Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-11-25
From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. |
THE WILD CAT

In these days of difTused knowledge, every
body knows, or ought to know, that the wild
cat resembles poor pussy about as much as
the hog resembles the rhinoceros. 1t is in
fact the lynx of North America strong, fe-
rocious, hard-lived animal, just as tameable
as the tiger, and not whit more amiable.-
1t inhabits deep forests, prefers thick wooded
swamps and prcwls chiefly by night. When
wounded by the hunter and not disabled it
flies at him with trenchant claws, and grow.
ling like fury fights TO the last. And yet
it has good qualities. By-,he-bye, what ami
NAL has not 1t loves its offspring, never
deserts them, and will defend them to the
death. If you are full of IA game spirit"
and think you could "whip your weight in
wild cats" begin by capturing or assailing
Kitten and, rely upon it, with the first squeak,
if she be anywhere within a mile, you'll
have the old one down upon you like a flash
of lightning, and with such squalls, and such
a burst of fury, and of so terrible an aspect,
that the chances are thousand 10 fraction
of a unit you'll run for your life.
was plodding once in wagon, from To-
ledo 10 Maumee, over an execrably level
road, iu the hot noon sun of a mid June day.
The driver was a hardy fellow, who looked
as though he could out-hug bear, and loosen
the tightest Maumee ague with single
shake, and yet he owned he had been fright
ened by wild cat, so that he ran for it, and
then he told the story, which give you partly
in his words.
~ was driving along this road in buggy,
with as fast horse as ever scorned whip,
when some ten rods ahead of us, Just by that
big oak, a wild cat, leading three kittens,
came out of the wood, and crossed the road,
and went into those bushes on our left, and |
thought what nice pets they'd make, and
wished had one. When came up noti-
ced one of the young ones in the edge of the
bushes, but few feet of, and heard, or
thought heard, the old one stealing along
deep in the woods.
"a sprung out, snatched up the kitten,
threw it in the buggy, jumped on, and start
ed. When laid hands on it, it mewed, and
confound it, it kept a mewing, and as
grasped the reins, | heard a sharp growl and
a thrashing through the brush, and | knew
the old one was a coming and the next in
slant she streamed over a log and lit in the
road, all on an end, with her eyes flaming
her hair bristIing and her teeth grinning, anC
she turned as on pivot, and gave an un
earthly squall, as she saw me racing away
and bounded after, with such yels and fury
and gained on me so fast, that for very fear
I threw the kitten out, and lashed the flying
horse ;-bnt she scarcely paused for that, bu
bounded on a while, as though recovery o
her young would not suffice without revenge
and when | saw her at my very back
stranger, | did tremble,- | scarcel,
breathed until her crying imp recalled her
Here, at the top of this pitch, ! looked baci
and saw her standing, with her young one il
her mouth, looking after me, as though she't
half mind TO drop the kitten and give chast
again. gave the horse cut, and did no
feel quite safe until | got some miles away
| made up my mind from that time forwar'
to let young ones alone"