Fighting For Their Lives

A letter from Slohold, Pa., tlms describes what befell thrce yonng women svlio wout a-berrying: They were obligcd to cross the pond to reaeh the woode. Beforc entering the boat they saw somethiug in the distance swimming in the water. Thinking it was a dog, they paid ao furthet attention to it, but started on their way across the pond, which is ibout two miles wide. Af ter rowing for severa] hundred yards, the girl who waa piloting the boat saw that what they first thought to be a dog swimming in the water was a back, which was coming directly toward them. Having a clurnsy pair of oars, it was some time boforo the boat could be turned, and then the deer had rcached to withia B few yards of them. The girls became greatly terriüed, for the deer was fast gtiuiing on them, and from tho way it snorted and plnnged, they were satistied it meant mischief. While the one rowed with all lier might the other two paddled, thus somewhat iucreasing their speed; but the deer was slowly gaining on tliem, and knowing they conld not reaeh the 3hore before beiug overtaken, they ceased rowing to prepare for the iuevitable battle. When the deer, enorting and plunging, had roached to within a few feet of the boat, it stoppcd for a moment. Then it made a sndden phmge, and as its head struek the sido of the boat the brave girls brought down their raised paddies upon it with such force m to drive it nnder water. The girls again raised their only woapons, and as the head rose to the surface they again brought their paddies to bear upon it witli the same reeult. AVhen the deer again raised from the water it seemed to realizo that this was to be the death struggle, and its eyes gleamed üke balls of ñre. It made a hinge, and threw its forefeet over the side of the boat near the oar loeks. This ïicarly cap3ized the elumsy craft, and threw Maggie Jordán, the oldest of the three, into the water; but as she feil she eauglit the edge of the boat, and was hauled in by one of her companionp. Then the heroine at the oarp, as she feit the animal's breath in her face, raised a paddie and struck for her life, and as the blow feil across the deer's head the biood started from its nostrils, aud it sank back helpless and secmingly dead, but really only stuuneu. T!ie girls then started for the shore, leaving the deer struggling betweeu life and death in the water. Iteaching the shoro, one of the girls rau to a small log cabLu, an eighth of a mile distant, in which lived a family by the name of Berger, and told what had oceurred. Mr. Berger seized Lis rifle and went to the pond, whcre ho found the wounded deer yet struggling in the water a few roda from the shore. Ho rowed out to it, and seizing it by the fcntlers, ent its throat, and tlien towed its body to the shore. The deer was tbo largest ever killed in the neighborhood, wcighing 227 pounda. "I tell you, Brown," said Smith, "you are goiug straight to the Inul. ïou, aro drinking too mach whisky ; yon ought to luiow it." " I do, I de," said Brown oarnes It, "I know I do. But the pau truth is, I ean't - aflord brandy." Frionds, wil! youstnnd idly by whilo there ia such a cause foi drunkenness stalkiog abroad in the land . Bear tho brandy niarkd, and i ave your fellow mm ! - Ocean, Do.n't loan your ambrolla. A Freiich astronomer says, " O, maybe we wou't catcli it in Octobor !"