SAVED THE DEER by T. S. Nash

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 15, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 42.

SAVED THE DEER.

By T. S. Nash

[T. S. Nash, in International Good Templar]

I once lived in northern New York for several years, and deer were very plentiful. I owned a saw-mill, and a few feet below my mill there was a starch factory. There was a glade which was kept from freezing by the swift current of water from under the mills. One day in mid-winter a pack of dogs drove a young deer down to the river; the deer saw this open water and jumped in. The current was so swift the dogs did not dare to follow, but stood upon the ice and continued their barking until they drew the attention of the operatives in the mill and factory, who rushed out to rescue the deer. The dogs were driven away and Mr. Alger, the owner of the factory, soon had the deer in a place of safety. The deer was fed on hay and oats, and showed no sign of wanting to escape, but seemed as contented and quiet as a pet lamb. Two days after the deer was rescued it seemed so tame that Mr. Alger let it follow him into the main room of the factory, where it had more room for exercise.

All went well for a while, until one day a man, followed by a dog, came to the factory. As soon as the deer saw the dog it jumped through a window and the dog followed after, the deer running at once to the open water. I chanced to be in the mill-yard between the mill and the factory and saw the flight of the deer. I picked up a club, ran down and drove the dog away, and as soon as the dog was out of sight the deer came to my side. The dog came back again, and I kept driving him away. The deer kept on the opposite side of me from the dog until we reached a place of safety. The owner of the dog came out before I got the deer in a safe place and wanted me to let his dog alone, but I told him the laws of the State prohibited the killing of deer at that season of the year, and that I was a loyal citizen.