Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-04-24

brown, tipped with white, and speckleC
coat which it was my delight to keel
smooth and glossy.
Leaping the water. he Jumped upon u:
playfully, and we soon forgot the new
book in caressing him. But in the mids
of our wild merriment he started from us
and running little to one side, began t.
bark fiercely. We turned our heads care
lessly, thinking to see some frightened
rabbit, but instead we saw the mad eve
of a panther glariug fiercely upon us.
How we sprang from the log. splashet
into the brook, and clambered up the op
posite bank, you may guess. We were
not long doing it, but. quick as we were
the beast was after us, for we were choice
morsels aud he had rated on our boyhooC
for a dainty feast.
AS we ran, Keeper kept up his noise
an angry, defiant bark, as though his will
was good, if his flesh was weak. Righ
over him leaped the panther. aud was or
our trail. But the dog faithful to his love
sprang up, and. bounding over the stream
ran few steps before him, and then turn
ed and facing him, yelping with all hi.
might.
The path here was broad and wei
worn. and turning involuntarily to SCI
how close behind was our terrible foe,
beheld him just crouching on the bank. a,
though he meant to spring upon the dog
and crush him at once. l watched him
frightened though was and running still
and in moment saw him bound upon my
| little spaniel, as had seen a cat pounct
upon an unwary mouse. But the dog, too
had marked his posture, and at the very
second that he sprang, ran feetly on in
our footsteps for some rods, and then turn.
ed again and set up his defiant noise.
Again tho beast crouched low, and
again sprang forward, this time catching
hold of the tip of one of Keepers ears.
But like lightning the dog escaped him,
leaving the little silken morse in the SHARP
teeth, and, as though infuriated by the
wound, he barked louder than ever, still
opposing himself 10 the huge beast. Again
the wild creature bounded, and this time
thought our faithful little guardian
would lose his life entirely, for the fangs
were fastened in his shoulder; and, forget
ting my own peril in the agitation of the
moment. stood still, the cold sweat ooz-
ing from every pore and the tears stream
luS uOWH MY CueekS.
But at that moment there rang through
the forest the sharp report of rifle, and
weltering in his own hot blood the panther
rolled upon the grass in dying agonies.
| stood transfxed; it seemed too good t.
be true that my dog was saved-yes, and
we were mile yet from home. and our
little feet too weary to outrun panther.
" He ugly fellow to meet without a
rifle"
looked up A gigantic Indian stood
beside me.
"Oh l am so glad you shot him! He
would have killed my dog"
" Yes, and a little white pappoose, too.
But me ON his trail all day Come and
see the dog now; he brave"
I" went back. clinging to the blanket
Of the Indian. Very tenderly did he take
up the wounded dog and carry him back
to the stream. where he bathed the torn
shoulder Then running into the under
brush, he picked here and there leaf
and bruising them in his rough hands, ap-
piled them to the wound. binding it up
with strips torn from the high check apron
which l, in common with all other boys of
my age, then wore.
"He live now; live to fight more pm
ther," and he gave an expressive "ugh." "
Then he took tho wearied animal in his
arms, and, telling me to keep close to him
started on.
My cousins had never stopped to look
back, but ran on and reached home. Civ
ing the alarm, and SO, when nearly there,
we met the whole of the two households
coming out to fight the panther My father
and uncle were each armed with musket,
AK, while my mother and aunt hourished
the two keen bladed meat knives.
| can remember yet how white my
mothers face was, and how rigid my fa-
ther looked. l was their only son-ther
first t-born-and they thought to find me a
mangled corpse.
"And did the dog livep"
"Yes, child; till he was blind and deaf.
He lived and was cared for, too, my moth
er feeding him in the last year of his life
as she would have fed a child; and when
he died we mourned him as friend
And the Indian, grandfather"
" He came often to our cabin after that,
and we learned to love him well, for he
was one of those noble red men who shun
the white mans vices. My mother spent
much time in trying to make Christian
of him, and believe she finally brought
him into the fold of the Good Shepherd
for when, an aged man, he came to die,
he sent for her and told her he was going
to the Great Spirit of the white man. and
would be the first to meet her in the heav-
enly hunting ground
lie paused and wiped his eyes, as
though mist had gathered on them
then, looking up, he said:
In the upper drawer Of my secretary,
Carrie, you will find a string of wampum.
1t was his-the Indian's-he gave it to my
mother on his death bed. 1t has been sa.
credly kept by me. rs memento Of that
perlous hour. When die, it snall be
yours, and as often as you look upon it
think kindly of the red man."
He is dead and buried. Long years ago
I closed his eyes-dear, kind old grandfa.
ther-and now am old myself, and an
AN emigrant, in the far west The Indians
are all about me-frontier Indians, with
the white mans vices, without his virtues
race to be feared and almost hated. But
| never sent them empty from my door
never speak harshly in their hearing
How Can l, with that string of wampun
hanging up before my eyes?