to enjoy 1t, too. at
any rate, he was quite content to Ire there,
blinking his soft eyes and calmly chewing
the cud. And l stroked his coat. now
gray and thick again, and | decided that
next month / would put him In the In
closure for short time, so that when he
dropped his antlers l might find them.
Body of the Little Buck Discovered.
Next day l went away on business, and
on returning one afternoon. some two
weeks later, l decided to take turn IN
the woods before tea. AS usual, thought
of the little buck, and wondered If l should
meet him, and kept a sharp lookout for
his well-knoWn figure, Whlch might come
into view at any moment. / did not see
him but this fact gave me no uneasiness,
for the woods were large. 1t was dusk
when l turned toward home, yet l still
looked about me from time to time, In
the hope of seeing my little friend on some
HILTON against the sky. Crossing val
ley, / passed not far from a spruce tree
standing quite alone, and beneath 1t lay
something small and white. From force
of habit l turned aside to see what IT
might be- and almost stumbled over the
body of a deer whose white throat 1t was
which had attracted my attention.
..sWhat IL it should be my buck! was
the thought which flashed into my mind,
and In a moment l was on my knees, try
ing to examine the features.
r. was too dark to see the details OF
tho face but 1t was a two-polnt buck. and
as I passed my hand over the ears knew
that it was Actaeon. Owing to slight
injury when the deer was small one or the
ears curved over ever so little at the tip,
and I could plainly feel this curve one
hind leg had been shattered by bullet,
ard half the throat had been shot away
Another bungling crime had been commit
ted in the name of sport.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
Elephants Generate Electricity.