The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-07-31
PANTHER.HUNTIse IN KENTUCKY.


I had been following on horseback
for nearly whole day mere bridle-
path leading out at the head of one
creek to strike another successively,
across intervening mountains in East
ern Kentucky, having passed few cabins
during the afternoon, when the ap-
proach of night warned me to look out
for some place of shelter if I did not
intend to make an impromptu and
forced encampment in the forest. The
mountains had proved very steep and
hard to climb, the valleys correspond
ingly deep and narrow, with generally a
beautiful clear stream meandering
through them; and almost the only
travellers met on the way were long
string of horses and mules, with their
drivers, all in single file on the mount
ain path, and each animal with pack
saddle Spanish fashion carrying into
the recesses of the mountain ranges
such coarse goods as were suited to the
necessities of q poor country; salt an |
sugar, clothes, iron, etc, the same7car-
riers to take back ginseng. hides, little
wool, and whatever.else of the limited
produce Of the region could be had for
expectation and in the way of exchange.
And this was the commerce of Eastern
Kentucky at that early period, some
what improved since the war.
OF course was aware of the slender
chance afforded for anything like regu-
lar tavern; but feeling constrained to
stop somewhere as it was close to sunset,
I determined to try the first cabin 1
aighted on, no matter how unpromising
might be the looks of things. Arriving
shortly at log house, Ihailed the estab-
hshment, which stood some thirty yards
back from the fence that inclosed it,
inguiring as to the chances of shelter
for the night?"
81 reckon you'll have to come in here,
stranger" was the response of female
voice, its owner for moment peering
out of the doorway with an inquiring
look at man and horse.
Riding into the yard through rude
gateway, hitched my steed to tree in
front of the cabin, and, taking off my
"plunder," i. 9. saddlebags, I entered
the domicile. Right inside I encoun.
tered white-haired old settler clad in
the insey hunting g-shirt of the country
and seated at his frugal meal of "corn-
dodgers buttermilk, and cold cut ol
bacon. Merely looking up, but without
rising, the salutation of my host was
characteristic enough: @
Sit down, strangerl Make a long
arm and help yoursef-I hate cere'
monyp
OF course promptly responded in
the same vein, with the expressed
assurance that II, too, disliked all high.
falattiat and FUSS" and, seating myself
pitched in" with a will. my appetite
sharpened by the consciousness of hav.
ing had no dinner, and the further con
viction that, coarse as was the fare, il
was all / would get until the next morn,
ing at any rate.
The family 1 soon found to consist
of the old pioneer, his wife, one son
aud two daughters; the latter really
pretty girls of about Is and 30 years
respectively, and full Of curiosity as tc
| what the traveller in "store-clothes." j. e
broadcloth, had to tell about the great
outside world of which they themselves
knew so little. - ..,..,
Supper over, and the welfare of my
good steed looked aftera found mysel
seated before q huge Iog-fre, listening
to stories Of Kentucky in the older
time. On this occasion the >subjec
happeped TO be, principally panther
hunting, something with which, on ac
count of its cliffs and dark ravines, tn,
section in early times abounded; and
as many of these incidents can hardl..
help being of interest to readers of tn,
present time, I propose to relate som,
of them as they were told to me. III
evaWhen I first moved out of Ca'ini
into Kaintuck, began the old gentle
mari, "I had one of the ikeiest colt
any one. ever .sot eyes on. The mar
was fine enough; but the colt-why
its coat was Jest silk and satin; and, a
for its limbs, no fawn you'd meet in thu
woods was more trim built, or could gi
over the ground faster. Why, stranger
I jest had to stop and look at that msl
and colt every time I went past the 10
in which I kept 'em, up that hollow yo1
c1me down to-day; and thought mos
as much of them as ] did of the oil
oman and gals, for horses was b horse
then, for they was mighty scarce ant
hard to get in them airly times.
@Well, never dreamed of any harm
comm to the beasts, for the Indians hat
gone, and we had no horse thieves thel
about the settlements; but one fal
morning, on going out to salt 'em,
didn't see the colt at all, although thai
was the old mar, looking wild an,
scared-like. Come to look around,
seed whar the ground had been trampe'
| all about aa IL q hir scnfaa had taka1