The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-08-18
A PHYSICIANS HUNT
ING DREAM
Jacks a Deer with Au-
tomobile Lamps
ChlOrOfOrms Animal and Brings Him
Home Alive In the Car.

Several nights ago one of the ply
sicians living near Skowhegan, Charles
Harknell by name, .returned very late
from carrying a party of friends up
to Indian Pond for fishing trip. The
day had been hot and dusty and the
automobile had worked badly so that
DR.. Harknell WAS unusually tired
when he finally went to bed. Hardly
had his head touched the pillow when
he began to have the most fantastic
dream. For number of days after
he kept pondering on it and one of his
close friends noticing how absent
minded he was begged for the solu-
ion.
Well, John" responded Dr.. Hank
neil, I've been bordering over a re-
/ naIkable dream had the other
night and wondering il by any posi-
BILE chance | could ever be fortunate
enough to secure a deer in reality as
easily as [ did in that dream. 1t was
this way: seemed to be driving along
about twilight half way between here
and The Forks. 1t WAS a lonesome
road bordered by woods, and far from
any human habitation. Well, sudden
| y, the front tire on the right side
was punctured with a loud report. AS
It happened | didn't have much mend
ing material with me but after a
fashion managed to patch it up. Be
fore doing this | had lit the lamps
on the auto. Having made every
thing as shipshape as possible under
the circumstances, | started to crank
| the machine and drive off. But as |
stepped to the front of the car | was
attracted by a shadow ahead, as !
thought. On closer scrutiny | decided
it was a fine buck deer. The way he
stood there gazing fixedly at the
lights was surprising. He was hyp-
notized!
You can imagine | didn't let much
grass grow under my feet with
prize like that in view. 1t seemed
there was a lot of quarter-nch rope
IN the car that | had to tie baggage
on with. Cautiously gliding back,
picked up this rope, quickly arranged
1t in a coil with a slip moose at the
end, and before you could say Jack
Robinson had thrown 1t at the deer
AS intended ii came down over the
animals head. So intent was the deer
On watching the lights that he did not
| appear to know there was rope
around his neck; and indeed it was
but a cobweb so far as its strength
went. There was, however, rope
enough for another strand so, tying
! this to the rear axle as | had the first
| aimed again and this time the moose
landed on the right antler. The deer
woke from his trance and bolted into
the ditch. There the ropes brought
him up short. With a jump had that
automobile going at full speed. The
deer could get no slack rope to en-
lble him to snap the cord, so had to
| olloN' III lIllS llldlllIcl NC hSpt vi
! or some time, everything working
smoothly.
Later | was Mortified enough when
turned around and saw that poor
thing being yanked along in that
heartless fashion. Determined to cut
him free, ] slowed down and got out
But the creatures beauty aroused my
covetous spirit. ! must keep him
somehow. If | could only carry him!
But how? Then | thought of my
travelling case which | always carry
for emergency calls. All, yes, there
was still some chloroform left. Cut
ting a long alder by the roadside, ]
put rag on the end and saturated it
with the chloroform. This | extended
to the deer's nose. Immediately he
sank Imply to the earth and was soon
completely under its influence. With
considerable difficulty | hoisted him
into the back of tie ear and drove
furiously. He was still somewhat
dazed when we arrived in the barn
/ but able to help himself a little so
! he could get out OF the machine. And
then | dreamed how everybody for
miles around came day after day to
see the most beautiful buck deer ever
/ known to be in captivity