Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-06

There was not cloud in the sky, and every
thing betokened as nice a day as anyone
bound on similar errand could wish.
! BY the time reached the summit Of the
mountains, | found that the day that had
promised so fair in the morning gave eyi
dence Of deceiving me. The wind had
shifted round to the southeast, and dark
clouds had already begun 10 rise in the
heavens, indicating gathering storm.
plunged down the opposite side Of the
mountain, and then came the result Of my
I days labor, ~ ,he shape Of game Of every
kind, in which the forest abounded. had
never seen it so plentiful before, and in the
course Of a couple Of hours had secured a.
much as it was possible for me to carry
home. SO busy was | in the sport that
always so much enjoyed, did not notice
that it was rapidly becoming dark, although
it was not more thau the middle of the after
noon. | glanced up at the sky through the
/ branches OF the trees. and found that IL was
covered with dark, heavy clouds, that had
| the appearance OF being ready at any mo.
I ment to send down a food of rain upon the
earth. Hastily packing together the tro-
| phies of the days exploit, I swung them
upon my back and started on my way home
But had not gone quite third Of the
way from the foot Of the mountain to the
summit when the rain came down, few
drops at first, and then faster and thicker
until at last it descended in torrents. as If
second deluge had set in to again drown the
earth. Added TO this, it grew darker every
moment and knew that in navery short time
all around would he as black as midnight
and that il would be next to impossible for
/ me 10 pick my way homeward consequently,
! but one course remained for me TO pursue,
and that was to give up all thoughts Of
reaching home that night, and 10 tiud some
/ shelter from the storm as quickly as possible.
| bad got up to a point beyond the trees,
among the bare rocks and sands that now
| reached all the way before me to the summit
] Of the mountain, and knew that there was
/ no shelter before me, unless it was among the
| rocks, where a cave might be found. turned
about aud was descending the mountain in
somewhat different direction from that by
which had ascended. when came upon
the very spot wished to fnd-a small cave
among the rocks with an aperture suiiici-
emily large to admit of my entering, though
not in an upright position, as the entrance
was not more than four feet in height.
at once entered the cave, and found that
it extended into the mountain perhaps
twenty feet. and that the interior was nice
and dry. Here / had room sufficiently
high for me to stand upright, and about ten
feet in width by fifteen in length and bet
ter quarters for the night | could not ask
for My stock Of game would furnish me
with plenty to eat, and knew how to cook
it daintily.
The rain came down in torrents without
But now it was nothing to me. was snug
and dry. In short time / selected the
softest place | could find in the sand that
covered the bottom of the cave, and soon
was fast asleep.
had been asleep don't know how long
when ! was awakened by sound that could
not have failed TO arouse the souudest sleeper
that ever slept. The ground upon which
was living was trembling as though moved
by an earthquake, while about my head
sounded terrible roar as il the very noun
tain was falling into the valley below The
crash of rocks as they were torn from their
beds, and broke asuuder by the others that
came hurled by a resistless power from above
"a force that nothing could withstand th'
strange sound made by moving earth, ant
the sharp crash of dead trees that here lineC
tine mountain-this, added TO the roar of th'
tempest, that seemed TO have increased
greatly in violence while slept, all com
bned TO make noise which appalled, me
and for a moment rendered me incapable o
motion.
Ii was but a moment, however, that | wa
, thus rendered powerless tnen | sprang Il
my feet aud rushed toward the entrance o
the cave. and would have dashed out into
hardly know what, had | not been deferred
by pair of fiery. cleaning eyes, that | a
/ once knew belonged 10 a hungry panther
who, like myself. had sought shelter fron
r the tempest, in the cave
Those eyes saved my life then though al
r hour after blamed myself that had no
dashed upon the brute, and rushed out int
r the tempest but the beast knew better hoy
to preserve his life than ! did, for had "
y rushed forth into the untold dangers will
n out, we should both have perished and
should not be narrating this story.
In my fright had been about to go fort
without my rifle, that had leaned again
the rocky wall near where had lain dow
and now | turned toward it to take the III
,r of the panther that barred my way out IN
e the night. But before had possessed m
self of il and taken deliberate aim lucl
thought deferred me, and desisted fro
n my purpose. The beast, without doul
was as frightened as myself, yet it knew tn
it was in greater safety where it was than
nl would be should it rush forth into the da
gers of the darkness outside.
t. Louder and more terrible grew the stru
ID gle without, and the very mountain "
an trembling as if it was possessed with Ii
v The crash sounded nearer and nearer un
at last the war above our heads was terrid
then il slowly died away. Nothing cot
It, be felt but the jar of the earth nothi
nd heard bat a sound of thunder as it were l
] 1.rt tI,r al
,d- roar died away altogether, and | knew Il
the avalanche of stones and sand had at i
xt found a resting-pace far down in the val
ng at the foot OF the mountain, and that
tly course had been directly above my he
lie Had gone forth as intended, should hi
been swept away in the food of rocks
er- though had been a feather. To the sh
ns, ing eyes OF the panther ! owed my life, q
de | could at that moment have hugged
of beast in my arms had he been but willing
Iu- submit TO my embraces.
Of listened for the sound of the temp
but all was as still as death. A nom
a before | had heard il roaring above
crashing of the slide. Had il subsidized
ry, at once? That was hardly possible 81
re- not a sound came from the outside world
aid CLEAN of light, such as had come in fr
ad the darkness when | had lain down 10 sic
the What could it mean was the question
OF asked myself, but could get no answer.
led | could not see the eyes of the pant
now, but knew that he was still in
IL cave, for could hear him moving arou
walily. wondered that he did not go
M and see what the storm had done, as he m
it. be possessed of some curiosity as well as /
r. self Perhaps, if advanced, he would
ed. out, or at least he would turn his eyes uI
,rt, me and did not fear him if he did, fol
Ild had my trusty rifle. Yet did not wish
harm him, for he had been my eompan
led through the moments of terror that |
in- passed.
mt The panther was moving about the et
mt of the cave aud as | advanced step
on ward the brute turned its cleaning eyes uT
me still it made no sign that II was offend
he at my movements. | advanced another st
with my rifle sighted up to those eyes W
lat the same result another, and the eyes w
ON behind me, with no hostile movement on
ty part of their owner.
,et With my back toward the entrance,
moved onward, and two steps more brong
yn me against mass Of rock and sand al