Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-09-16

81 will try" he murmured to himself sand
take it alive for if ] bring young panther to
Little Rock, shall readily obtain my ten or
fifteen dollars for il but if, on the other hand,
| shootii, its skin will be worth nothing. The
old one must hive left it, as cannot see it any
where in the tree and, for ten dollars, one may
for once bear few scratches from the young
chap. So look out Master Panther I'm com
ing p
With these words he went to his pony, which
was grazing quietly hard by, uus!nng a rope
from around its neck buckled on his girdle
again, in which he replaced his anile, but lett
his tomabawl behind, and began to ascend the
mighty tree; drawing the rope tlgec lines around
t1li9 s'crr, which liecouId not iirny clasp, and
fastening the ends together, he seized it, some
times with the right and sometimes with the left
arm, and by its assistance cautiously mounted
Up to the top while the hounds, comprehend.
ing instantly what he meant, jumped with de-
| light around the oak. Slowly then, indeed but
surely. he climbed nearly forty feet up the slcn-
der body ere he arrived at the first branch ;
when, stopping for moment to rest himself, and
take breath, he felt if his knife was still secure,
and looked up towards the young panther, which
remnined almost motionless, and clinging to the
same branches as at first. Weston then slung
the rope, which he no longer needed, round his
shoulder and making use Of the twigs for his
oatura ladder, he ascended quickly aud lightly
towards the cub, which though it did not move
in the least, still kept its fiery eyes fixed on its
approaching foe. But yet wilder gIances were
wutching the approach Of our hunter, who was
wholly unconscious of the proximity of so grim
and dangerous foe -none other than the moth
er Of the cub, that Iay with tail gently waving,
in one of the withcrcd trees that stood beside,
with branches nteriacaI with That in which he
was, ready for the spring, and seeming but to
await bis nearer approach, ere, with vigorous
bound, she threw herself, tooth aud claw, upon
the audacous man who would seize her of,
spring. Carelrssly swinging from bongh to
hough, Weston was now close under the young
one, who, raising itself gently, after the fashion
Of cat, with its back up, stood upon the branch
and looked down upon the huksc>as-lC,not per-
fectIy comprohonlinglho danger to be appre.
hended irQ.ARim.
Weston stopped, and taking the rope from off
his shoulder, he formed a moose with it to catch
over the panthor's head then, settling himself
firmly between two branches, he looked up in
expectation Of the proper moment for an attack,
and saw, dirasLua AzusA s-se - iiiu--s.saAauA
ron nm, The glowing eyes of thefFeS$le as she
bent down in readiness for the sprlngg
Brought up from childhood in the woods, and
well acquainted with the dangers which so often
threaten the solitary sportsman, Weston retained
in this fearfAmoment presence of mind enough
to place the Wdy of the tree between him and
his enemy, ere the latter could divine his inton-
ton; and this he fortunately succeeded in
enectng Just in time, as that instant the dark
figure Of the panther lenped upon the spot he
had Quilted and gozed with fiery eyes on the un.
daunted hunter, who, with his left arm clasped
around branch, held in his right hand his bare
knife, as With every breath he drew he expected
10 see the enraged animal spring down upon
him. She, however, inundated by the eye he
kept firmly fixed upon her, was satisfied to know
Of the safety Of her young, and to lie attenliyely
marking every movement OF her foe, at scarcely
six PAGES from him. At this moment Westor
first believed that he was lost ; for even if able
TO use his knife, good, stout weapon, agai0s
his grim Antagonist, still the place on which h(
stood, and from which the slightest false stoI
would dash him headlong TO the ground, was bJ
no means suitable for so fearful struggle Bu
percelyng that his adversary was content with
merely watching him, he swiftly but cautiously
and without any rash movement which nigh
iriate the monster, replaced his knife in it
sheath, and slowly commenced his retreat. Th
panther, seeing him remove further uud fuHhe
away, followed him lesurely and often did ht
feel for bis weapon, as he saw her about to tax,
a IcnP, YET without ever daring to bring himscl
to an open and eye to eye encounter.
Arriving, then, once more at the last branch
he again fastened the rope around the stem, am
slid quickly as possible down it. The dogs
meanwhile, driven almost TO despair by porcev
inc their enemy in the branches withaaAt' beint
able to get at her, jumped ond howIed in
heart breaking manner about. AT length Yves
ton once more gained The firm ground, wit
clothes torn, blood ooziog from his arms, cut b
the rough bark Of the tree, his knees trembling
and strength exhausted. Bot not one h1omer
did he allow himself for rep,sc but hastenin
tn whore his ann Wrs laid ho eaiynd md lavnl ln