The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-09-24

}. and after twenty or thirty minutes hard
 work l reached the ends of the lower
 limbs. and. as expected. found oompara- : lively little cane under the tree. Straight / ening myself up, looked for my turkey
 and soon discovered it lying on the far K side of the open space, wi'h expanded
 wings, dead. was in the act of stepping z
 into the circle when 1 was startled by d low growl. Certain that had stumbled on bear. and that being unarmcd. ''dIs- . eretion was the better D IT of valar. ] "as . abpu, to retreat when something. know not what, caused me to glance into the tree. and there upon ,he lowest limb. not fifteen feet from me Crouched an enor- mous panther. l dared not move. but stood under the influence of d terrible fase nation. ganng .nto the very cAcs of the fearful beast. l saw his hind feet move up slowly under his body and his fore feet dGaaiffs, l,,t-ik. 7r1r: tct, ttIa, he was gathering himself for a spung. l knew that the sligh,cs, movement on my part would prccipl;atc matters. so s.ood perfectly still awaiting my doom with . kind of apa hy One thinks and reasons ~lih wonderful rapidity in moments of peril and rtn over. mentally. all that had heard ar read ut rhc panther : habts. had been told by old hunters that he WAS shy animal, airaid of man. and hot apt tn attack one unless pressed by hun ger or badly wounded. But there before me was the iafern.l beast. an kneN from his blanng eyes. the t~i; hing oi his black muzzle. and the uneasy twisting of his long ,all. that his spring waS an affair ol seconds. thought of the knife. which he'd in my hand. as a weapon of de fense. but dismissed the .dea. feeling eer- tam that the weight of hs body when launched upon me would rush me sense les. Then e:,nc thoughts nf lay wife and children wha; thcY would ;hink when night should come without uix It. turn when. hark '-yeip: aEdIu and closer. ''yelp;s louder. @yeip. ycip. Nell;:- and now closer bcblnd me. ''vclp. ycir. yclp" An. thank God. dared not look behind me. but well kucW what II MAS. N the ttst sclp saw ,he panther eNtrnd himself and gfeash closer ta the lHnh. aad .ts the harklus easac neafst hc Ind hs head da~n. dflwIuF h,s baI round ears close to the skull. bi eaaI>c Naa anticipate tn e>plan4,iet. t'ae ei
 ny young hounds. m;s-la.. me a, home. had taken nly horse, ifsd and iallawc.! me Into the bottom until req, hius the place N here h u sddlpmaanfed and tracked
 me mn the nc m rclEhIaE me hc stopped Il ,srana. whnin.. and Wa4- Jlng hls tll then d shed lato the apeu ->fllae- and -haa.Iaa ,he dead -t4rkek-A,.- .,.tn. puppy-likc - halk a. |. H.td kept m cIcs a4 Inc panther and >.t& tl...; Vt, Mt hlns IL dog an4 tin nov ...ts L. n4N tttite- retreat. \ 4gIefty .,S {1sssI- hlc began ,a draw back unfil ! ielf mA- >eit @eXand ihe Tea h Il t4>#s, ,.rjnz. then n43e my NAY aut l> r,pJah .t, P >sIhle. Naat hing ID nN fllc fel4sdcd. an5 hc- .,In taicci nY ~urtgc f>e tlu. Ieaala hc1r ;hc puppy stIii tIrk,ns !; 'he turkey and kneN that the panther would ,cep- hi~ position ls bong A1 h. touid rcnuu concealed itam thc dog and W.,h h. d. tentlan .,tttaetcd to | misht gel near enough ioi 4 eho without much danger. Entering th" path had made orawlrd tl"nS unII fortunately. when within thiT- tN-hVe "r forty HaceS of the tree. came t,, itt-sc tus. ikInr 4 feA tcci';o my i51h hi. Climbing on thls and standing up had a !alr View "i my panther l\ins close Ia the lnb. lust as had lett hlm- Mating d few seconds ta recover my breath and ste sdy my nerves began Ia think ts ,o where had best ann to make dead shot. kncN my old rife would plan, her ball wherever held her. and under ordinary circumstances had every ean- hdenee Tn int own skill. He was l1lns ncarlV hroad>idc to me and deciding in try fer his hear, l raised ms utlc and carefully a,ming about three inches back Bt hlS h,r,i i.st# ,i.. his body a> l could hold her touched the tusger. Of course expected to sec hm leap ou, al the re- DOT, ot the gun. even with a th wound. hu, Ia my dl,ma> he l,N unmo.cd and apparently untouJ he'd. HutIcdN rcleadins, and wondering the while hoW oouLl possibly have missed m object so large and |, such Shor; range. capped my gun and Was n the aci ot raiIns her i.'t another shot when saw h)s hind-- quarters slowly swing toCthc faJ >de of the hmb and then the whole hady >lldc oil and tall with heavy thud to the sroand.
 My puppy gave yclp of frish, and an instant after. came daShins throush,hc cane with back bris,ling and tail between his legs. | keptsmv position on the log and with my gun cooked. stood al ready for some minutes, but hearing nothing concluded to venture in. So getting back into my path crep, cautiously along. with gun cooked and muz,le well ts the front. unu reached the place where had first caught sight oi the beast. then raising myself cree, peeped through the cane and saw hisl stretched out. dead. I soon stood over hum ,Dti for,d bit,, ,,, h.. male ot the largest s,le. | w1s gre tly excited and tired to yell. bu, the atiemp, was failure and sounded like d young cocks tir>, crow. called and whis,lcd for my dog. ta young hound some siN or eish, months old). he came into the circle but no amoun; ot coax ing could get hum near the panther. Afier indulging my feelings ot triumph for a while. decided to return home for help. so picking up my turkey worked iON way f,tf md r,Oup,trsr .,id