ur for meals and
recreation, this man had a sort of menagerie of the animals natural to
the country. There was a bear, a mountain lion, several coyotes,
swifts, antelope, deer, and a big timber wolf, all in a wire
net-enclosed park.

It so happened that Steve met Mr. D----, the hotel proprietor, on one
of his trips to town, and told him what a splendid deer he had out at
the ranch. Mr. D---- became instantly possessed of a desire to own the
marvel, and a bargain was concluded on the spot. Billy by this time
had shed his horns, and was all that could be wished for in the way of
amiability. We tied his legs together, and shipped him to town in a
waggon.

Steve did not trick Mr. D----. He told him plainly that the deer was a
dangerous customer, and that to be careful was to retain a whole skin;
but the hotel proprietor, a little, fat, pompous man with a big bass
voice--the kind of a man who could have made the world in three days
and rested from the fourth to the seventh, inclusive, had it been
necessary--thought he knew something of the deer character. "That
beautiful creature, with its mild eyes and humble mien, hurt anyone?
Nonsense!" So he had a fine collar made for Billy, with his name on a
silver plate, and then led him around town at the end of a chain, being
a vain little man, who liked to attract attention by any available
means. All worked well until the next fall. Mr. D---- was lulled into
false security by the docility of his pet, and allowed him the freedom
of the city, regardless of protest. Then came the spectacular end of
Billy's easy life. It occurred on another warm autumn day. The
passengers of the noon train from the East were assembled in the hotel
dining-room, putting away supplies as fast as possible, the train being
late. The room was crowded; the darkey waiters rushing; Mr. D----
swelling with importance. Billy entered the room unnoticed in the
general hurry. A negro waiter passed him, holding two loaded trays.
Perhaps he brushed against Billy; perhaps Billy didn't even need a
provocation; at any rate, as the waiter started down the room, Billy
smote him from behind, and dinner was served!

When the two tray-loads of hot coffee, potatoes, soup, chicken, and the
rest of the bill of fare landed all over the nearest table of guests,
there was a commotion. Men leaped to their feet with words that showed
they were no gentlemen, making frantic efforts to wipe away the
scalding liquids