The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-07-04
A RISKY" SHOT.
BY RPLPH rim GWOOD.

BY RPLPH R1NGWOOD.
The winter of 1859 found me enjoying
the hospitality of my cid frontier com
rade and friend. W, who, with an
eye to the beautiful as well comfortable.
to say nothing in regard to pecuniary
considerations, had located his home
stead amid that lovely region lying
round about Tampa Bay on the west coast
of Florida.
The house was situated some half mile
or more, back from the beach upon the
summit Of q gentle rise, and completely
empowered in grove of grand old live
oaks and Towering magnolias.
The only possible objection that could
have been urged against his choice Of To-
cation, was the existence Of large la
COON lying off to the eastward of the
house, but not so far away but one stand
ing on the southern or front piazza could
see the simmer of water through riffs
IN the dense foliage that grew on the
lower level land.
1t was said by many that during the
almost tropical heat Of summer this body
of still water must necessarily breed
more or less of malaria, and the assertion
was true, but even this, in my opinion,
danger.
The lagoon, the waters of which were
unusually deep, was literally alive with
alligators, some of which had attained to
enormous size. by far the largest | had
ever seen, save those, perhaps, that
Turk amid the seedy marshes CT and
above the delta of the Mississippi.
1t soon came to be with me a favorite
sport to secure good position on the
banks ofthe lagoon and make targets of
these fellows eyes, a very difficult one
TO hit ''plum center
The old saying, that familiarity
breeds contempt was thoroughly yeri-
fed in the. case of W and bis
family. negroes and all, who had learned
10 look npon the scaly monsters with the
utmost Indifference, so much so that the
field hands were in the habit Of bathing
In the dangerous water rather than walk
the additional distance to the beach,
Only two years previous one Of the plan
tation hands had lost foot by the vi
cious snap intended to take in the whole
body, but the incident was soon forgot
ten and they went on as before
The children-there were three of them,
ranged from six to- eleven years old
were permitted to so down to the dang
erous locality, always in charge. it is true
of their nurse, a bright faced quadroon,
some sixteen or seventeen years of age,
and who was devoted TO her little charges
with all that passionate warmth SO pecu-
liar to her kind.
had often heard W say that
he believed the girl would face a hungry
tiger in defense of the children, and
while be believed it, he little thought
how soon the test, or one even more fear
full, would come.
1t had been an unusually hot, sulsry
day, ore of those where we breathe only
with an extra effort, and wcaried with
the apparent closeness of the house,
though in reality the coolest place to be
found, I seized my heavy rife, eighteen
to the pound, ana strolled off toward the
lagoon to vent my discomfort on the alli-
gators.
knew they would be out in fall force
they always were on such day-and be-
fore he'd gone half the distance, / heard
the low, mattering thunder of an old
bull, who was probably seeking com
bat with some equally willing rival.
As expected, pleaty Of game was in
sight, and getting good rest for nv ri
fle, in the forks ola sappliug l opened
the sport by center-shot that Knocked
over an old veteran in frst-rate style.
Changing position frequently, l con-
tinucd firing until my piece had become
too dirty for accuracy, when | removed
she barrel and proceeded to give her a
good cleansing.
The greater part Of the forenoon had
been spent in my target practice, and the
cool breeze from seward was Just watt
ing inland through the forest.
Once or twice. while intent upon the
work upon which / was engaged, [ fam
cied that heard the sound of the child
rem voices further down the lagoon,
but knowing they were in charge. | paid
no further attention to the matter.
had washed and dried the barrel of
my piece, and was in the act of replacing
it upon my stock, when another, aud to-
tally different sound from those I had
previously heard, caused me to spring
from the log upon which I was sitting
with feeling almost of certainty tina.
something fearful was transpiring down