The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-03-08
SELECT STORY.
APanther Hunt in Arkansas.

gives in the February number, the follow
ing spirited sketch In my winter home
in The tangled wilds of the far Arkansas
during the last months Of 1859, l was
revelng amid the hardy pleasures of =
hunters life, seeking in the exciting and
invigorating chase, to recruit constitu.
ton impaired if not shattered by the dis.
sipation of the preceding summer. Ear
ly one bright morning in November,
cheerily wound my horn, as it summoned
forth for the hunt the eager pack oi
hounds, who joyfully burst from their
kennels, making the old woods ring with
loud and deep-mouthed bayings.
Impatient at the delay Of my faithful
body.guard, John, who was as fine spec
linen Of the Kentucky slave as one could
wish to see--"sx feet in his socks" and
brave as lion-I walked around to the
stable to ascertain the cause of so unusu-
al an occurrence. Reared from child.
hood in the arms of my "boy," | was at
tached to him by no common feelings, es-
Ipecially as he had twice saved my life at
the risk of his own. He would have died
withouta murmur at my command and
it was no ordinary offence that could call
forth for him an angry reproof. AS |
neared the stable, John slowly led forth a
magnificent black stallion, who paved i'm
patiently the earth, as if as eager as his
master for the approaching chase.
turned toward the negro sternly, exclaim
ing:
"Where's Medora, John ? l ordered
her--not Alp"
"Deed, Massa Frank" said John, Il
could not help il but Medora's got out
and gone. l'se been hunting her all
night
The mare had escaped in the darkness
and made for the woods, and the poor
fellow, knowing the explosion which must
follow the announcement Of her loss, had
toiled the entire night in the vain attempt
TO recover her. In burst of passion, |
demanded
(Which way did she 60 ?"
Op IOWdlu VIC OiCdllllS'
by Heavens then she is gone The
panthers are as thick as. Quick
saddle your horse, and bring me my re-
volvers l'
Just as the negro had disappeared on
his errand, and | had mounted the impa-
tient steed, my father. hale old man of
sixty, came to the cabin door and asked
"Where now. Frank ?"
CATER Medora,' Irepled "she's out.
and toward the clearing. The panthers
may have her before now"
"You had better take your rifle and
dogs you may need them
"No; want my dogs fresh for the big
buck, and my rifle will hinder me in rid
ing through the brush"
"Well, have your own way-but you
may regret it,"
But now my blood was up, and John
just then handing me my Colts and
mounting his horse, dashed over the
picket in the direction of the clearing -
The clearing was large bottom tract,
which had, some years before, been swept
by fire, and was now covered with low
dense underwood, here and there dotted
by hardy old tree, half burnt and gnarl-
ed, but defying alike the influence Of FIRE
and of time
After few moments hard riding.
hearing an exclamation from the negre,
turned and saw, close at our heels, the
three dogs, Croat, Warrior and Beauty
Struck by SO unusual breach of their
training, and remembering my fatherS'S
admonition, cried out to John:
"'Let them alone we may want them"
On nearing the outer edge of the clear
ing, Alp reared and snorted, with his CLOS.
sy name seemed to stand erect with fright
Straight before me lay the body Of my
matchIess Medora, but torn and bleeding
with wound on the neck, too plainly
pointing out the perpetrator Of her death
Yes, there she lay, drained of her lite
blood by the hungry panther she on
whom had so often skinned the fash
ionable thoroughfares of the West, en-
We'd of my "lght-limbed barb = she
who, twice within day, had borne me
over the rapid waters of the Mississippi
she with whom l would have shared my
only crust, lay cold and dead Alp bent
down his head and snuffcd the lacerated
form, and then sent forth sIrill and pier
cling neigh, as if in sorrow for his peer
less mate.
Understanding at glance the cause of
her death, grief gave place to feeling of
revenge; and wildly cheering the hounds,
swept on toward the wood, knowing that
there the panther had crouched until even
irg when it would again come forth to
banquet on its slaughtered prey. The
animals seemed to divine my feelings. and
dashed maGly on upon the warm and re-
cent trail, while Alp cleared with his tire.
mendous bounds the brush and under
wood with which the earth was covered
We had proceeded but short distance
when l beheld the panlher's back, as he
sprang over the impediments in his course
as lightly as if they were only the long
grass of the prairie. Twice did | attempt
to wound him with my revolyers, but the
distance was too great, and bitterly did |
regret the absence of my rifle. Gaunt,
and only rendered more savage by his
taste of blood, the panther maintained his
distance between us, although the dogs,
mad with anger, woke the wild echoes of
the deserted waste, till it seemed as if