San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-08
TRIGGER SAM.
And His Fight with Bear and Panther.

And His Fight with Bear and Panther.
In the central part of West Virginia
there resides fearless and skillful old
hunter, known by the sobriquet OF old
aTrieger SAM" because of the certain
ty of his aim with his favorite old fash
toned rife.
The forests around Trigger Sans
home have never had their echoes wax
ened by the shrill blasts of the locomo.
tive. In fact, he lives in a mountain
GUS part of the state, tuat is situated
many miles from any railroad, and the
forests abound with deer, bear and
small game, and occasionally those who
enjoy dangerous sport, can find pan
ther to battle with.
The chase is Trigger Sans main de-
pendence for sustainance, and his lard
er is always supplied with the deer and
bear meat, and his cabin lined with the
skins of animals being prepared for the
market.
One day the writer and Trigger Sam
we're seated by the fire in Sans cabin
after days sport, enjoying the fires
warmth and the warmth of copious
draughts OF methiglum--a favorite
drink of the neighborhood.
"I'm glad to see one of you fellers
what writes for the papers out here,
remarked Sam; "for l jist wanted
chance to tell some of you that all the
tussels and adventures with wild ami
mails don't happen out West or in At
RIGA; but l tell you there is 'casl!onai
set to 'twixt man and beast in these
mountains that amt no SLOUGH.
"Some of these days, l reckon, the
railroad chap will come along and build
railroads through these mountains, and
cut down the woods, and open the coal
fields, and SIGH as that, and the wild
animals will disappear, and the occupa.
ton of SIGH old-time fellers as me will
be gone. But" he added, sadly, IL
hope old Sam will he under the ground
afore that time"
81 started out, however, to tell you
'bont little venture had with bar
and painter on the mountain back of
us, and if you don't object, I'll tell you
all about it.
zone day last winter, the old woman
she remarked that meat was getting
rather scarce, and said rs how I'd bet
ter take down the old rifle thar, and see
if l couldn't knock over deer or bar.
"Thar had bin rather light fall of
snow, and the sun was coming out warm
like, melting it little on the top, and
thinks to myself this might be good
time to run into stray bar, and that l
wouldn't object to have little bar
meat for supper.
Il 'cordingly shouldered my gun and
started into the woods, keeping my eye
skinned for bar tracks. / had got on
about mile, and had iist got to the
foot of the big mountain, and was bout
to start up it, when l head the durnd-
est screaming in tree about seyenly
five yards from me; and looking up IN
to it, L seed, stepping along on one
of its branches, the savagest looking
painter l ever laid eyes on, and he was
acting for all tie world jist like he was
coming down that tree to go for me.
my first inn Use was to let drive at
him with my uIe; but then | seed he
was moving along i'll the tree so rapid
thit didn't have sure thing of killing
him the first shot, and if / wounded
him knew l was a gone sucker, sure,
so | 'cluded TO 'nuver little, and see
what the critter me'nt.
Il could see that he was long and
lean as a fence-rail, and it struck me
that he was most laundering hungry,
and would tackle anything that come
along.
Il remembered that up the mountain
a piece there was cave, Just about
large enough to let a man in at the
mouth, and Citing bigger as you go in,
and / thought I'd go toward that, and
if it come to a fight 'twixt me and the
painter, I'd back into the cave, and
when he showed his ugly mug at the
mouth of it, I'd blow his brains out, if
/ didn't git dead shot on him sooner.
wall, made tracks up the mount
ain, and the painter he slipped down
the tree and come gliding through the
bushes after me, as though watching
chance to take me unavares; but durn
the chance would he give me TO git In
q shot.