Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-13

A SOCIABLE LEOPARD CAT.
Thrilling Adventure on Texas Road
An Astonished Horse and a Sea red Rid
San Jacinto County Cor. N. Y. Sun.
Seeing an item about leopard cats in
the paper, am reminded of q recent
little adventure of my own, the story
which I haven't before told in print.
It happened in the spring.
was riding with friend, whom l
will call P, from Willis, on the Great
Northern Railroad to Waverly, in this
county. About one hour before SUM-
down, just as we had assembled from
little clear running branch to the top of
small hill, my attention was attracted
to the queer actions of my horse Ia
small active fellow, in good keeping),
who was evidently worried about some
thing in the rear. 1t was on my left,
and his horse little behind mine.
looked back, and saw coming into the
road from the bushes, on our left and
back Of us both, an animal the species
Of which T did not at first recognize. 1t
came on in a line with Prs horse (which
it did not seem to notice at all) until it
could pass just in front of and under
the horses nose, when it filed suddenly
to the right, increased its speed to a
trot, the body slightly depressed, and
when within about eight feet gathered
its limbs together and made q spring,
lighting on my horses hook. 1t sank
one claw into the pony's flank, and
reached the other up, attempting thus
to Chamber up behind me to seat, q la
pi!Hon. This was ali done in much less
time than it has taken me to tell it.
I dare to say that no more astonish-
ed and thoroughly frightened horse
ever lived than was my Dalton when
that creature tried to make a ladder of
his legs. Such pitching! such kicking!
such running! such squealing! You
may we'll believe it required all my
skill IN Workmanship to keep in the
saddle. Moved by instinct the horse
endeavored constantly to get into the
thick woods outside Of the road. But
if that increased his chances of getting
rid of his enemy, it exposed me to the
danger either of being dashed against
a tree or of being dragged off by an
overhanging limb. The attack was
made at q point where the new road,
in which we were travelling, and the
old road, which had been abandoned,
separated, but ran nearly parallel for
some distance. The first spring. the
horse made took him out of the new
into the old road, the second across the
old road and into the edge of the
woods. But by this time I had got
enough control of him to bring him
back. into the old road and turn his
head in the direction I wanted to go.
All this time the cat was losing it hold
and catching again. Being wholly un-
armed, not SO much as 8 pocket knife
or even loaded riding whip, there was
nothing that I could do. Finally the
kicking, struggling and plunging of the
horse became SO terrific that the cat
was dislodged and received such part
ing kick as sent it tumbling over in the
sand.
From the moment the animal sprang
upon the horse [ had seen nothing Of
it, all my attention being absorbed in
managing the horse and keeping my
seat. But now [ stopped and looked
back to see what pussy was doing. 1t
had just recovered itself, and, looking
around, it espied Dalton and me some
fifty yards off. To my great astonish-
ment, it started for me again, i'll long,
Looping strides, evidently disposed to try
for q second ride on horseback I put
my little horse to his mettle, and was
soon out Of danger.
What had become of my friend P.
all this time? Some people sheer at
special providences. ?. is a cripple
from birth-has no use of his lower
limbs at all, his body is large and heavy,
his legs short, and his seat on horseback
very insecure one. I told you at the
beginning that the leopard came into
the road behind P.'s horse. passed
along his entire length, crossed the road
right under his nose, and attacked me.
Account for them as you please.
choose to believe that gracious Prov
idence protected the poor helpless man,
who could not have helped himself.
From first to last the beast took no no.
tice of him.
The next morning some young peO-
pie went into an old plum orchard, not
a great distance from the scene of the
adventure. They found there a leopard
cat, dead, but evidently not very long
dead. On its side, over the ribs, the
hair was rubbed off and the skin great
ly discolored. -.
Americas Achievement.
The following extract from lecture
by Professor Draper summarizes some
of our achievements in those branches
of knowledge which come within the
scope Of his studies: .a -fH /,
{ We have sent out expeditions of ex
ploration both to the Arctic and Ant
arctic seas. We have submitted our
own coast to a photographic and geo
desic survey not excelled in exactness !
and extent by any similar works else
where. In the Accomplishment t of this