Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-01-13

of"Tam O'Shan,er and Souter Johncy"
had they been there TO see.
This luxurious indulgence was coniin-
ued for a considerable time, bu, was bro.
ken Of at last by cry that came in an.
other direction, and pointed out the po.
silion Of second panther, mate to the
first. The cry was Immediately an.
swered, and in an instant the two were
lovingly together, engaged over the cask
of whiskev.
From the evil effects which followed.
it is probable that the two felines tapped
up right smar. chance" OF the whis-
key, as il flowed from the ounghole Of
the keg, for thev. growle6 al each other
awfully, aud from growing turned to
biting. and considerable tussle was heard
where they stood, Old friends, howev-
er, sooH forgot injuries, and so Gid they. /.
for they lay down side by side TO rest.
And now all might have been well with
the Two prisoners for the probability is
that the panthers would have peaceably
departed and left them to pray for day
light, but for an incautious expression Of
Uncle Bobby's, who, rejecting on the
various catasiropies of the night, the
rupture of the jug. spilling of the keg,
breaking of the guD-stock, and confine.
ment in the hollow, which abounded IN
feas. as hog beds always do--moyed by
these considerations, aud boiling over
with anger. called out, soto Uoce.
"Drat their piclures!" aq
The words were no sooner out, than
both the an,mals sprung TO their feet with
deep growl, turned their eyes, fairly
shooting fire, towards the hapless men.
and communicated with each other as to
the cause of the alarm. An instant suf.
feed for explanation. BY tina, my steri.
Gus instinct which brules possess. the
,ale was told; the plan of Joint attack
laid, and they sprang, simultaneously,
one TO the front and the other to The rear
of the sy camore.
On! how Uncle Bobby wished for
his rifle. as he saw the broad forehead of
the beast within pace Of him. He al.
most wept as he thought what a chnnce
he was missing for '.palnter" skin iha.
would buy half barrel ol whiskey in
Burlington. But now his love of gain
changed into love of life, as the panther
with mighty grasp seized the chunk
that filled the entrance aud endeavored
to draw it 0ut--an attempt that would
have succeeded but for The joint effort,
OF the pair on the inside. For while
II seemed as if he would gain the prize.
and had the other panther. who came
round aud STOOD looking on, but known
enough 10 have assisted him, there would
have been wailing a, Uncle ,Box''s for
a moral certainty, As il was, the old
maa lost coat sleeve, The boy finger
nail, both torn off by the claws of ,be
iufuriated animal.
Disappointed in his efforts, the par.
lher exchanged the exercise of pulling
for that of scratching. and il ever YOU
saw little dog with wlry hair and rum
my eyes, laboring to scratch out a rat,
You can form some idea of the way dir,
flew before the big feet and powerful
claws Of the brute. Uncle Bobby clung
to his chunk, however, although both
eyes, mou;h and nose were filled with
moist earth that flew in clouds; he KEEP,
up good heart and stuck fast, yelling
like an idiot in the hopes of alarming
his assailants. II is a fact that the human
voice is generally dreaded by wild ami
mails; but Just now il seems TO have LOST
It's power. for the panihers, intoxicated
by the taste and smell of the whiskey.
or thirsling for human blood, seemed
quite regardless of the old man's voice.
and scratched away harder than before
Their labor was quite in vain, for they
cleared The earth away to the more solid
roots, upon which their claws made but
ll,tle impression, and again they paused
in their exerlions. A momenl's consul.
talon, and one Of them, with lion $
bound, Went up the tree evidently m
search of a hole by which to enter the
cavity from above. This was The most
trying moment of the whole night, for
had such an entrance existed, the i'm.
prlsoned man well knew that his life and
the life of the lad was not worth mo-
menrs purchase.
Il is peculiarly, however. Of these
frontier settlers. TO fight against all emer-
gencies. and i: they cannot win the
game. al least to "play it out" ! knew
one of this class. when lying on his
death-bed To order his bowie. knife. pis.
tolls and rifle to be laid at his side that he
might be ready TO meet death "wi,h his
own tools, and j. was done. Uncle
Bobby was "all game," as they say
None in Barren county was Drawer. none
on Skunk River had less coward drops.
so he resolu,ely drew his big spring.
knife, braeed bImself upright, and await
ed the monsters descent, determined ..io
have the first blow" If be died for it,
A short suspense. aud he was relieved of
this ditiic, l,y, for the panther returned
down upon the outside evidently disap-'
pointed. Another ten minutes scratch.
ing and then another pause.
A change of tactics. and both sen,inels
shifted POSITIONS To The n,her side Of the
tree, and bent uniiedly TO the task. No
body knows what hole they made!-