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

and their almost insupportable brilliancy,
made The soldier lrembe, especially when
the mighty beast moved toward him. With
grea. boldness and presence Of mind he
looked her directly in the eye, having often
heard that great power may be obtained
over animals in that manner. When she
came up to him, he gently scratched her
head and smoothed her fur. Her eyes gra-
dualy soltened, she began to wag her tail,
and at last she purred like pe,ted cat but
so deep and strong were her notes Of Joy,
that they resounded through the cave like
rolling of church organ.
The Frenchman redoubled his caresses,
and when he thought her ferocity was suf-
fclen'ly tanned, he attempted to leave the
grotto. The panther made no opposition
to his going out, but she came bounding af-
ter him, lifting up her back and rubbing a.
gainst him like an sfectona,e kitten. "She
requires grea, deal of attenlion,'' said the
Frenchman, smiling. He tried to feel her ears
and throat; and perceiving that she was
pleased with it, he began to tickle the back
OF her head with the point of his dagger,
hoping to find favorable opportunity to
stab her; but the hardness of the bones
mades him lremble lest he should not sue
coed.
The beautiful SuIlana Of the desert seem
ed TO tempt the courage Of her prisoner, by
raising her head, stretching on, her neck,
and rubbing against him. The soldier sud-
denly thought that, to kill her with one
blow he must strike her in the throat He
raised his blade for that purpose-but at
that moment she cIouched down at his feet,
looking up in his face with strange mix
ture of affection and native ferceness. The
poor Frenchman leaned against the tree,
eating some dates, and casting his eve anx-
iousl y around the desert, to see If no one
was coming to free him from his terrible
companion, whose strange friendship was
so litlle 10 be trusted. He offered to feed
her with some nuts and dates, but she look
ed upon them with supreme contempt
However. as if sensible of his kind intentions.
she licked his shoes and purred.
''INill she be so when she gets hungry -
thought the Frenchman.
The idea made him tremble He looked
at the size Of the panther. She was three
feet high and four feet long, without includ-
ing her tail, which was nearly three fee,
more in length, and as round as grea,
cudgel
Her head was as big as lions, and her
face was distinguished by peculiar express
sion of cunning. The cold cruelty of the
panther regned there; but there was like
wise something strangely like the counlen-
ance of an ar,lul woman, in the gaiety and
iondness of the present moment She had
her Gil Of blood, and she wished TO frolic.
During the whole day, if he attempted to
walk away, the panther watched him as a
dog does his master, and never suffered him
to be far out of sight. He discovered the
remains of his horse, which had been drag
ged near the mouth of the cavern, and he
easily understood why she had respected
his slumbers.
Taking courage from the past, he began
to hope he could get along very comfor ia
bly, with his new companion. He laid him
self beside her, in order to concilate her
good opinion. He pat,ed her neck, and 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 all
this; and when he played with her paws.
she carefully drew in her claws, lest she
should hurt him. The Frenchman again
put his hand upon his weapon, with view
of plunging it into her throat, but he was
still held by the fear that the animal would
kill him in her agony. Besides, he really
began TO have an unwillingness to kill her.
In the lonely desert, she seemed to him like
friend. His admiration Of her beauty.
genseness, and graceful activity, became
mixed with less and less of terror. He &C
tually named her Mignonne, IN remembrance
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, tina,
he was almost in love with its exciting
perls. He had even taught the panther her
name. She looked up in his face when he
called "Mlgnonne."
When the sun went down, she uttered a
deep and melancholy cry.
"She is well educated" exclaimed The SOL
dier. 'sShe has learnt 10 say her evening
prayers"
He rejoiced to see the panther stretch
herself out in drowsy attitude.
"That is right, my pretty blade" said
he. ~ on had better 60 to sleep frs!.'
He trusted to his own activity to escape
during her slumber. He waited patiently !;
and when she seemed sound asleep, he walk
ed vigorously towards the Nile. But he
had not gone quarter Of league over tho
sand, when he heard the panther bounding
after HIM, ullering at intervals long, sharp
cry.
'sOf TRUTH" said he, cher friendship is
very fa.,ering il must be her first love"
Before she came up the Frenchman fell in
to one of those dangerous traps Of loose
sand, from which it is impossible to ex-
trIcale ones self. The panther seized him
by the collar and with incredible strength