A Pennsylvanian Diana.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 359, 1 June 1881, Page 3

A Pennsylvanian Diana.

In ihe midst of a large forest in Pennsylvania lives Henry Merrill, a wellknown hunter and trapper. He has but one companion in his solitary abode, a daughter, aged about eighteen years. Lottie Merrill can row a boat, shoot a gun or trap a deer as well and skilfully as any man in the county of Wayne. Some time ago she started to cross a large inland lake, on the border of which her home is located, in a light skiff. She carried, as was her custom, a small ride flung across her shoulder by a leather strap. ' She was paddling along leisurely, and when nearly half across the pond, she discovered an object moving in the water, and} upon approaching closer, found that it was an immense five-pronged buck, which bad been driven into the water_ by dogs. She immediately drew her rifle, and, after taking careful aim, fired. As she,pulled the trigger, the buck' made a sudden movement, and the ball, instead of reaching its mark, entered the animal’s neck, <. making an ugly, and painful wound. The buck, , enraged ,by the pain, struck at the boat with one of its foreleg ß ) shattering frail bark in pieces. The boat sank ;at once, leaving Miss Merrill in the water with the struggling and infuriated- animal. But she was plucky and could swim. She grasped the buck'by the horns,, and deliberately drawing ber .hunting knife, which; was as sharp; as a razor, from her belt, she plungad it into the deer’s neck, killing him almost instantly. , She then swam tp shore, about an eight!} of a mile, and hurried home, where she put on dry clothing, and, after procuring another boat, rowed where the dead buck wasr floating r apd ;: ‘towed the .animal,to shore, When dressed the buck weighed : more, than 2751 b, and was the finest one I killed in that section for years. This is i the eighteenth deer Miss Merrill haskilled, and she isproud of her hist adventure, which is the most thrilling one she has ever had. She intends having this buck’s head stuped as. a memento of her terrible straggle, for life. Miss Merrill is; uncommonly good-looking,, with considerable money, and is well educated, and only keeps up her Diana-like life because it pleases her. Her father wishes to move into a more civilised region, bat she win not hear of any such proposal.