The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-04-04
he stood, like grim, butternut. colored

he stood, like grim, butternut. colorei
river~god.
Give US some ginl' gasped the river-god.
The rain had got into his throat, aud he
gurgled his speech. Give US some gin,
an look after m 'orse.'
While Burly John poured out glass
of liquor for the soaked expressman,
Dwight thrust his long arms into heavy
coat, put glazed hat over his Witty brown
locks, lighted lantern, and struggled out
into the storm.
'Ahp gasped the new conner. stridiEg
towards the 6re-the slush! slush! of his
feet in the heavy boots he wore spoke of q
good two quarts of water within their ex.
pansive cowhide-'Ah, that goes TO the
right spot! What night 'lis!' He
shivered from head to foot, as he spoke,
and it was only with considerable effort
that he succeeded iu getting off his wet
boots and his coat aud vest Then, as he
stood in his shirt.sleeves, with his back to
the fire, drying himself as best he might
he said:
That blamed cat followed me through
the dong holler' againl Confound her
ugly bodyl I had my gun this time, but
twas too dark to fire with any certainty.
She must be hard up to chase a mans wag-
on such night as this! All! I'm down
on her sometime, surel I saw her eyes
like two Goals in the darkness behind me,
and I declare think she jumped into my
wagon once!
Dwight rushed in, with tempest of
rain, through the door, which he closed
behind him and bolted.
Where's the Goldfish you were going to
fetch us?' he said. @
In the wagon said the river-god.
That's q lie!' F gE
The expressman seemed to take this re>
mark in perfect good part, as though it
were only common form Of denial a.
mongst the class he associated with.
"Tisn't there, eh?'
Mary cod6sh!'
That cat was in my wagon!' shouted the
stranger. swinging his long arms about.
She's followed me for three year. blame
her ugly countenance! Eleven cuos I've
killed for her. and still she keeps on run
nin' iu that confounded holer, an I can't
get shot at her, blame her picterl-
What's feller goin' to do2 She'll be
Iluggin' me out O. the wagon some of these
nights, see if she don't; and then I'd like
TO know where you'll get your Goldfish an
store dudsl Confound the cat! John
blame you. 'tisu't no laughing matter!-
give us some more ginP @
The expressman stood in the center o
the room, cloud of steam rising from hi
wet clothing, and swallowed his secon'
glass of gin. inquired where the 'lonl
hollow was.
| About two miles from the tavern the
said.
i 1t was long, narrow gorge in tn
mountains, thro' which ran small stream
and was infested by certain female par
ther of fabulous size, that was known
have her abode there for atleast ten yeal
yast, and managed always to escape froI
those who went in pursuit of her. Sh
brought forth litter ofyoung every yea
which we're easily killed. but for hersel
she was so cunning and active no man ha
yet succeeded in staying her, and she WI
the terror of all the dogs in the neigl
D borbood. They all agreed that Pete, II
expressman, was right. aEG that the char
ces were that some dark night he wou
become cats meat before his time.
My Cambridge friend and IL may
we'll call him Jones. for want of bett
Q name whereby to distinguish him-retirt
to rest full of the panther! presume '
Q dreamed of it through the night, "
g awoke early. and found clear and plea
e ant sun shining over the narrow vale
8 and looking ont thersat, Jones spake'-
i soy we'll kill that pantherl'
We will or perish in the attempt!'
, Jones fervently grasped my hand, al
I returned the pressure. Inqqiring mo
i about the beast, we learned that it ke
itself hidden during the day, but frequeu
: ed the .long hollow after nightfall, al
J. that from ten o'clock in the evening
midnight was the best time to get
chance at it.
= We procured two guns. Mine was
q heavy. long barrelled rife. carrying
o large ball, while the weapon procur
by Jones was very ancien. muskt
D whose old fint>lock had been supplant
by more modern and efficient percussi
n arrangement. Full of srdor. we pass
L the day in anticipation of our midnig
II hunt.
ts The hands of my venerable pocket til
q, piece-inherited from q deceased gran
at father-pointed to thirty minutes p,
= nine as we stepped from the clear moo
'e light into the pine-shadowed portal of t
"a long hollow as1
ID The thick woods upon either ha
D. stood darkly on the steep hili-sides, a
ne the overhanging branches met above I
narrow roadway, leaving only an ind
sh tinct glimmering of sky through their
r. terlacing ends to mark where the windi