The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-06-08
:" Gou sr.su oa,t: 5aftte Aaad,' =

Suiu vSJSoS otuiSa 'tldiJ diVuuO ullu
rose trembling to Ter feet. As she
stood like a heart.hoken Niobe, 'all
teare,' fragment CROCK came tumb-
ling down the opposite bank. She
looked up. She vas herself again;
for half up the ascent stood her own
dear boy.
But even while .he glad cry was
issuing from her lip, it turned into
note Of horror.
'Oh, mercy-meIcy"
The crag on whi.h the boy stood
projected from the rock in such
way as to hang ab,ut twelve feet
over the bank. Rish: below one Of
the edges of this Gag, partly con.
cealed among some bushes, crouched
a panther. Tho bold youth was
aware of'the proximity Of his parents,
and the presence Of his dangerous
enemy at about the same time.
He had rolled down the stone in
cxultation to convince his parents Of
the high situation he had attained.
and he now stood with another in his
hand, drawing it back, and looking
at them as if to ask whether he should
throw it at the terrible animal before
him. Till then the mother seemed
immovable in her suspense:: but con.
scious Of the danger Sf her son, If lie
irritated tho beast, she fuslled some
distance up the rock and nsot;oned
with her hand that he should not
throw. Yet, with the fearless mind
of childhood, and a tenpcrlittl nsed
to control, he fcarlesay threw the.
fragment with all hisSniigl,t at.tle,
ferocious animal. 1t struck one Of
his feet He gave a sudden groWl,
'ashed his tail with fury, and seemed
about to spring. 3s.S /; sss s.
Get your rife Josiah !'Ts 3. i
The poor man; stir,s-s not. His
glazed eye was fixed with look Of
death upon the panther, and he ap-
pcared paralyzcd with fear. Itis
wife .leapcd from the ssa.ss, and pla.
cling her hands upon her husbands
shoulder, looked in his face and said,
Are you man, Josiah Eaton ?
Do you love your child 2
lie started as if from sleep, and
ran with furious haste from the ra.
vine.
Again the mother looked towards
her son. lie had fallen upon his
knees, and whispering the little pray.
ers she had taught him, not in COW
ardly fear, but a though: came across
his mind that he must die. The dis.
tracted mother conld keep still no Ion.
ger. She rushed up the steep ascent
with the energy Of dispair, reckless of
danger, thinking only Of her son.
The rocks crumbled and slipped be-
meath her feet, yet she fell not. On,
on she struggled in her agony.
The ferocious creature paused n
moment when he heard the wretchcd
mother approach. True to his ma.
tuIe, he sprang at the boy. He
barely touched the crag and fell
backward, rs Hannah ascended the
opposite side.
"Ah!" said she, laughing delir.
iously, "the panther must try it
again before he parts US, my boy; but
we won't part" and sinking on her
knees before him, she fondly folded
him to her breast, bathing lis young
forehead with her tears.
Unalterable i'll his ferocity and the
manner Of gratifying it, the panther
again sprang from his situation.
This time he was more successful.
His forefnot strnck the edge of the
crag. "tIc will kill MS, mother, he
will kill us!!' and he nestled close to
his mothers bosom. The animal
struggled to bring his body to the
crag-his savage features but o
step from the mothers face.
$50 away, 60 away" shrieked
the mother, hoarse with horror, ''you
shan't have my child!'
Closer--still closer he comes
his red eyes flashing fury, and
the thick paintings of his breath came
in her very face. At this awful
moment she hears the faint report of
fire arms coming from the gulf below
the panther's foot.hold fails, his
sharp claws loosen from the rocks,
and the baffled beast rolls down the
precipice, at the feet of Josiah Ea.
ton.
The suns last rays cleaned on
the little group at the mouth of
the gorge. They were on their
knees--the mothers hands raised
over the head other son, and the
voice of prayer going to their Guar
dian for His mercy in thwarting
tho panthcr's leap. 7ga