The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-08
Catalnoant Charley.

A few days ago the wel-known hunter
of Pixies Peak, Catamount Charley, ap
pearcd in Colorado Springs riding hi.
plbald mustang, Captain Kid Charles wa,
| dressed in his Sunday clothes and appeared
to bel particularly good humor. The per
sonal appearance Of this famous hunter ant
trapper il familiar to every resident OF Col
orado Springs. His tall, loosely knit figure,
his long legs, his dark face, black eyes and
flowing black beard, which sweeps in q
sable cataract over his bosom, arc all well
known to our citizens. Catamount Charley
| was dressed, as we have said, in his Sunday
clothes, which consisted Of n yellow buck
skin shirt and buckskin trowscrs, both
trimmed with fringe of buckslln cnt into
strips,a cartridge belt filled with the loaded
shells OF heavy repeating rifle, which he
carried in his hand wide, white sombrcro
on his head, and mOccasins Oh his feet.
Catamount Charley dlsmountcd III front of
Aiken u Hunts Museum and, leaving his
mustang unhitchcd, removed heavy bale
OF skins from the cruppcr of the saddle and
walked into the store. Mr. Hunt, who is
the musical member of the firm, was the
only one in the store at the time and was
engaged in playing dreamy nocturnc
upon the piano when Charley entered.
II say, boss, "rcmarkcd Charley in the
midst Of one of the most pathetic passages
of MIR. Hunts music; "I'vc got some skins
ycrc I'd like to sell YER"
''Certalnly," said Mr. Hunt, with his
usual politcncss, II shall be glad to look
at thcm."
"Ycre," said Charley, ''ls a mountain
bison's hide, yerc is mountain lions hide
and we're arc two more hons hides. That
fust lions skin is the biggest | ever see.
It's nine feet from tip to tip; the crittcr
must have weighed about five hundred
pounds"
''lndccd2" said Mr.. Hunt.
"Ycs, boss, l reckon he must" said
Charley, taking y seat on the piano stool
just vacated by MIR. Hunt and striking the
Keyboard OF The piano with lis bronzcd
nsl until the strings roarcd umain. "rhat' g
about the way that ere fcllcr hollcred when
shot 'im,' said Charley, with n satisfied
grin.
'Indced ~ said Mr.. Hunt.
N es; you see. il was this way. was
looking around for game back of the Peak,
when all at once | heard Il growln' and a
howlm which reminded me thuL the moun
Tain lions was not all dead yet. SO
crawled around pint Of rock, and I'm
blamed If didn't see three mountain lions
hayin' fight with Il monstrous bison.
tell you, it was Il big fight The lions
would make leap, and the bison would
back up agin rock and take them on his
horns. don't know how the fight would
have come out, but it was just too good a
picnlc for me to let it pass, 80 drawcd a
bead on the fust lion rs come in range and
pulled my Did rifle off. The surprisin' part
OF the affair was that just as l pulled one
OF the lions jumped in between me and
The one shot at and caught the bali Just
back of his ribs. 1t passed clean through
him, ,and bcn'turncd n little from its course
1t cut the throat OF tho second lion and
broke the neck Of the bison. They all
dropped in heap and l was 80 tclslcd
that | incautiously jumped out from be-
hind the rock when the third lion saw
me-"
''lndced," said Mr.. Hunt
eyes, said Charley, ''ihc third lion lie
saw me and made a jump in my direction.
AS l saw him comm didn't have time to
take aim, but brought my rcpeatin' rifle
up under my arm and took fly
shot at him. Lucky for ne | took
him i'll the breast and he tumbcd over
dead"
''lndccd." said MIR. Hunt.
Yes said Charley, che tumblcd over
dead, and now what will you give ne for
the four skins-thrcc mountain lions and
one bison2"
We left Mr.. Hunt engaged liz mcrcan-
tile combat with Charley over tic price of
those skins