The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-09-23


st. Nicholas.
HOW UNCLE HARRY SHOT A PAN
TIER.
"Say, Uncle Harry, you've shot
most everything; did you ever shoot 8
panther?' inquired Charlie. as he looked
up from the book he was reading.
"Of course he has," interrupted
Tom. "Don't you remember tie skin
he has in his room?''
THAT panther was nothing TO my
first" said Uncle Harry. with q laugh.
"Tell us about it" pleaded Charlie,
as he drew his chair closer to his uncle s.
Uncle Harry laughed again good
naturedly, and commenced as follows:
1t was the summer your father got
married that I took my first trip into
the Adirondacks. I went up to Mar
tins. hired guide. and we started off
for Little Upper Lake, where We were
to camp. We selected a camping
place at the head of the lake. where
there was good spring of water, and
soon had our tent up and the camp
fixed. Certain bear and panther tracks
around the spring did not add to our
sense of security; but the guide assured
me that they would not come into camp
in the daytime, and that ut 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 a good time generally. But
one afternoon, about four o clock. Hank
Sweeny, my guide, came to me with the
announcement that the dog was gone.
'Chawed up his rope. and skedad-
died." as Hank expressed it. 81
reckon he must a smelled that thar
panthert that was to the spring last night
He's death on panthers."
'What are you going to do?" I in
quired, anxiously.
"Well, 1 reckon I'll fetch some more
wood into camp, so as you can keep up
a fire. then I'll take and row around
the lake and up the creek. and yell for
him; he won't 60 fur" answered Hank.
"Then why not let him come home
HIMSELF" l suggested, for 1 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 l 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 eff
he should tree panther, he'd set at
the foot of the tree till 1876 eff didn't
call him off. You amt afraid to keep
camp for an hour or two?'' he added.
"O-h-h n-o-or' l 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
evening, and climb into a tree; then
when teller goes under, they drop on
him. I'll leave my heavy rifle for you,
for it would give you better chance if
should turn up.''
Hadn't better go with your I
"And leave the camp alone?" an
swered Hank, in fine scorn. ''Why,
that deer would draw all the cats in the
Keep the fire a-going.
and you're all right
thought to myself that I would
much prefer to be out of the way when |
all the cats in the neighborhood came
to investigate the 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
nv knees, listening as the sound of his |
voice calling the dog died away in the |
distance. l examined the rifle, and |
saw that it was loaded; it was one of the |
Did pattern repeating rifles. and |
kicked like mule. tried to whistle,
but it was failure. l endeavored to
turn my thoughts to something else,
but it was no use. The story of the
man who fell asleep beside the camp
ire and was eaten up BY a panther,
Of the other man who had a panther
ium9 on him from tree and who lost
both ewes in the struggle, and of va
-ious other men who had been killed
Or wounded by the fierce animals,
we're uppermost in my mind. l sat
md watched the sunlight fade, the
,old and crimson melt off the tieecy
clouds, and the shadows rs they gath
cred thicker and deeper in the val
eys. Except for the occasional weird
Ind demon-like laugh of the. loon far
Town the lake, every thing was perfect
y still. and every sound seemed magni-
led; the cracking of twig seemed the
read of bear, the buzz of a night
,eetle. the growl of panther. l sat,
lon't know how long. till suddenly my
!eart almost stopped beating as l heard
he steady but stealthy sound of foot
teps on my left I did not dare to
move. At last, with desperate exer-
ion, turned, and there in the crotch
# a low tree, about twenty feet from
ne, sat an immense panther Just ready
o spring. 1t was so dark that could
ust distinguish the outlines OF his form.
nd his two ewes cleaning like Goals of
ire. Iraised the rifle carefully to my (
houlder. l took aim right between
he eyes, fired, and missed. supposed,
Or the beast was in the same pOsit;on. |