Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-07
Uncle Harry's First Panther.

Uncle Harry's First Panther.
"Say, Uncle Harry, you've shot most
everything; did you ever shoot panther ?"
inquired Charlie, as he looked up from the
book he was reading.
"Of course he has," interrupted Tom,
Don't you remember the skin he has in his
room ?"
"That panther was nothing TO my first"
said Uncle Harry with laugh.
"Tell us about it, pleaded Charlie, as he
drew his chair closer to his uncle's.
Uncle Harry laughed again good
naturally, and commenced as follows:
1t was the summer your father got mar
ried that | took my first trip into the
Adirondacks. | went up to Martins, hired
guide, and we started off for little Topper
Lake. where we were to camp. We selected
a camping-place at the head of the lake,
where there was a good spring of water
and soon had out tent up, and the camp
fixed. Certain bear and panther tracks
around the spring did not aid to our sense
of security; but the guide assured me that
they would not come into camp in the day
time, and that at night the dog would give
warning. For the first three or four days
| all went well we shot deer, caught plenty
Of trout and had good time generally.
Sweeny, my guide, came TO me with the
announcement that the dog was gone.
behaved up his rope, and skedaddIed,"
Is Hank expressed it. Z" | reckon he must
a smelled that thar panther that was to the
spring last night. He's death on panthers"
"What are you going to do ?" inquired
anxiously.
well, re1kon III fetch some more wood
Into camp, so you can keep up a fire, then
| I'll take and row around the lake and up
he creek, and yell for him; he won't 90
| fur" answered Hank.
"Then why not let him come home him
self p | suggested, for had no fancy for
being left in camp alone; for we had been
in camp all the morning, and Hank had
| filled my head so full of panther stories that
| trembled at every sound.
"Why you see, he'd start out for home
over on Long Lake eff he got lost" explained
| Hank. And then ef he should tree PAN
| ther, he'd set at the foot of the tree till
| 1916 eff | didn't call him off You amt
afraid to keep camp for an hour or two ?"
| he added.
"O-h-h-n-o-o ~ | murmured.
For the next few minutes Hank busted
himself in collecting large pile of pine
boughs and dry sticks for the fire. Then he
shouldered my light rifle and handing me
his heavy one, he remarked: 81 guess I'll
start Keep up good fire, and don't go fur
away from it, as the panthers come close to
camp sometimes along the edge OF the even
| ing and climb into tree then when fell
Ter goes under they drop on him. I'll leave
my heavy rifle for you, for it would give you
II better chance if anything should turn up"
Hadn't | better go with you ?" | ven-
tured.
"And leave the camp alone ?" answered
Hank, in fine scorn. "Why, that deer
would draw all the cats in the neighborhood.
Keep the fire a-going, and you're all right
j thought to myself that | would much
| prefer to be out of the way when all the
| cats in the neighborhood came to investigate
he deer; but Hank was in the boat, and
could hear the splash of the oars as he
pulled up the lake. ! sat by the fire, with
| Hanks rifle on my knees, lstning as the
| sound of his voice calling the dog died away
N the distance. | examined the riff, and
saw that it was loaded it was one of the
old pattern repeating riff IS, and kicked like
| a mule. ! tried to whistle but it was a fail
ire. | endeavored to turn my thoughts to
omething else, but it was no use. The story
Of man who fell asleep beside the camp
tire and was eaten by panther, of the other
man who had a panther jump on him from
1 tree and who lost both eyes in the strug.
| gle, and OF various other men who had been
killed or wounded by the fierce animals,
we're uppermost in my mind. | sat and
watched the sunlight fade, the gold and
crimson melt off the neecy clouds, and the
shadows as they gathered thicker and deeper
IL the valleys. Except for the occasional weird
md demon-like laugh of the loon far down
he lake, everything was perfectly still, and
every sound seemed magnified; the cracking
| If twig seemed the tread of bear, the
| 5uzz of night beetle the growl of panther.
| | sat- don't know how long, till suddenly
ny heart almost stopped beating as | heard
| he steady but stealthy sound of footsteps
| m my left. did not dare to move. At
asst, with desperate exertion, | turned,
and there in a crotch of low tree, about
| twenty feet from me, sat an immense panther
Just ready to spring. 1t was so dark that |
could Just distinguish the outlines of his
form, and his two eyes cleaning like Goals
of fire. | raised the rifle carefully to my
shoulder | took aim right between the
yes, fired and missed, | supposed, for the
beast was in the same position, and | could
see his eyes wink and glare at me vindict-
lively. | shot again, but as before without
no effect. grew desperate, and fired the
whole five shots as rapidly as | could, and
vas Just reaching for my revolver, when
Hank came rushing up the bank followed by
his dog.
"What on earth is the matter?" he
shouted. pointed to the motionless form
in the tree, and gasped, A panther See
| his eyes Shoot him, II INK !" was nearly
beside myself with fear by this time, and
my hair stood on end like wire.
| Hank looked at the tree for moment,
| IA IN tn al II taA " A
ther Why, you" and here he burst into
roar OF laughter. "A panther Why, it's -
md again he laughed so heartily that he had
| tohold on TO tree for support, At last, when
| he had recovered himself somewhat, he
went to the tree, and reaching up into the
crotch he took down a-blue army coat with
| brass buttons. As he unrolled it and gazed
at the holes made by my bullets he burst
in fresh fit of laughter. Every bullet had
taken effect, and AS Hank remarked, :" 1t
was of no use except for the top TO pep
per-box." Here Uucle larry stopped and
laughed at the recollection of the scene,
then he added, in explanation, you see,
children, the coat was rolled so that two of
the brass buttons showed and glittered in the
| freight like the eyes of some wild animal.
promised Hank a new coat aud unlimited
tobacco if he would say nothing about it
| oub SJoly was wv SuOu W Keep, anu oil
the way home | was leased with sly hints
about my panther hunt. Hello, it's ten
o'clock. Come, off to bed every one of YOU"
added Uncle Harry, looking at his watch.
"fou didn't save the skin of that pan
iher, did you Uncle Harry 2" said Charlie,
as he left the room.-idrper's Young People.
A LITTLE miss has grandfather who has
taught her TO open and shut his crush hat.
The other day, however, he came with an
ordinary silk one. Suddenly he sees the
child coming with the new stove-pipe
wrinkled like an accordion. son, grand.
father" she says, /" this one is very hard
I've had to sit on it, but can't get it more
than half shut
An American traveller in Galway saw
pig in peasants house, and he said, "Why
do you have this pig in there p Shure,"
~ l.. Al