The Portland daily press., 1868-03-21
selected story.
The Panther's Portrait.


leading artists the other day. watching him |
as he worked away at chaotlc-lookIng can
vas, where could dimly make out trees and |
but where he could, doubtless,
see the eloricu; possibilities OF form and col
or, which, in two or three months, viii, per-
haps, light up the walls OF some fortunate |
gallery. We talked, or at least ] did, until,
probably in self defense, the artist told me,
1t liked, TO look over his sketches, pointing
at the same time to kind Of chest. which l
found on examination was the receptacle for
sketches, drawings, and studies of by-gone
DAYS. These were all tumbled together in
apparently true artistic disorder but were
really arranged by years, so that beginning
at the top and working downward one could
trace the summer sojosrnings OF successive
seasons. Here were Stndies among tue Cats
Kills, at Conway, in quiet New England nea-
dows, set of sea-coast sketches. ana SO on
in endless variety, and Of such interest that
the artists object was accomplished, and the
takatIvc guest was efectaaIlY sileneed.
Alter an hour or so ! found myself looking
through series of studies made long ago IN
the wild regions OF Northern Maine, While
turning them over rather hastily. for the
afternoon light was beginning to Jade. came
upon three or four pencil sketches OF pan
ther, sometimes alone and sometimes win
tFo cubs / was so struck by the me Vlsor
and reality OF these drawings thaC TOOK
them nearer the window 10 examine them
more at nv leisure. While sitting there my
friend. warned by the approaching twilight.
laid b. his pallet, and coming TO my side
looks ed down at the drawings which held.
An" said he, so you have unearthed my
panther portraits. do not think they have
leen daylight before tor ten years." @
Where did you fiDd SO good specimen ?"
asked. You must have bribed some Van
Amhursh to give you sitting"
No., said he, II paid no price save that OF
nervous headache and a scoding all round
from my family when / told them about it."
Alter little judicious encouragement the
artist told me the following singular story.
which | give almost in his own words. Ior
wrote it out that same evening:
In tie summer OF 1853 l selected Moose
'ad Lake as the headquarters of my sketch
ing tour, and in the latter part of June found
myself jotins over the fifty mics of noun
tair-road between Skowhegan and the lake.
After sufficient nartyrdom to insure my ca
nonizatioD, II physical suffering is the only
requisite, we reached Greenville at the foot oil
the lake and the nrXt morning went by boat
TO Klneo, where was an excellent old style
iun, and where proposed to remain most OF
the summer. | bought sbrch' (vernacular
Tor cancel, aud was soon accomplished in its
mana2em 9nt so that l could go any where
within Il reasonable distance. / painted
kineo and the Cove and Big and Little SpeL-
Ger Mountains, AMI finally, Yielding to tie
temptat on which had been ali summer
slowly enticing me. l hired a guide and set
OIL ior Mol Mt Katahdin, forty miles distant.
Now, by taking a birch over the carry at
the head OF the laSe one can strike the upper
waters OF the Penobscot, and avoiding the
almost impenetrable forest between the lake
and the mountain, can reach Katahdin by a
delightful canoe journey. OF course chose
the longer and easier way in preference 10
the shorter and more difficult tne. pass
o. er the various pleaslleso OF that trip down the
Penobscot tor 1horeau and Winthrop have
Ge,rribed it much better than can. Suffice
IL TO say that In a lew days we were arlg set
tied IN an old logging camp, duly patched
up by my guide. was at work on one or
two large studies OF lake and mountain, and
my companion had started off Oh a several
days prospecting tour for lum er to be cut
during thesrolowing winter; this absence on
his part being enc OF the articles OF our con-
tract.
found it rather lonely housekeeping, but
FORK and trout are costly cooked in the back
woods and throwing ones plates into the fire
greatly supplies the operation OF washing
dishes, SO, on the whole, got along very
well. and worked hard enough during the
day to insure sound sleep at night. was
painting on the study from which made the
big picture that sold to L., and had
pitched my umbrellas on small grassy pla,
ieau by pile OF rugged rocks, and looking
out on lovely sheet of water, wherein was
reflected the noble form of Katahdin. This
Joint was about mile and bait from camp
and daily padded over at the proper Lour
10 catch the best effect of light and shade.
