The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-12-19
SAVED BY APANTHER.

Western inn, almost upon the border of
civilization. The day just passed had
been a stormy one, and we had got thro'
it as best we could. Now as the dark
ness came on early, and the long even
ing loomed up before Us, we gathered
around the roaring fire of huge logs,
which burned bravely upon the hearth,
and prepared to pass it away bv story
/ telling, device to which travellers in
our situation are always prone to resort.
The one who had been applied to for
the first story was a man of some 30
years of age, who had followed the oc-
cupatiOn of peddleT. He had the best
turnout in the stable which that part Of
the country had ever seen in his line,
though he had told us that once he had
for years carried a pack on his back.
But by his own eXeTtiOn and industry he
had risen above that now. and had a
snug sum laid up against the time when
he should give UP his business, and take
the remaining years of his life in an
easier way.
He at once commenced his story:
at is now nearly fifteen years ago that
the adventure befell me that / am about
to relate.
''It was before l gave up my pack for
a horse and cart, though l had already
made up my mind that / could afford it,
| was travelling through n wild section
of cOuntry-wildor, If possible, than this
about here. Between the settlements
there were long stretches of forest filed
with wild beasts, and now and then you
came upon band of StTOlling saVageS.
Besides these, there was the usual class
! of Williams, hOrse-thieyes and Tenegades,
who would not hesitate to take man 5
life if they thought it TO their advantage
to do 50.
lone night stopped at a tavern which
stood In the midst of a little settlement
of not more than dozen log houses. l
had been rosnd them and drove what
bargains l could, and in the morning 1
! was 10 90 on at as early an hour as pos
sible. for l learned that I had nearly a
score of miles to go before l should
reach the next settlement.
In the evening there was assembled in
the bar-rOOm all the male deniZens of
I the place among them there was one
whom | at once set down as a villain.
His looks plainly showed that there was
little he would hesitate to do if there
was anything to gain. Again and again
| caught him looking toward my pack,
which ! had placed in one corner OF the
room, near The bar: and once | felt sure
he was looking at me as though calcula-
4 II
/ gerOUS antagonist in case he should rob
me of it. The more I saw of him the
less ! liked his looks. and I felt relieved
when at last he left the room for home.
u was up betimeS the next morning,
and as soon as | had eaten my breakfast
| started. As / left the settlement be
hind me | could not help glancing about
me to make sure that the man of whom
| had formed so poor an opinion was not
following me :: but he was not 10 be seen.
Hardly any one was stirring ont Of doors
and there was little life except about the
tavern, or where the white smoke curled
up above the roof of each cabin.
"Once within the forest | hurried on,
desiring to put as great distance as l
could between me and the settlement in
as little time as possible.
"A feeling of danger oppressed me.
which / found it impossible to shake off.
| am not naturally timid, or given TO
prcsentiments. rs many are ; but on this
occasion there was a sort of fear upon
me of which / could not rid myself. try
as hand as L might.
"All the morning | kept on in this
way, and by noon l felt that ] had put 4
distance between me and the settlement
that I had no longer any cause To feaT
any one that / had left behind me-
AS | had learned from the landlord
that | would not be able TO reach any
human habitatiOn before nightfall. l had
taken my dinner with me, and now, feel
ing the need Of if, | sat down by the
edge Of a clear stream which crossed the
road, and commenced my nOOntidC meal.
Only Il man who has walked rs | had
that morning can know the relish | had
for the bread and meat which had been
supply had disappeared l almost wished
that there had been more.
The extra eNeTtiOn | had made. anC
the hearty meal of which I had partakeI
made me sleepy. and, placing my pack
: under my head, ] closed my eyes, think
, ing | would take a few minutes rest be
fore going onward.
4 did not mean TO 60 TO sleep. vet ii
less than five minutes ] was unconscious
Of all that was passing around me. How
. long ] slept I know not. 1t might hay,
, been few minutes or il might hav,
been an hour, but l awoke at last viii
= a start, and a sense of great DANCE
, hanging over me. did not start up o.
move hand or foot. \ certain some
thing, [ could not tell what, seemed {,
chain me down,
Il opened my eyes and looked abOu
me, but saw nothing and l WAS just ol
= the point of making q motion 10 Ee
\ upon my feet when 1 heard the sligh
= ! cracking OF q branch above my head
= Looking up in the direction of the soun
l beheld a sight that almost fr0zc tn
n marrow in my bones. and seemed to tuT
p my blood to ice. i huge panther wa
! crouching there ready TO spring on me
! LAS nOtiCnleSs as one dead I lay an
e gazed upon my terrible enemy. To sti
as much as a hand l knew would be tn
q signal for the beast-to spring upon me
:. Its fiery ewes were fixed upon NY face
+ and its tail was moving to and fro, lik
g that of "a cat Hope of escape theT
= seemed none. Ny doom was settled
:; The naIitber had me rs surely in n
g power AZ though at that moment h
claws were fastened in my flesh.
''The agony of those few moments
n shall remember to my diving day.
IS haunts me in my sleep, and often l stal
q up in alright. dreaming that the teri
II bic scene is being enacted over again.
d ''All at once the fiery eyes of the pan
le ther were turned from me, and fiNs
p upon some object a little TO my righ
n, What could it mean What new dal
y ger was approaching me from that dire
4. ton BY turning my head little
r was enabled to see what II was. y ms
re was creeping towards me with a kni
re in his hand. He was not = dozen te
he from where lay, and at the first CLAN
ht l recognized him
r. ssIt was the man whom ] made up +
IN mind was a villain in the tavern {
of night before. and whom l feared all {
IL E.r, f.,1i 1iss-r- Trtfr ea