The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-06-19

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Frenchman again put his hand upon bis
weapon, with view Of punging il in her
throat, but he was still withheld by the fear
that he should not succeed, and that the ami
NAL would tear him in pieces in her agony.
Beside, he really began TO have IN unwilling.
ness to kill her. In the lonely desert she
seemed TO him like friend. His admiration
of her beauty, gentleness and graceful activ.
ity, became mixed with less and less ofterror
He actually named her Mignonne, in remerB.
brance of lady whom he had loved in his
youth, and who was abominably jealous Of
him. by the end Of the day he had become
SO familiar with his dangerous situation that
he was almost in love with It's exciting perils.
He had even taught the panther her name.
She looked up in his face, when he called
'Mignonne.' au
When the sun went down, she uttered
deep melancholy cry. She 10 well educated,
exclaimed the gay soldier--'Shc has learned
10 say her evening prayers
He was rejoced to see the panther stretch
herself out in drowsy attitude.
That is right my pretty little blonde said
he you had better 20 to sleep first
He trusted to his own activity to escape
during her slumber. He waited patiently /;
and when she seemed sound asloep, he walk.
ed vigorously toward the Nile. Bda he had
not gone quarter Of league over the sand,
when he heard the panther bounding after
him, uttering at intervals loud sharp cry.
OF TRUTH said he, her friendship is very
fiattering | must be her first love.--Before
she came up, the Frenchman fell into one of
those dangerous traps Of loose sand from
which il is impossible to eXtricate ones self
The panther seized him by the collar, and
with incredible strength brought him safe to
the other side Of the ditch, at single bound
My deor Mignonne exclaimed the sol.
der, caressing her with enthusiasm our
friendship is for life and DEATH
He retraced his steps. Now, he had
creature that loved him, g. to whom he could
talk, it seemed as ifthe desert were peopled
Having made a signal flag Of his shirt, he
concluded to wait patiently for human succor
II was his intention TO have watched during
the night, but sleep overpOwered him. When
he awoke, Mign0nne was gone. He ascend.
perceived her at distance clearing tho des.
her species. She arrived with bloody jaws.
When receiving his caresses, she purred a.
loud, and fixed her eyes upon him with even
/
ted her neck, and talked 10 her as he would
TO domestic animal; 'Ah, ah, Miss! you
have been eating some Of the Maugrabins
Ant you ashamed? Never mind--they are
worse animals than you are. But please
don't take fancy to grind up Frenchman.
lfyou DO, you won't have me to love you any
more.
This singular animal was so fond of ca :
rla kat
many minutes without noticing her, she would
put her paw on his lap to attract attention
Several days passed thus.
The panther was successful in her excur.
sions for food, and always returned full Of
affection and joy, she became used TO all the
infiexons Of the soldiers voice, and under.
no amused his weary hours by counting the
spots on her golden fur, and observing how
beautifully they were shaded, she showed
no displeasure even when he held her by the
tail to count the splendid black and white
rings, that glittered in the sunshine like pre-.
cious stones. 1t was pleasure to look upon
the graceful outlines Of her form, the CLASSY
smoothness Of her neck, and the majestic
carriage of her head. But she delighted
him most when she was in frolic. Her ex.
treme gracefulness and agility, as she glided
swiftly along, jumped, bounded, and rolled
over and over, was truly surprising. When
she was darting up the rocky eminence at
her swiftest speed, she would stop suddenly
and beautifully, with her head erect as soon
as the Frenchman called 'Mgnonne.'
One day very large bird sailed through
the air over their heads. In the desert any
thing that has life is intensely interesting.
The Frenchman quilted the panther 10 watch
the flight of the bird, as he slowly and heavi-
ly famed tho air. In a few minutes, the
Sultana of the desert began to growl. 'She
is certainly Jealous thought the soldier, as
he looked at her fierce and glittering eyes.
They gazed intclligibly at each other-and
the proud coquette leaped as she felt his
hand upon her head; her eyes flashed like
lightning, and shut them hard.
THE creature must have a soul' exclaim.
ed the FTenchman.
This account was given me by the soldier
himself, while was admiring the docilty of
the powerful animals in tho menagerie at
Paris. Il do not know continued the mar
rotor, 'what ! had done to displease Mig.
nome so much-.or whether the creature
was merely in sport--but she turned and
snapped her teeth at me, and seized hold of
my leg. She did it withou. violence. e.-but
thinking she was about to devour me,
plunged my dagger into her neck. The
poor creature rolled over, utteriug cry that
froze my heart. Sho made no attempt TO
revenge my blow, but looked mildly upon
me in her dying agony. would have given
oil the world to have recalled her 10 hfe. II
was as il had murdered friend. Some
French soldiers, who discovered my signal,
found me some hours afterwards weeping by
the side Of her dead body.
'Ah, we'll said he, after mournful ST.
lancn have hnnn In tho ma ra Il, Ca-......