Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-10

nave WV IL, as CannOt SIC Is anywhere
in the tree. For ten dollars, one may for
once bear few cratches from ths young
chap. So, look out, Master Panther, Pm
coming p'
With these words he went to his pony,
which was grazing hard by, unslung a
rope from around its neck, buckled on his
girdle again, in which he replaced his
knife, but left the tomahauk behind, and
began to ascend the mighty tree draw
ing the rope three times round the som,
which he could not firmly clasp, and fss-
tening the ends together, hs seized it,
sometimes with his right and sometimes
with his left arm, aad by its assistance,
cautiously mounted up to the top while
the hounds, eomprshending instantly what
he meant, jumped with delight around the
oak. Slowly, then, indeed, but surely,
he climbed nearly forty feet up the NIGH
ty body, ere he arrived at the first branch :;
when stopping for a moment to rest him
self and take breath, he felt if his knife
was still secure, and looking up towards
the young panther, which remained al
most motionlsss. and elinging 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 tnigs
as rails for his natural ladder, he ascend
ed quick and lightly towards the cub,
which, though it did not move in the least,
still kept its fiery eyes fixed on it's ap-
preaching foe. But yet wilder glances
were watching the progres. of our hunter,
who was wholly unconscious of the prox
unity of SO grim and dangerous foe
none other than the mother of the cub,
who lay, with tail gently waving, in one
of the withered trees that stood beside,
with branches intsrlaeed in that in which
he was, ready for the spring, and seeming
but to await his nearer approach ere, with
vigorous bound, she threr herself, tooth
and claw, upon the audecious man who
would dare to seize her offspring. Care
lessly. then, swinging from bough to bough
Weston WAS now close under tho young
one, who. raising itself gently, after the
fashion of cat, with its back up, stood
upon the branch and looked down upon
the hunter as if not perfectly comprehen-
ding the danger to be apprshonded from
him.
Weston stopped, and taking the rope
from off his shoulder, he formed a moose
with it to catch over the panther's head
then settling himself firmly between two
branches, he looked up in expectation of
the proper moment for attack, and saw,
directly opposite, and hardly ten PAGES
from him, the glowing eyes of the female
ss she bent down in readiness for the
spring.
Brought up from childhood in the wood.
and we'll acquainted with the dangers
which so often threaten the solitary sports
man, Weston retained, in this fearful mo-
ment, presence of mind enough to place
the body of the tree between him and his
tention and this he fortunately succeed
cd in sffecting just in time, as at that in
stant the dark figure of the panther leap
cd upon the spot he had just quilted, and
gszed with fiery eyes on the undauntsd
hunter, who, with his left arm clasped
around branch, held in his right hand
his bare knife, as with every breath hs
drew he expected to see the enraged ami
NAL spring upon him. She, however, in
timidated by the eye he kept firmly fixed
upon her, was satisfied to know of the
safety of her young, and to lie attentively
marking every movement of her foe, at
scarcely six PAGES from him. At this mo-
mont, Weston at first believed that he was
lost for even if able to use his knife, a
good, stout weapon, against his grim an
tagonist, still the place on which he stood,
and from whence the slightest false step
would dash him headlong to the ground,
was by no means suitable for such strug-
gle.
But psrceiving then that his adversary
l. l,
he swiftly but cautiously, and without any
rash movement which might irritate the
monster, replaced the knife in the sheath
and slowly commenced his retreat. The
panther seeing him move farther and far
ther away, followed him leisurely; and
often did he feel for his weapon, as he saw
her about to take leap, yet without over
daring to bring himself to an open and
eye to eye encounter.
Arriving, then, once moro at the last
branch, he again fastened the rope round
the stem, and slid as quickly as possible
down it. The dogs, meanwhile, driven
almost to despair by psrceiring their enc
my in the branches of the tree, without
being able to get at her, jumped and howl
led yocifsrously about the tree. At length
NeStOlI OuSe HOlo 4sS~ACo NnS hlH
ground, with clothes torn, blood oozing
from his arms, cut by the rough bark of
the tree, his knees trembling. and his
strength exhausted. Bat not one moment
did he allow himself for repose, but has
tening to where his gun-was laid, he sci
zed and lsvslled it towards the panther's
fsncied place of security. Vain, howev-
er, were all his efforts to hold the heavy
barrel steady for second-his limbs
shook; so he was compelled to throw him
self down to rest, yet without withdraw
ing his eyes an instant from the form oI
! the animal, which was now close to the
/ star, and its Young nns nn lnnoer appre