Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-05-02

-5,dtei0 81 uoWn W uiluhs ne cutcIcu
he 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 baffled at the
shore. but still the deer. fed south
ward, across 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, MUNICH
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 a
few wild grapes at the edge of a
sthicket and picked up some wlndfall
apples in an old orchard AS morning
came, he found soft bed under a
low-branching pine, at the edge of a
great pasture. There he lay YEARLY
down, tired, but happy, to ruminate
In peace. A faint deer-scent in the
air gave him feeling of safety, sc.
&curity and companionship. He lay
there as the rising sun threw Its
Sslanting 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 semf-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 renewed interest In life, for
there fingered in his ears the faint
sound of footsteps in the pasture In
moment more seven deer, does and
yearllngs, 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 fence
in silent sympathy.
From that time on, the stag hunted
the hill pasture. He saw his new
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
fever of restlessness. Night after
night he charged against the fence,
In vain attempt to reach 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-
Der the air rang with the cracking
of rifles. The flying bullets sang
about his ears. How he ran, pursued
by men and dogs, 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 a deep -ravile. Finding spring,
he quenched his thirst and then ex-
plored a narrow path. The ground
smelled salt; he licked 1t. dug into
1t, searched the ground for every
grain and taste. So eagerly did he
follow the sailed trail that he passed,
unknowing, through an iron gate His
eager hoofs struck 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
that held him, until starved, exhaust
ed and BUNDLED, he crept hestitating-
ly through gate that was opened
for him and SO he came, at last, to
plenty and his own.
E0hSiC uSOc hNhh6 III
peace and plenty. With joy, the pas
ture buck hailed the pure brook water,
sweet hay. good salt and the compan-
ionship of his kind.
His captors marveled at his strength
and speed for he easily outstripped
the swiftest deer in the herd. They
named him Fleetfoot. A year has
passed. Fleetfoot is sturdy, sleek
and fat, never again to know the
thrill OF terror or the pinch of want.
Comfort and security are now his
portion. Caressed and petted, he
comes to feed from the hands of his
captors and has many playful mo-
ments with the joyous children who
bring him grain and fruit He shares
the Christmas cheer that In this
happy household extends to all the
creatures on the place. Joy, peace
and good will may come at last even
to hunted deer.-Suburban Life.