Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-12-21

ment to recollect where l was, and i.
then flashed into my mind that the doc
tor was playing off another of his jokes
(he was always at it) to frighten me.
The scratching and rustling continued,
working up nearer; but | waited for a
good chance. IN fix you, old fellow, /"
thought !, and lay motionless till l felt
what I took to be his finger nails pinch
ing up my trowser leg +; then l kicked
out at venture, hoping to pay him for
his untimely antics. .~
My foot hit something-pretty hard !!
There was spit, a growl, and the flash
of two fiery eyes in the Llackness In
my fright and surprise l executed roll
ing leap over Brown, who lay next to
me, and landed plump on the doctor
Up jumped the doctor, pitching me down
into the hay at his feet. As yet none
had spoken, but the inquiries instantly
broke out in the dark:
"Hallool" from the doctor.
whats up?' from Brown.
Wildcats Wildcats !" screamed l,
sprawling in the hay.
"Halloo!' from old Sanders, waking
up.
What's the NATTER" from Tom.
"Catamounts Wildcats!' l vocifer-
ated.
There was an instant scrabble ! Every
body was on his feet in no time! Gusts
of hay flew about
Knowing the creature was on my side.
I leaped over toward the other, ran
against Brown, was taken for the wildcat,
and got knock which sent me sprawling
in the hay again.
Here he isl yelled brown. "Here
he is Out with your knives!'
"Hold on! Don't stab!' l shouted
You are wrong, all wrong T.
Strike light! Strike light!' cri-
ed Sanders with "Open the door! Open
the door !" from the doctor.
Everybody ran toward the door to
push it open, all together, and actually
ran square on to the cat. which hao also
started for the door A tornado of splits
and snarls arose; the creature bit and
dug away right and left, Sitting open
pant legs, swapping its teeth, and tripping
up nearly the whole party in its struggle
among our legs. The hounds rushed in
to complete the uproar, while voices not
Unidentified cried all at once: -.
"Git ont -
"Ste-boy :"
"Don't strike here -
"Who are you kicking?"
',Avast that knife !" from Sanders
"For Gods Sake. keep that gun of my
head ~ from Brown.
AL lulS. Will du INSTANTANEOUS Iusu
for the othr end of the floor; in fact, an
other blind and unintentional run on the
already maddened animal, which had
gone there just ahead of US. This time
the creature sprang at the doctor full
tilt, knocking bin against somebody else.
Another outrageous panic followed. Ev-
erybody kicked and struggled at random,
And amid shouts. barks, growls and spits,
the beast got through the crowd some
how, and escaped up the side of NOW.
"Order /! Order y roared Sanders,
above the outcry. "Now just stand still
Stand still everybody, till we get light.
Matches were fumbled out and struck,
but they only seemed to make the dark
ness denser, till Sanders found some pine
splinters on the floor, which he lighted
Putting one of these into the muz-
zle of his rife, he thurst it upward,
disclosing an animal larger than the
hounds. crouchins on the high beam.
There he is !" cried Tom. =
"Take your gun, Brown" said San
ders "but no, you hold the torch and
let me shoot
Brown took the torch, and Sanders, tax.
ing upa gun fired. The cat yowled, and,
bounding off sidewise from the BEAM
came sailing down toward US with its
claws spread out. Brown jumped aside
to get out of the way. The splint fell
out of the gun, on the floor putting it out
and down came the wounded beast, snap
ing and snarling, in the midst of US.
Darkness relgned. and such a scrim
! mage ss followed there no the narrow