The Arkansas advocate., 1831-09-14
1EI1NESDAY, sEPTENlBER I4. lsaIs

WHICH He Had taken from one 0t the A , rabs-sCome, let us wish each other : good morning. thought he. At this mo ment the panther turned her head to wards him suddenly, and fixed surpris ed and earnest gaze upon him.
 he fXedness of her brilliant metal
 iic eyes, and their almost insupportable l brilllancy, made the soldier tremble- especially when the mighty beast nov
 ed towards him. With great boldness
 and of presence mind, he looked her
 directly in the eye, having heard that
 great power mas be obtained over af-
 nlals ln that manner. When she came
 up to him he gently scratched her head.
 and smoothed her fur. Her eyes grad
 ually softened-she began to wag her
 tall-and at last she purred, like pret-
 y cat; but so deep and strong we're her notes of joy, thatthey resounded through the cave like the rolling of q church or gan.
 The Frenehman redoubled lis cares. ses, and when he thought her ferocity was sufficiently tanned, he attempted to leave the grotto. Thepanthermade no opposition 10 his going out; bufsoon she came bounding after him, lifting up her back and rubbing against his 9egs, like an aifectionate kitten. sShe requires great deal of attention, said the French man, smiling. He tried to feel of her cars and throat; and perceived she was pleased with it, he began to tickle the back of her head with the point of his dagger, hoping to find favorable op- portunlty to stab her; but the hardness of the bones made him tremble, lest he should not succeed. The beautiful Sul fana of the desert seemed to tempt the courage of her prisoner, by raising her head, stretching out her neck, and rub ping against him. The soldier sudden ly thought that to kill her with one blow he must strike her in the throat. lie raised his blade for that purpose but at that moment she crouched down at his feet, looking up in his face with strange mixture of affection and native fierce ness. The poor Frenehman leaned a. galnst q tree eating some dates, and casting his eye anNiously round the des- ert, to see If no one was coming to free him from his terrible companion, whose strange friendship was so little to be trusted. He offered to feed her with nuts and dates; but she looked upon them with supreme contempt. However. as if sansihia af@ @h:a- l-;...-i :.-4--4..4.4---.x licked his shoes and purred.
 Wilt be so, when she gets hungryg thought the Frenchman. The idea made him tremble. He looked at the size of the panther. She was three feet high. and four feet long, without including her tail, which was nearly three feet more in length, and as round as great candle.
 Her head was as big as lions and her face was distinguished by peculiar expression of cunning. The cold cru city of the tiger reigned there; but there was likewise something strangely like the countenance of an artfuI woman.- In the gaiety and fondness of the pre- sent moment, she seemed like Nero drunk. She had her fill of blood, and 1 she WiSleQ 10 1rOllC.
 During the whole day, if he attempt 1 ed to walk away, the panther watched him as dog does his master; and never suffered him to be far out of sight. He l discovered the remains of his horse which had been dragged near the mouth of the cavern; and he easily understood why she had respected his slumbers.
 Taking courage from the past, he be- gan to hope he could get along very comfortably with his new companion.- He laid himself by her, in order to con- ciliate her good opinion. He patted her neck and she began to wag her tail and purr. He took hold of her paws, felt of her ears, and rolled her oyer on the grass. She suffered him to do all this and when he played with her paws, she carefully drew in her claws, lest she should hurt him. The Frenchman again put his hand on his weapon, with view of plunging it in her throat, but he was still withheld by the fear that he should not succeed, and that the ani- nal would tear him to pieces in hcrag- ony. Beside, he really began to have an unmillingness to kill her. In the lonely desert she seemed to him like friend. His admiration of her beauty, gentleness, and gracefulactivity, became
 mixed with less and less of terror. He actually named her Mignonne, in re- ,,,anohrance of a ladv whom he had toy-