Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-01-06
desert, as if solitude had uttered a
deep groan. q

deep groan. q
But like an heir, who soon ceases
to mourn over a rich parent he I'M
mediateiy began to strip of tht
broad and beautiful leaves to form
his couch for the night. Fatiguet
by his exertion and the extreme
warmth of the climate, he soon fel
into a profound slumber. In the
middle of the night his sleep was
suddenly disturbed by an extraordi-
nary noise. He raised himself and
listened-and amid the deep silence
he heard the loud breathing Of some
powerful animal. The sound fell upon
his heart like ice. The hair started
upon his head, and he strained his
eyes to the utmost to perceive the
object Of his terror. He caught the
glimpse of two faint yellow lights at
distance from him; he thought it
might be an optical delusion, pro-
duced by his own earnest gaze; but,
as the rays of the moon entered the
chinks of the cave, he distinctly saw
an enormous animal lying about two
feet from him. There was not suifi-
cientlight to distinguish what species
of animal it was; it might be lion,
a tiger, a crocodile; but the strong
odor that filed the cave left no doubt
of the presence of some large and
terrible creature.
When the moon arose SO as TO
shine directly upon the opening IN
the grotto, its beams lighted the
beautiful spotted hide Of a huge pan
ther! The lion of Egypt slept with
her head upon her paws, with the
comfortable dignity of great house
dog. Her eyes, which opened from
time to time, were NOW closed. Her
face was turned iowa fds the French
man. A thousand cbnfused thoughts
passed through the soldiers bosom.
His first ideaswas to shoot his enemy
through the head; but be So W that
there was not room enough for that;
the ball would evideIl Iltly have passed
her. ), He dared d lot make the
slightest movement, least he should
awake her; nothing by6ke the deep
silence, but the breath of the panther
and the beating of hfs heart. Twice
he put his hand upon his scimetar,
but the difficulty of penetrating her
hard rough skin mad de him relinquish
the project. To attempt her de-
struction, and fail in the attempt,
would be instant death. At all
events he resolved TO wait for day
light. Day came at last, and showed
the jaws of the sleeping panther coy-
cred with blood.
oShe has eaten lately said the
Frenchman to himself "She will
not awaken in hunger"
She was in truth b beautiful mon
ster. The fur on het throatsand legs
was of dazzling wRiteness, q Gree
oflittle dark spots, like velvet, torrned
pretty bracelets arc dund her paws
her large muscula ar tail was beautiful
white, terminated by black rings;
and the soft smooth fur on her body
was Of a glowing yellow, like IN
wrought gold, 1ichly shaded with
dark brown spots in the form Of yo-
ses.
This powerful but tranquil hostess
Ireposed in as gradeful an attitude az
a puss sleeping on footstool. Her
head stretched On her nervous out
stretched paws, fIom which her long
white smellers spread out like silvel
threads. Had she been in a cage,
the Frenchmarl would have certain
" admired the symmetry Of hpr
dark form, and the rich contrast ot
Of eolors that gave such an imperial
brilliancy to her robe; but alone,
and in her power, it was 9. different
n 4 j
ting. At the mouth of the cannon
hXhad felt his courage rising with
increasing danger, but it was sinking
now. The cold sweat poured from
his forehead as he saw the sleeping
panther. Considering hirnselfa dead
man, he waited his fate as courage
ously as he could When the sun
arose, the panther suddenly opened
her eyes, stretched out herpaws and
gaped, showing frightful row o.
teeth, and a great tongue as hard
and rough as a file. She then shook
herself, and began to wash her bloody
paws, passing them from time to
time over her ears, lik ke kitten
@Very we'll done,'' thought the sol