Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-23
LEWIS BEDSPRElD.
A True Story.

y
years. lad of rare merit in every re-
spect. In boarding round' it fell to
my lot to 90 first to Lewis home; and
this. with his winning ways and worth.
made US friends from the beginning
Many were the good times we had at
the school studies, visiting around the
great open fireplace, cracking nuts, pop
ping corn, skating and sleighing over
the wild country roads.
One cold evening as we were starting
for u 'spelling-schoor' in another dis
trict some miles away, his mother came
to the door and said we would need
more lap-coverings for such a night.
We assented, and she turned back into
the house, saying: ''Pll bring you Levi S
bedspread.'
In moment she was at the door
again, and as took the dark mass from
her hand. she said: Ike has outgrown
it for his bed, but it is long enough for
a lap robe"
Tucking it around us, away we went
in our homely back wood, rig; and as
we glided through the forests and past
the scattered log houses. Levi told me
about his bedspread. He came into the
possess ON OF it the spring he was nine
years old. He wasvery fond OF fishing,
which is not unusual with boys. and was
peculiarly success ful. which Is unusual
with H. hermen of any age.
One morning early in May, accom-
panied by his little dog, he sprang into
the skitf on his fathers millpond. and
padded up stream to fish for trout in q
brook that ran into the pond half mile
above tie dam. Now in order to I'M
derstand the best point of Lewis advent
ure, it is necessary to get a clear idea
of the mouth of this brook. 1t came
down from among the hills, leaping
from rock to rock and scudding across
the levels like a squirrel at play. Its
last leap was its highest; and, as if
scared at having jumped so far, it quiet
ly slipped in half circle around huge
rock. and hid itself in the waters of the
pond. which at this place was five or six
rods wide and flowing on with strong
current to the dam. The pool at the
foot of this fall was Levi destination; q
spot where he had often been before,
and never without success.
So tly padding his boat to the shore
of the pond. a few feet below the mouth
of the brook, and pulling one end OF it
upon the shelving rock, he had only to
Chamber up the bank little to be in the
best position for fishing the pool
Leaving the dog in the boat and taking
his fish-rod, in a moment he was slyly
dipping into the foamy waters where
waited the trout. How many ''speckled
beauties he had caught | know not.
but only few minutes had passed when
slight noise on the rocks just above
him caused him to look up.
All! what a sight met the boys eyes.
There, within fifteen Or twenty feet.
was his bedspread mot yet his, how
ever, dappled and glossy, constituting
the wrapping of another individual.
And that individual, with glaring eye
balls, ears laid back, unsheathed claws
and lashing tail, seemed about to seek
a nearer acquaintance with Levi.
A glimpse was enough for the lad.
Dropping his fish pole, he slid like
flash down the bank toward the boat,
and lodged under the shelving rock.
thus passing instantly out of sight of
those gla ing eyes. But scarcely had
he left his perch by the trout-hole ere
il was occupied by the other individual.
At this turn of affairs the dog began an
excited yelping in the further end of
the boat, Immediately absorbing the
panther's attention. And more quick
ly than it can be told, the 1.-THE creature
sprang again into the air, this time aft
er the dog. With heavy lunge she
came down midway in the boat, by her
weight and impetus sending it adrift and
propelling it to the middle of the stream,
where the current turned it swiftly
toward the dam. The dog, of course,
did not like such company, and as the
panther came into the skitf, he jumped
out and swan ashore. H
Now the feline nature is very unlike
the canine in respect to water, cats
generally disliking it extremely, while
many dogs take a great delight in it.
So this huge cat with her dread of wa
ter was N great trep dalton when she
saw she was cut off from the land on
every side. She crept from end to end
of the boat, now and then raising her
head, Ii ting her ears, and whining in
pitiful manner. Levi watched her float
ing on where the current grew stronger
and stronger and the banks wider apart.
All at once it joyfully flashed on his
mind that she was kelly to go over the
high dam down into the rocky, boiling
chasm below. where no living thing but
fish could survive. At this prospect
he clambered hastily around the ledge
and up the bank <, and started OIL as fast
as he could run among the trees, for the
shore of the gorge below the dam. AS
he ran he caught 81 mpses of the skitf
and IT'S occu can't dri ting surely on to
her fate. Soon he arrived and took his
stand at the edge of the w de eddy be-
low the fearful chasm Eagerly thea
he watched the crest of the water at the
brink of the dam, where the current
broke over and plunged down the gulf
In moment the object OF his interest
appeared. skitf, panther and all, hung
second on the brink. and then with The
roar NO waters rushed down among the
rocks.
The dam was built just at the upper
end of dark, winding rapid, or sue
cession of alls, and levi now looked
for his broken Loaf and the crushed
panihe to emerge into the eddy. The
skiff soon appeared crushed in pie es,
the seats, sides and bottom in separate
fragments. But several minutes passed
and no panther; and the boy began to
say within himself with some anxiety: