Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-06-15
verse uE.e.

A correspondent of tne American Fed
writing from Coal Greek, Col, saws las,
winter there occurred in that section a
wonderful piece of youthful bravery,
Which, from its successful termination
Il worthy of record. Tie little hero'a
name is Amos Bennett, aged IL years.
ana he Is the son Of the present pro-
prieto- of the Carlisle Springs Ranche.
4 brighter and more intelligent little
FELLOW It vould be hard to find in the
tne State, and his superior for courage
i! do not think can he found anywhere.
Master Amos, in January last. loaded up
his shof9un and taking his dog "CurIvs
started mp the guIch beyond his father 8
house 70 hun. Yabbits After having
gone little way up the culch he mo-
ficed that his dog showed signs of I'M
easiness and fear, frequently taking
ooid OF his clothing, whining, and in
every way trying to get his young mas
ter TO go back. Taking but little no.
tice Of his dog, however, Master Amos
went on his way, bent only on securing
O rabbit or two, little dreaming Of the
terrible ordeal he was soon to pass
through. just as the boy rounded a
point Of rocks about three hundred
yards from his fathers house, his ewes
almost jumped from their sockets TO
behold directly in front Of him a huge
mountainSlion, that had evidently Just
Killed the large gray marc of Phil Col
den, which was being wintered ON the
ranch, and the lion was still Teasing
upon the warm quivering fiesh of its
prey. When the monster saw tho boy,
II stopped eating. cr0uched down upon
the ground, whining like puppy, and
with gliding motion peculiar TO this
species of animal. began approaching
the boy, lashing his sides with his tail,
preparatory for the fatal spring.
The boy saw his awful position-a
hideous death was staring him in the
face, and no other aid was at hand save
his gun and his faithful dog, which was
now crouchingAt his feet, too weak and
powerless to render any aid, and too
brave to desert his young master in his
hour of troble. The gun contained but
a small charge of mustard-secd shot,
capable of killing nothing scarcely ex-
cept small game, and that only at short
range. With fervent and silent petit
ton to Heaven for aid, the boy waited
the awful moment that was to separate
him from all he loved, or give him VIC
tory over tho most formidable euemv
ever encountered by one SO young and
weak as himself.
The boy says the animal seemed to
be hours coming. The beast seemed
to gioat over the abject fer Of the youth
and the boys hair actually silvered
over az with old age. during the brief
moments he stood there waiting the
coming of the monster. Never once
did the beast stop Its onward movement
but continued to glide towards its ex-
pected prey with distended nostrils,
giaring eyeballs and its tail lashing from
side to side. At last the awful moment
came, and with jaws wide open and
claws extended the beast sprang tow
ards the boy, who had not moved since
the first view of the animal was gained.
The boy stood firm, with his gun cooked
and thrown forward ready for the as
sault, determined to sell his life dearly.
the faithful dog still crouOhed at his
feet growing. : When the lion sprang
into she air the boy took steady and de-
liberate aim. and fired when the animal
was high IN the air, tho charge enter
ing the animals mouths and passing out
through. the top OF its head; going di-
rectly through the monsters brain and
killing it instantly, the animal dropped
at the boys feet dead. The beast meas
ured IL feet and 3 inches from the end
of its nose TO the tip of its tail, and was
one of the largest and most powerful
animals of the kind ever seen in this
section Of the State. The young hero
of this exploit says he does not think he
was much scared. but does not care to
have his courage tested IN that way
again. His dog was the happiest of the
two over the fortunate result of his
shot. bounding upon him and licking
his hands with JOY, and showing his
appreciation of the situation in every
way possible.