Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-09-16

der suddenly thought that to Kill her Win one DioW,
he must strike the throat He raised his blade
that purpose but at that moment she crouched down
gently his feet locking up in his face with strange
mixture of afeconate and native herceness The
poor Frenchman leaned against tree eating some dates
and cast his eye anxiousy round the desert to see II
no one was coming TO free him from his terrible com.
panion, whose strange friendship little to be
trusted He offered to feed her with nuts and
dates but she looked upon them withi supreme con-
tempt. However, as if sensible to his kind inten-
tions, she licked his shoes and purred.
"Wl she be when she gets hungry :"-thought
the Frenchman. The idea made him trembe. he
looked at the size of the panther She was three
feet high, and four feet long, without including her
tail, which nearly three feet more IN length and
as round as great cu1gel.
Her head was as big as lions and her face was
distinguished by peculiar expression of cunning
The cold cruelty of the tiger regned there's but there
was likewise something strangely like the counte-
nance of artfu woman. in the gaety and fondness
of the present moment She seemed almost like Nero
drunk. She had her fill of blood and she wished 10
froIc.
During the whole day, if he attempted to walk a
way, the panther watched him, dog does his mas
ter and never suffered him 10 be far out OF sight,
He discovered The remains of his horse which had been
dragged 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 comfortably with his new com
panion He laid himself by her. in order to concate
her good opinion. He patted her neck, and she be-
gar to wag her tail and purr He took hold of her
paws, felt her ears, and rolled 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 pIunging it in
her throat, but he still held by the fear that he
should not succeed and that the animal would tear
him to pieces in her agony Besides he really began
10 have an unwngness to kill her. In the lonely
desert she seemed like friend. His admiration OF
her beauty genteness, graceful activity, became mix.
ed with less and less of terror. He actually named
her Mignonne, in remembrance of lady whom be
had loved in his youth, and who abomlnably
jealous of him. By the end of the day he had be-
come so familiar with his dangerous situation, that he
was in love with hts its exciting PeIs he hao
his face, when he called ''Mgnonne."
When the went down she uttered deep mel
ancholy cry. "She is we'll educated exclaimed the
gay soldier. she had learned to say her evening
prayers"
He rejolced to see the panther stretch herself
out IN drOwsy attitude
"That is right, my pretty little blonde" said he
g You had better go to sleep first"
He trusted TO his activity to escape during her
slumber. He waited patiently and when she SEEM
ed sound asleep, he walked vigorously towards the
Nile But he had not gone quarter of a league over
the sand, when he heard the panther bounding after
him, uttering at intervals loud sharp cry.
''Of TRUTH said he. Z" her friendship is very flat
ering; it must be her first love- Before she came
traps of loose sands, from which it is impossible to
extricate ones SELF The panther seized him by the
collar and with incredible strength broug ht him 10 the
other side of the ditch at single bound,
i "My dear Mignonne - said The soldier, caressing
her with enthusiasm our friendship is for life and
DEATH.
He retraced his steps. Now, he had creature that
loved him. to ~hOnr he could talk; 1t seemed as II
the desert were peoped. Having made signal flag
of his shirt he concluded wait patiently for human
succor 1t was his intention TO have watched during
the night, but sleep overpowered him. When he
awoke MIgnonne was gone. He assembled the emil
hence 10 look for her, and soon perceived her at
distance clearing the desert, with those long high
bounds, peculiar to her shecies. She arrived with
) bloody jaws. When receiving his caresses, she
purred aloud, and fixed her eyes upon him with even
more fonIness than usual. The soldier patted her
neck, and talked to her he would to a domestic
animal" All. ah Miss! you have been eating some
of the Maugrabins. Amt you ashamed? Never
mnd-they animals than you But
please don't take fancy to grind up Frenchman.
If you do, you won't have 10 love you any more"
This animal so fond of caresses and play, that
if her companion sat many minutes without noticing
her, she would put her paw in his lap 10 attract at
tention. Several days passed thus
The panther was always successful in her eXcur-
e sons for food, and always returned full OF affection
and ioy; she became used TO all the infections of the
soldiers voice, and understood the expressions OF his
S face. Sometimes he amused his weary hours by
counting the spots on her golden fur, and observing
l
displeasure even when he held her by the tail
the splendid white and black rings, that gteIed in
the sunshine like precious stones. 1t pleasant to
look upon the graceful outlines of her form, the
glossy smoohness of her neck and the estc car
E rage of her head. She delighted him most when she
was in frolc. Her extreme gracefuness and agility
as she glided swiftly along, jumped, bounded, and
rolled over and over, was truly surprising. When
she darling up the rocky eminence at her swftest
speed, she would stop suddenly and beautifully the
He'd
One day very large bird sailed through the air
their heads. In the desertanything that has life
} is intensely interesting. The Frenchman quilted
slowly and heavily famed the air. In few minutes
the Sutana of the Desert began to growl She is
certainly eaous' thot the soldier, he looked al
her fierce and gtering eyes. They gazed teflglby
at each other, and the proud coquette eaped as she
felt his hand upon her head her eyes flashed like
S lightning and she shut them hard.
"The creature must have soul !" exclaimed the
S Frenchman.
| This account given by the soldier himself
h while was admring the docity of powerful ami
nal in the menagerie at Paris. ''I do not know, >
= continued the narrator, what had done to dspease
< Mighonne much-or whether the creature was
merely in sport-but she turned and snapped her teeth
at me- and seized hold of my leg She did it wi,hou
h voIence-but thinking she was about 10 devour me
plunged my dagger al her neck. The poor creature
Il rolled over, utterng cry that troZe my heart. Sht
2 made attempt to revenge my blow, but looked
d mildly upon in her diving agony. would have
given all the world to have recalled her to life. /
d was as if | had murdered friend-some of thu
# French soldiers, who discovered my signal found mi
}, some hours afterwards, weeping by the side of he
v dead body
), "Ah, we'll" said he after mournful silence, q"
r. have been in the wars in Germany. Spain, Erussi;
IS and France-but never have anything that pro
Al E@,xy hao1,