Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-08-21


his breast. The palms would furnish hin
with dates for food, and human beings Nigh
come that way before they were exhausted
0 Perhaps another party of NIaugrabins, who's
. wandering life began to have some charm
: for his imagination-or he might hear tn
noise ofapproaching cannon-for Bonapart
e was then passing over Egypt. The French
: man experienced sudden transition from
the deepest despair to the'wildest joy. FL,
occupied himself during the day with cut
ting down some Of the palm trees to defend
the mouth of the grotto from wild beasts
which would probably come in the nigh
time to drink at the rivulet flowing at The
foot Of the palms. Notwithstanding The
teagerness produced by fear of being devour
ed in his sleep, he could not finish his for
tfcations that day. Toward evening the
mighty tree he had been cutting fell to the
ground with crash that resounded through
the desert, as if solitude had uttered deer
lgroan.
The soldier trembled as if there had been
a supernatural voice in the air. But like
an heir, who soon ceases to mourn over a
rich parent, he Immediately began to strip
of the broad and beautiful leaves to form his
couch for the night. Fatigued by his exer-
tions and the extreme warmth Of climate. he
soon fell into a profound slumber. In the
middle of the night his sleep was suddenly
disturbed by an extraordinary noise He
raised himself and listcncd-and amid the
deep silence he distinctly heard the loud
breathing of some powerful animal. The
cOuo1 foil upor. HE baor+ Flo "a, I'll l.
started upon his head, and he strained his
eyes to the utmost to perceive the object of
his terror. He caught glimpse of two faint
yellow lights at a distance from him; he
thought it might be an optical delusion, pro-
Iduccd by his own earnest gaze, but as the
rays Of the moon entered the chinks of the
cave he distinctly saw an enormous animal
laying about two feet from him. There was
not sufficient light to distinguish what spe-
cies of animal it was; it might be lion, a
| tiger or a crocodile; but the strong odor
that filed the cave left no doubt Of the pre-
Isence Of some large and terrible creature.
When the moon rose so as to shine di=
beGh I7gHTcd up the beautiful spotted hide
of a huge panther? This lion of Egypt
slept with her head upon her paws, with the
comfortable dignity OF a great house dog
Her eyes, which had opened from time to
time, were now closed. Her face was turn
ed towards the Frenchman. 4 thousand
confused thoughts passed throughout the
soldiers bosom. His first idea was to shoot
his enemy through the head; but he saw
that there was not room enough. for that ;
the ball would inevitably have passed her.
He dared not make the slightest movement,
lest he should awake her nothing broke the
deep silence but the breath of the panther
and the beating Of her heart. Twice he put
his hand upon his scimitar, but the difficult
ty of penetrating her hard, rough skin, made
him rclinquish his project. TO attempt hel
destruction, and fail in the attempt woulo
be certain death. Atall events he resolved
to wait for daylight. Day came at last, anc
showed the jaws of the sleeping panther Gov
cred with blood.
s.She has eaten lately,' said the French
man to himself ''S5he will not awake il
hunger"
f She was in truth beautiful monster
} The fur on her throat and legs was daz
zling whiteness; a circle Of little dark spots
like velvet, formed pretty bracelets aroun'
: her paws; he large muscular tail was beau
4 tifully white, terminated by black rings; AM
. the soft, smooth fur on her body was of
: glowing yellow, like unwrought gold, richl
/ shaded with dark brown spots in the forr
0 Of roses.
: This powerful, but tranquil hostess, re
i posed in as graceful an attitude as pus
i sleeping on a footstool Her head reste
y on nervous out-stretched paws, from whic
her long white smellers spread out like si]
f yer threads. Had she been in cage, tn
: Frenchman would certainly have admire
: the perfect symmetry Of her dark form, an
g the rich contrast of colors that gave such a
: imperial brilliancy to her robe, but alone
n and in her power, it was a very differel
a thing. At the mouth of the cannon he ha
g felt his courage rise with increasing DANCE
e but it was sinking now The cold swe;
n poured from his forehead, as he watched th
S sleeping panther Considering himself
# dead man, he waited his fate as courageou
IS " as he could. When the sun rose, tt
n panther suddenly opened her eyes-stretcl
e ed out her paws and gaped, showing frigh
u Ittl row VI tcCIil anu b cav 'oii ''''
: and rough as file. She then shook he
o self and began to wash her bloody paw
passing them from time to time over her ear
e like kitten Every well DONE" thoug
: the soldier, who felt his gaiety and coura9
n returning She does her toilet handsom
t. ly." He seized little dagger which ne h;
l. taken from one of the Arabs Come,
p us wish each other good morning" thoug
rs he. At this moment the panther turned h
head toward him suddenly, and fixed a su
ID prised and earnest gaze upon him.
v. The fxedness of her bright metallic eye
O. and their almost insupportable brillianc