Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-05-01
A SAVAGE DED-FELLOw.
Thrilling Exp4rience Of q Hunter in the
Adirondack Mountains.

d A SAVAGE 0EO-FE1LOW.
e Thrilling Exneriencs Of Hunter in th
n Adirondack Xountains.
) From an Allsntown (Pa.) Letter.
!. Jack Featherly lived in log cabin q
. the base of one Of the mountain range
of the Adirondacks. He had bee
= brought up in the woods from infancy
and the rocks, trees and flowing waite
. . were his lesson books, for in that desc
late region schOOls were out of the ques
ton. He was the sor of 4 guide wht
conducted hunters and pleasure parties
over the lakes and through the woods
of the Shattagee region, and by the time
he was II years of age the boy was able
to act as guide himself. His eyes were
% keen that he could tell 1T q glance,
BY the traces upon the dry leaves,
whether a bear, dear or panther had
passed by. The forest was his home,
and he could lie down miles from home
and sleep As sweetly upon his couch of
moss or leaves "a the best housed young
ster on his more civilized bed. In the
summer Of 1873 he guided party dis
tance of forty miles to the first of the
chain of mountain lakes, where his
father waited for them with canoes.
From that point they had no further
need Of him, and the same afternoon he
started on his return home. He had
passed over ton miles of the way when
night came on, and taking his hatchet
from his belt ne rapidly put up clean
to-"
1t did not take Jack long to build his
shelter, and when it was completed he
sat down upon it, and ate some cold
meat aud corn bread, which he had in
his haversack. Wien he had finished
his supper he gathered a quantity of
leaves and moss for his bed, spread them
upon the floor of his rude tent, wrapped
his blanket around him and laid down.
The cruaking of the frogs, the lay of the
whippoorwill, and the tapping of the
river close at hand were familiar sounds
and quickly lulled him to sleep. His
rife, loaded, ard ready for use, was at
his side, and his knife in its sheath hung
upon short, broken branch above his
head. Though he was but II years old,
Jack Featherly was as strong ~ most
men, and quite able to take care of him.
self; for his courage was certainly equal
to bis strength.
1t might have been o'clock in the
morning, just before the light came,
when he was awakened by q strange feel.
ing of uneasiness, and gradually became
aware of the presence Of some large soft
body lying close to his own. He could
hear the heavy respiration of an animals
breath, and even felt them on his neck.
Whether the creature was ferocious or
roA ~ could ,c< toll h,A ro~<a l., s<s,ro
wild visitor was lying cloee to him and
enjoying the friendly warmth of his body.
Was Jack frightened? Put yourself
in his position and tell me what you
think about it. My opinion is. that as
brave as he was, he would have been
better pleased with different bed-fel.
low. Not that Jack knew there was
anything to fear from his strange neigh
Dor, but the suspense was something
even more uncomfortable than fear.
Painfully still he lay, without moving
hand or foot, for he could not tell what
deadly assault the slightest alarm might
provoke. But this inaction became too
horrible. Human nerves could not
bear it.
Cautiously he reached out for his rife:
his fingers clutched upon it; inch by
inch he dragged it toward him till the
barrel Law across his breast and he could
touch the lock. His thumb pressed the
hammer, but even now he dared not
cock it, for the click might startle his
was prepared for it.
Sooner or later, however, it must
come, and necessity compelled him TO
venture. Stiffening his muscles, and
drawing in his breath, he thrust back the
hammer of the lock, and the sharp click,
click, sounded fearfully distinct in the
dead silence. The wild animal made q
quick movement, but Jack lay like .
stone, and in moment his unknown en-
emy seemed asleep again.
Would the morning never come? Jack
dared not FIRE in the darkness, for If he
missed his aim, and the creature proved
indeed beast of prey, there was no
chance for him. With his finger upon
the trigger and his hand upon the lock,
he waited in aching anxiety for the first
light to show him the outlines of his
dread companion
Minutes seemed hours. Never before
in his life had the boy passed such an
hour.
His mind was terribly active, and
vivid memories of all he had ever done,
and regrets for every misdemeanOr, with
Wild thoughts of what the end of this
adventure might possibly be, peopled his
vigil of danger till it became . night
mare.
Slowly, very slowly, the darkness
broke away, and Jack, sickened with his
long suspense, cautiously turned his head.
There, close to him. stretched out In
An attitude of repose, lay . full-grOwn
panther. Carefully and silently the boy
drew his rife forward little more.
| What if the cap should not explodef
What If the rine was not properly load
ed. He raised his right arm gradually
until the muxxle was within m inch Of
the psnther's ear. He pressed the trig-
ger, and at the instant of discharge he
was on his feet with his hunting knife In
his hand ready to fight for his life. But
there was NO nee Of the knife now.
ihe bullet had crashed through the
brain of the prostrate beast, killing him
| on the spot. Jacks danger was over;
but even now, whenever be tells the
story, he says he can feel the cssld sweat
| gather ON his flesh - IL did that terrible
morning in the Adirondack woods when
he lay in bed with the panther.
Cheap Cigars IN Germany.
In connection with Prince Bismarck's 3
tobacco project, q celebrated botanist,
Herr Schlieden, has published some Sta
tistics in regard to the manufacture and
.>l> ~ ciuera In Gnyunanv II anxsna -