One afternoon, when, the sun was about
two b0nrS hioI1 and 4 u-ao uvpptrinfr
might and main to put on canvass an approx
itlatlon 20 the color OF the mountain-Side be-
fore ME, some magnetic influence, rather than
any noise than heard, caused me 10 tuIn
my head and look to one side and little be-
hind me. believe that my heart stopped
beating and stood stock still Tor at least three
minutes. l was certainly incapable OF motion.
and presume that this temporary paralysis
is all that saved my lie; for rot twenty five
ieet from me, her sleek summer coat shining
in Che hot August sun, and her scintillaiing
eyes fixed in a steady, unwinking gaze upon
me, sat female panther. She had come to
within that distance from me, over dead sticks
and dry leaves, absolutely without noise and
Laere sue sat observing me and my painting
arrangements just as have seen a common
Cat watch something which excited her curl
osity.
You can prehaps imagine the revusion OF
feeimg A moment before / was absorbed in
the contemplation Of scene perfect in its
tranquility, now was looking into the fierce
eyes OF the most savage beast OF the North.
ein forests. was, as sad, transtixfd in a
lew minutes, but presently recovered myself
sufficiently to reflect that my best plan was
10 keep still, al watch my opportunity to
reach the birch, which had placed high and
dryon the beach How wished that had,for
once, violated the baekWoouS rule, and tied
the birch instead OF Bleaching her; for then
might have tried run TOR lie with some
elance OF success: Wishing, however, was in
VAN, and | could only state at my terrible
visitor, almost fearing to wink, lest she should
construe it as an Insult. She did not seem at.
] malignant, and az length lay down, still
watching my umbrella and sketchiuo easel
" til curiosity. My neck by this time was be-
ginning to ache with the twisted position
in which | was obliged 10 hold 1t, aud | pre-
sently BEARD whirring noise which l at
nrSt thought was in my own train, but which |
soon scovered was the cofee-milI-like par
ring OF the huge cat.
1t is astonishing how that noise Quoted |
my nerves, for although it was ike the pur-
ring oil orly tom-cats rolled into one. it had
an assuring sound, and / accepted it as |
pledge OF goodwill. Alter while | moved
my loot little, and finding no objection
made, tried OTHER movements, turned into an |
Ter position. and presently laid down my |
pIllet and brushes. AT this the creature stop |
ped purrlng and rose to her feet. 1 then Ior |
tle drst Time saw her in the 1.-THE grace OF
her full length She was or looked larger |
than any specimen that ever saw 10 a men |
aSerie, and The grace and power OF every |
motion Impre sed me even then, VIXEN | ex- |
pected any minute to ieel her teeth in nv |
shoulder. She soon appeared satisfied of nv |
pscinc Intentions, and was 50 ruGe az 10 yaWu |
IN my race, showing her white range OF teeth |
anu RED throat in "ay that was not pleas |
ant Then she lay down again, and stretch
ed herself in iull length on The grass.
AS confidence reGurne | began to recall
Instances which had redd OF singular tame
hess In wild beasts, ami particularly OF this
very species. began also TO consider what
chance wds losing Tor making STUDY from
nature, such as perhaps no artist ever dream
FL OF be ore. L turned the thing over in nv
mind, and determined to make the attempt. |
Even II my feline Trend proposed to make me
urnish Der evening meal, ii probably would
lot hasten that repast # t,ok her portrait
meanwhile, aud hen, if did ael CIT Gear, it
would be- quite a leather in nv cap, So
luiety reached toward my sketch book
Nhieh lay on the ground near by. The pan
her raised her head with slight snarl hui
made no further demonstration, enceDt 10
change from her side to the ordinary Ieciinino
GESTURE OF her lace.
began my sketch with shaky pencil.
When heard faint cry from among the
ccks where the shadows were darkeninc.
The panther heard it, too, Tor she stated 10
er feet, looked from me to TIE rocks. seemed
D hesitate, and then, on a repetition of the
ry, bounded off with mighty leaps. The in
tant that her tail vanished behind the near
ST rock was on keen Iun for the birch,
pd launched it, venture to affirm, quicker
ha n nunr Lin,nf ,,nr ln1nchcd hlAinrn Nv |