Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-10-20

| III DIS OTedSt. lie PAIN "oouS iuiHioheN
him with dates for food, and human beings
nigh, come tina. way before they were ex-
hausled. Perhaps another party of Maugra-
bins, whose wandering life began to have
some charms for his mag ina'ion-ot he
might hear the noise Of approaching cannon
for Napoleon Bonaparle was then pass
ing over Egypt. The Frenchman experience
ed sudden transition from the deepest
despair to the widest JOY. He occupied
himself during the day with cutting down
some palm trees TO defend the mouth Of the
groio against wild beasts, which would
come in the night time TO drink at the rivu-
let flowing al the foot of the palms. Not
wilhstanding the eagerness produced By fear
of being devoured in his sleep. he could not
finish his fertilization during the day. To-
wards evening the mighty tree he was cut
ting fell TO the ground with crash that re-
sounded through the desert, as if solitude
had uttered deep groan.
Blu. like an heir, who soon ceases TO
mourn over a rich parent, he immedae y
began to strip off The broad end beautiful
leaves to form his couch for The night. Fa-
tigued by his eAerlion and the extreme
warmth of the climate, he soon fell into a
profound slumber. In the middle of the
night his sleep was suddenly disturbed by
an extraordinary noise He raised himself
and istened-and amid the deep silence he
heard the loud breathing Of some powerful
animal. The sound fell upon bis heart like
ice. The hair started upon his head, and
he strained his eyes to the utmost to per-
ceive the object of his terror. He caugh,
the glimpse of two fain, yellow lights a. a
distance from him he though. it might be
an optical deusion, produced By his own
earnest gaze but, as the rays of the moon
entered the chinks of the cave, he distinct
y saw an enormous animal lying abou, .w 0
feet from him. There was not sufficient
light to distinguish what species of animal
i, was =; it might be lion, tiger, or coro-
die but the strong odof that filed the cave
left no doubt of the presence of some large
and terrible creature.
| When the moon rose so as to shine d.
rec.ly upon the opening in the grolto, its
beams lighted the beautiful spotted hide OF
a huge panther! The lion Of Egypt slep,
with her head upon her paws, with the com
Portable dignity Of great House dog. Her
eyes, which opened from time 10 time,
were now closed Her face was turned to-
wards the Frenchman. A thousand con-
fused thoughts passed through the soldiers
bosom. His frs, idea was to shoot his enc
my through the head; but he saw there was
not room enough for that; the ball would
inevitably have passed her. He dared no,
make the slightest movement, lest he should
l. bor hrol 81, Joo
but The breath of the panther and the beat
Jog of his heart Twice he pot his hand
upon his scimetar, but The difficulty OF pene-
traling her hard rough skin made him re-
llnqnsh the project. To attempt her de-
structon. and fail in the attempt would be
instant death. At all events, he resolved to
wait for daylight Day came a. last, and
showed the jaws of the sleeping panther
covered with blood.
"She has eaten lately" said the French
man to himself. ''She will not awaken in
hunger"
She was in truth beautiful MONSTER
The fur on her throat and legs was of a
dazzling whieness; circle of lille dark
spots, like velvet, formed pretty bracelets
round her paws-her large muscular tail
was beautiful white, terminated by black
rings; and the soft smooth fur on her bo-
dy was Of a glowing yellow, like unwroughl
gold, richly shaded with dark brown spots
| in the form Of roses.
This powerful but tranquil hostess re-
posed in as graceful an attitude as puss
sleeping on footslool. Her head stretch
ed on nervous oulstretched paws, from
which her smellers spread out like silver
threads. Had she been in a cage, the Frenh-
man would certainly have admired the per-
feet symmetry of her dark form, and the
rich contrast of coIors that gave such an
imperial brlliancy TO her robe but alone,
and in her power, it was a different thing.
At the mouth O.! the cannon he had felt his
courage rising with increasing danger, but
it was sinking now. The cold swea, pour
ed from his forehead as he saw the sleeping
panther. Considering himself dead man,
he waited his fate as courageously as he
could. When the sun rose, the panther
suddenly opened her eyes, stretched out her
paws and gasped, showing lrghlful row of
teeth, and a great tongue as hard and as
rough as file. She then shook herself,
and began to wash her bloody paws, pass
ing them from time to time over her ears,
like a kitten. "Very we'll done.o thought
the soldier, who felt his gae,y and courage
returnlng-"she does her toilet handsome
ly.' He seized little dagger which he
had taken from one of the Arabs-"Come,
let us with each other good morning."
thought he. At this moment the panther
turned her head towards him suddenly,
and fixed surprised and earnest gaze up
on him.
The fxedness Of her bright metallic eyes,