RUSSELL) THE VIRGINIA DEER 379 



look out for the interests of the deer and, fearing nothing, these 

 guides often arrest hunters and large fines result usually. 



Although I have never been hunting for deer in my life, — still I 

 have seen them on different occasions. Last summer while fishing 

 on Joe Indian lake in the Adirondacks I saw three different deer 

 come down to the lake to drink and feed upon the lily pads there. 

 There are miany first class hunters in mv home town and e\-ery fall 

 a goodly number of deer are brought in. On one occasion I saw as 

 many as eight to ten deer hung up in a row when a picture was 

 taken of the successful hunters and their game. When in High 

 School on several occasions deer were seen to cross the school 

 grounds and make for some woods a short distance away, a sight to 

 remain long in our memory. 



*When the Deer Come Down to Drink 



Arthur Guitermax 



When the deer come down to drink, 



Their antlers shake the dark wild cherries; 

 The moss in which their small hooves sink 

 Is gemmed with scarlet partridge-berries. 



They ghde where waves of bracken veil 



Some fallen forest king's disaster, 

 Or Indian-pipe are clustered pale 



On stems of moonlit alabaster. 



The bucks with proud heads lead the way 

 Through rock\'' glade and ferny hollow; 



The does, with dappled fawns that play 

 As softly as their shadows, follow. 



Among the oaks a squirrel chirrs; 



A porcupine — the lubbard! — lurches 

 With rattling quills among the firs, 



A blue-jay scolds among the birches, — 



Then all is still. A furtive mink 



Alone steals up through brush and cimiber 



To watch the deer come down to drink 

 And feed where water-hlies slumber. 



*Printed here by special permission of Harper Brothers, publishers of "The 

 Mirthfvil Lyre." Mr. Guiterman's most recent volume of poems. 



