Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-10-12

the panther, looking sharply as far among
the woods as possible. in the direction he ex
pected the creatures return. But he had
remained in this condition but short time
and bad barely thrust the ram-rod down the
oarrePi his piece, TO be sare the charge was
IN heE'ands 70 examine her printing, and
shut down the pan, slowly so that il should
not snap and thus make noise when his
Keen Indian eye, for such he had, caught n
glimpse OF a monstrous panther, leading
YEARLY two panther kittens towards her in.
tended supper.
Now matters were Fastening to climax
rapidly, when Wheaton or the panther INNS,
finish their hunting on the mountains Of the
Susquehannah, for if old smooth bore should
tasn 10 The pun, or miss her aim, the die
would be cast, as second load would be i'm
possible ere her claws would have sundered
MS heart strings in the tree where be was
or II he should but partially wound her the
same must have been his fate. During these
thoughts the panther had hid her Young un.
der some brush, and had come within some
thirty feet oil the spot where she supposed
her victim was still sleeping; and seeing all
as she left it, dropped down 10 crouc6inp
position. precisely as a cat when about TO
spring on It's prey. Now was seen the soul
OF Tue panther in its perfection merging
rom The recess of nature, hidden by the crea.
Tor, along the whole nervous system. but
resting chiefly in the brain. from whence it
glared IN bright horror from its burning
eyes curled n It's strong and vibrating tail,
pushed out It's sharp white and eliptical
iangs from lis broad and powerful paws,
ready for rendering gittered on the points
OF It's uncovered teeth, and smoked in rapid
tissues OF steam from its red and open laws. |
while every hair Of its long dun back stood
erect in savage joy, denoting that the fatal
ana decisive moment of its leap had come
Now the borrld nesting OF its hinder
claws drawn under its belly was heard, and
Inc bent ham-strings were seen but a half
instant by Wheaton, from where he sat in
his tree, when the tremendous leap was
made. 1t rose on long curve into the air
81 aboutten feet in the highest place, and
rom thence descending, il struck exactly
where the breast, head aud bowels of lis
prey had lain. with scream too horrible
or description, when II tore TO atoms the ro,. 4
en- wood, filling TOR several feet above il. the
'ir with the leaves and light brush, the Gov
ring OF the deception. But Instantly the
panther found herself cheated, and seemed
o droop a little with disappointment, when
however II resumed an erect posture, and
nrveyed quite around ON every side on a
horizontal line, in search OF It's prey, but not
'flong The tops OF the trees hen in a mo-
nent OF two the eyes Of Wheaton and the
,anlher had met Now for another leap
when she dropped for that purpose, but the
,ullet Of and Two buck shot OF old smooth
,ore, were 100 quick as he lodged them all
Exactly in the brain OF the savage monster,
md stretched her dead on the spot where the
hunter had slept but short time before, IN
he soundness of a mountain dream.
He hard marked the spot where her young
we're hidden, " hch. at the report of the gun
we're frightened and ran up IA tree. Whea-
on now came down and found The panther
O measure, from the end OF It's nose to the
,oint offs tai,eight feet six inches in length
creature sufficiently strong TO have carried
hin of on full run, had he have fallen into
Is power He now reloaded and went 10
he tree where her kittens, or the young
Danthers were, and soon brought them down
rom their grapple among the limbs, COM
panions for their conquered and slain pa
rent
Wheaton dismanlled them Of their hides
and fastened away, lest some other encoun'
Ter, before the night should set in might
overlake him, of similar character, when
The disadvantage of darkness might decide
The victory in way more advantageously to
The roamers of the forest OF this feat Ben
Wheaton never ceased to boast recliing II
as the most appalling passage OF his hunting
- Osl 4 L.. e.1 hIfr1 auh tisll
asleep, and had found him as she supposed
to give her young specimen OF
the manner Of their future life, or Il this is
too much for the mind Of a dumb animal, she
at least to give them supper.
This circumstance was all that saved his
life. or the panther would have leapt upon
him at FIRST and have tore him TO pieces, in
stead Of covering him with leaves, as !, DID,
for the sake of her young. The panther is
a ferocious and almost untameable animal,
whose nature and habits are the same as the
cat except that the natures and powers oil
this domestic creature. are, in the panther,
immensely magnified, in strength and vorac-
itv. 1t is in the American forest what the
tiger is in Africa and India, a dangerous and
savage animal the terror of all other crea-
lures, as well as Of the Indian and the white
man.
Dz We have been requested TO mention,