The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-08-08
TUNE SO0THED MAD BUCK.
Jersey Fiddler's Story of a Time Whe n
Deer 0verran the Country.

Jersey Fidder's Story of Time Whe n
Deer 0Verran the Country
The following article was cut from
newspaper published at Willoughby,
Ohio, last week, by Harold A. Vessel
Ter, formerly of Remington, now of
Cleveland, Ohio, and forwarded to the
Democrat Advertiser. There may be
news IN it for Hunterdon county PEG
pie, and for Jerseymen generally, and
hence We publish it:
Deer are bothering the farmers in
the southern part of New Jersey Fof
eight years they have been protected
and increased to such an extent that
"down in the pines" they have become
a nuisance.
An attempt is to be made at this
session of the Legislature by the gun
clubs to have the law SO changed that
deer may be shot, but there is strong
sentiment among the humane societies
against the plan, and there is little
likelihood that the law will be repealed.
The present day deer Is not the wild
creature OF half a century ago. 1t IS
inclined to be friendly with everything
that walks and talks, and in the fall
and spring jumps over fences and helps
itself to the farmers crops. The farm
er is not able to build fences high
enough TO keep the deer from jumping
and is forbidden Ivy law to kill the ami.
mails, Charles Griswold, of Salem
township, complains that one morning
he went out to milk and saw big
buck in his cornheld eating the hay out
of the body OF a make-belieye he had
erected the day before to scare the
deer off.
Edna Griffith, the ten-year-old daugh.
ter Of William Griffith, farmer in the
southern part OF Cumberland county.
few months ago went into pine grove
a short distance from her home lookina
for blackberrles. She was startl ed by
the appearance of buck deer. She
could neither run nor scream, and she
nearly tainted when the deer walked
up and rubbed its nose against her
shoulder Reassured, the girl plucked
a handful of leaves and the deer ate
out of her hand, then followed her to
the door OF her home, where it was fed
with fresh turnip tops.
Next day the buck reappeared, ac=
companled by another buck and two
does. The girl fed them and the deer
kept coming. Two weeks ago she was
on her way to school a mile from her
home, when burly negro jumped out
OF the bushes and grabbed her. The
girl screamed and struggled, but the
negro would have succeeded in drag
ging her away into the woods had not
the two bucks, followed by the does,
come galloping down the road. The
bucks charged the negro, and one gave
him jab with its antlers that sent him
SPRAYING in the road. The negro es-
capped a second onslaught by jumping
over fence Edna hurried to the
schoolhouse and gave the alarm.
Farmers beat the bushes for two days
in the neighborhood, but failed to find
the negro
Elwood Comstock, who enjoys To-
cal notoriety for his ability to play
dancing tunes in the vicinity OF Bap-
tisttown, Hunterdon county, had an
encounter with a husky buck few
nights ago. He had been to Birch
Hollow to play for party. His path
led through dense growth of scrub
oaks, and at turn Comstock
came upon a buck taking a nap. Com
stock had seen deer beior c, but never
one with temper displayed by this
animal His first impulse was to run,
but he realized quickly the hopeless
ness OF such a chase and stood his
ground.
The animal had evidently made up
It's mind not to let the man pass
Comstock talked in a modifying tone,
but that didn't change the situation
1t suddenly flashed on Comstock to
try music. The deer raised its head
and gazed with wonderment. The
Virginia Reef and "fisher's Horn
pipe "Money Musk" and several other
familiar dancing tunes seemed to
please. Then Comstock played "Home
Sweet Home" The deer stood trans
fixed, and the fiddler backed away.
When Comstock reached point
where he could dive into the thick I'M
derbrush he did so, leaving the fiddle
box behind HIM lie got home safely
and the next day found his fiddle box
where he had left it,
II .-.t.:t III - Ill =.