The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-03-01
ESCAPE FROM A PANTHER.

Elizabeth Temple and Louisa had gained the
summit of the moutain, where they left the high
way, and pursued their course, under the shade OF
the stately trees that crowned the eminence.
The day was becoming warm; ana the girls
plunged more deeply into the forest las they found
its invigorating GOODNESS agreeably contrasted to
the excessive heat they had experienced in Their
ascent. The conversation IS il by mutual con.
sent, was entirely changed To Che little incidents
and scenes of their walk and every tall pine and
every shrub or flower, called forth some simple
expression of admiration.
In this manner they proceeded along the mar
gin of the precipice, catching occasional elimpses
Of the placid Otsego, Or pausing to listen to the
rafting of wheels and the sounds o; hammers
that rose from the valley, to i,inrle the signs OF
men with the scenes OF nature, when Elizabeth
suddenly startled, and c&ciaimed--"Listen
there are the cries of child OH this mountain
Is there clearing near us or can some little
one have strayed from lis Faleats?"
''Such things frequently .happen," returned
Louisa. LET US follow the sounds it may be
q wanderer, starving on the hill
Urged by this consideration, the females pur
sued the low, mournfll sounds that proceeded
from the forest, with quick and impatient steps
MoIe than once the ardent Elizabeth was on the
point of announcing that she saw the sufferer
when Louisa caught her by the arm, and, point
Iing behind them, cried--'Loek at the dog -
prived him of his activity and when his com.
panions stopped TO view the scenery, or to add to
their requests, the mastiff would Law his huge
frame on the ground lard await their movements,
with his eyes closed and lis I eSsness in his air,
that i'll accorded with tho character of a protect
or. But when, arous ed by this cry from Louise.
Miss Temple turned she saw the dog with his
eyes keenly set on some distant object, his head
bent near the ground, and his hair actually ris-
ing on his body, either through fright or anger
1t was most probably the latter for he was
growing in a low key, and occasionally showing
his teeth, in manner that would have terrified
his mistresa, had she not so well known his good
qualities. -
brave p she said, "bs quiet, Brave what
do you see, fellow 2" At the sound of her voice,
the rage of the mastf, instead oil being at all d.
minished was very sensibly increased tie stalk
ed in front of the lasies, and seated himself in
tront of his mistriss, growing louder than before,
and eccasionly giving vent 10 bis ire by short,
surley barking.
''What does he see % said Elizabeth; "there
must be some animal in sight,
Hearing no answer from her companion, Miss
Temple TUNED her head and beheld Louisa
standing with her face whitencd to the color Of
death, and her finger pointing upward, with
sort Of Pickering, convulsed, motion. The quick
eye of Elizabeth glanced in the direction indica-
ted by her friend, where she saw the fierce front
and glaring eyes of a female panther, fixed on
them in horrid malignity, and threatening in
slant destruction. cEaa ,tH
"Let us fly ~ exclaimed Elizabeth, grasping
the arm of Louisa, whose form yielded like
melting snow, and sunk lifeless to the earth.
There was not single feeling in tne tempera-
ment of Elizabeth Temple that could prompt her
to desert companion in such an extremity; and
she fell on her knees, by the side of the inani-
mate Louisa, tearing from the person of her
friend, with an instructive readiness, such parts
Of her dress as might obstrnct her respiration,
and encouraging their only safeguard, the dog at
the same time, by the sounds Of her voice.
Courage, Bravc!" she clied-he own tones be-
ginning to tremble-' courage, courage, good
Brave - $3.50 .. - -,
A quarter-grown cub, that had hitherto been
unseen, now appeared, dropping from the
branches of saplin, that grew under the shade
of the beech which held its dam. This ignorant
but vitious creature approached near to the dog,
Initiating the actions and sounds of its parent but
exhibiting strange mixture of the playfulness
of kitten with the ferocty Gifts race. Stand
ing on its hind legs, it would rend the bark of a
tree with its fore paws, and play all the antics of
a cat, for moment; and then, by lashing itself
with its TAIL growing, and scratching the earth
it would attempt the manifestations Of anger that
rendered its parent so terrific.
All this time Brave stood firm and undaunted
his short tail erect, his body drawn back on his
launches, and his ewes following the movements
of both dam and cub. At every gambol played
by the latter, it approached higher to the dog the
growing of the three becoming more horrid at
each moment until the younger beast, overleap-
ing its intended bound. fell directly before the
masttf There was moment OF fearful cries and
struggles; but they ended almost SIS soon as
commenced, by the cub appearing in the air
hurled from the Jaws of Brave, with violence
that sent it against tree SO forciby as to render
1t completely senseless.
Elizabeth witnessed the short struggle, and
her blood was warming with the triumph of the
dog, when she saw the form of the old panther
in the air, springing twenty feet from the branch
OF the beech to the back of the mastiff Mol
words of ours can describe the fury of the con.
tiict that followed 1t was a confused struggle
on the dried leaves, accompanied by loud and
terrible cries, barks and growls. Miss Temple
continued, on her knees. bending over the form
of Louisa, her eyes fixed on the animals, with an
interest so horrid, and yet so intense, that she
almost forgot her own stake in the result
So rapid and vigorous were the bounds of the
iDhabitant of the forest, that its active frame
seemed constantly in the air, while the dog no
bly, faced his foe at each successive leap. When
the panther lighted on the shoulders of the mas
tiff, which was its constant aim, old Brave tn o
torn with her taloHs, and stained with his own
blood, that already flowed form dozen wounds,
would shake off his furious foe ike feather, and
rearing on his hind legs, rush to the fray again,
with his jaws distended, and dauntless eye.
But age, and his pampered life, greatly dis
quilted the noble mastif for such a struggle. -
In every thing but courage he was only the Wis
tige of what he had once been. A higher bound
than ever raised the wary and furious beast far
beyond the reach of the dog-who was max ing
desperate, but fruitlsss dash at her from
1. Tnl, II l.