Holly Springs gazette., 1844-04-20

; him to be FAR cut Of sight. He discovered
: the remains Of his horse which had been
{ dragged near the mouth ofthe cavern, and
j lie easily understood why she had respected
: his slumbers
Toking courage from the past. he tagan
} TO hope be could get along very comforta-
bly, with his rev companion. He laid
himself by her; in order to conciiate her
good opinion. He patted her neck ard she
began to wag her tail and purr. He took
hold of her paws, felt her ears. and rolled
her over the grass She suffered him TO do
allthi,; and when be played with her paws,
she carefully drew in her claws, lest she
should hurt him. The Frenchnan again
put his hand upon his weap pom, with Vi ew
Of plunging il IN ber throat, but he was stlIl
he'd by the fear that he should not succeed
and thai the animal would tear him to pieces
in her agony Besides, he really began to
have an unwillingness to kill her La the
lonely desert she seemed to hiu. like friend
/ His admiration of her beauty, gentleness
and graceful activity became mixed with
less and less of terror. He actually named
! her MIgnOnne, in Ienemberance OF a lady
whom he had loved in his youth, and who
was abominab!y jealous Of him. By the end
Of the day he became so familiar with bis
/ dangerous situation that he was almost in
/ love with lis exciting pe:ilS. He had even
/ taught the panther her name She locked
up Ia his face, when be called "Mgnonne." "
When the sun went down she uttered
deep melancholy cry. "She is well educa-
ted exclaimed the soldier. "She had learn
ed to say her evening prayers"
lie was rJolced too see the panther
stretch herself out in drowSv attitude.
That IS right my pretty little blond"
said De, " ! on bad better 90 TO sleep first"
He trusted to his own activity to escape I
during her slumber. He waited patiently /
and when she seemt d sound asleep. he wal /
ked vigorously toward the Nile But he
had not gone a quarter Of league over the
sand, when he heard the panther bounding
after him, uttering at intervals loud sharp
cry
"Ofa truth" said he. "her friendship is
very flattering; it must be her first love"
Before she came up, the Erenchman fell in
to one Of those dangerous traps of loose
sand from which it is impossible to extri
cate ones self The panther seized him
by the collar, and with incredible strength
brought him safe to the other side of the
ditch at a single bound
My dear Mignonne :" exclaimed the
soldier caTessing her with enthusiasm our
friendship is for life and death 4"
He retraced his steps. Now he had
creature that loved him. to whom he could
talk, 1t seemed as If the desert were peoDled
Having made signal flag of his shirt, be
concluded 10 wait patiently for human sue
cor. Ii was his intention to have watched
during the night, but sleep oyerpowered
him. When he awoke, Nlignnone was
gone. He assembled The emnence TO look
tor her, and soon perceived her a: a distance
clearing the desert, with those LONG hiob ,
bounds, peculiar to her species. She ar.
lived with bloody jaws. When receiving
us caresses, she purred aloud, and fixed
ier eyes upon him with even more fond
less than usual. The soldier pattad her
eek, and talked to her as he would to do. 4
nestle animal, "Ah, alb, Miss YOU have I
'een eating some of the Mauorabins. Amt ]
ou ashamed2 Never mind-thev are Z
worse animals than you are But please I
ont take fancy to grind upa Trenchman.
! you do, you wont have me to love yoa =
ny more" :
This singular animal was SO fond of ca Il
esses and play, that if her companion sat /
1any minutes without noticing her. she :
7ouid put her paw in bis lap to attract 3
~eltloh. several days passed thus s.
The panther was always successful in fe
er excursion for food, and always returned a
all OF affection and joy; she became used Il
all the infections, of the soldiers voice. Il
nd understood the expression Of his face. +
be amused his weary hours bv IN
bunting the spots on her golden form and
oaervlng how beautifully they were saa-
ed she showed no displeasure even when
e held her by the TAIL 10 count the sp!en- =;
ID black and white rings, that gliltered in J
le sunshine like precious stones, L was " "
pleasure to look upon the graceful out q
mes OF her form, the glossy smoothness of de
er neck, ana the majestic carriage of her to
cad. But she delighted HIM most when =
le was IN a frolic. Her extreme grace nr
iness and agility as she elided swiftly a.
ng, jumped, bounded, and rolled over and
7er, was truly surprising When she
as daring up the rocky eminence at her =
Fiitest speed, she would stop suddenly and
auiifully with head erect as the French.
an called "Mignonne" me
0ne day very large bird sailed throuob 10 -.
e air over their heads In the desert. anv bjo
ing that has life is intensely interesting
be E'renchman quilted the panther to se'
atch the flight of the bird, as he SLOWLY Pa
boa.- L. u, IL.