The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-09-02
FIGHTING IN THE DARK.
The Something That Gave Man Terri
Bile Shaking Up

you seem rather short of fingers"
said hay fever tourist to the driver of
a six-horse White Mountain stage, who
was skillfully driving with hand
which boosted only thumb
sort o short, was the reply,
Frozen OFF, suggested the hay fever
man.
Not exactly. 1t was sort O like
this See that little hill over there
that one with larger one just over it,
the two looking like a slipper Ye see
the slipper is a spur o the mountains,
and il was right up about tew miles up
the mountain that what I'm goin' to
tell YOU took place. One night ten
winters ago | found myself at dark
about five miles from home with a big
JOB oncompleted, and a snow storm
threatenin that would have put an end
10 haulin' for all winter. So stuck TO
work, and in a couple of hours | filled
up Inc sled and started down. Dark?
1t was rs dark as the inside Of caow.
mrde about half mile reckon, when
the readers began TO snort, and one o
them tried TO break out o the road, and
when | got hold Of him he was shakin
ike leaf Course thought it was
tie staggers but in minute he came
out AL right and went on, only 10 do
the same thing over again, rushin
away to the right.
began TO feel kind o queer myself
by that time, and at last | hauled up
tie team. wa. sittin on top o the
load about ten feet up, and the three
hosSes and me just stood still and lis
tened They didn't even whimper, and
Just As | was agoin' to say g'lang |
heard a kind o cracklin TO one side jest
a, if some one had made a misStep. My
ears Jest stood out, | can tell We, and We
might o hung your hat on my eve for
irwin to see. know'd there wasn't
liyin' human critter within five miles,
and in minute heard the crackln'
again, this time right along side, and
Whatever it was it moved into the snow,
and heard hard kind o breathin'.
The animals must have heard it, for the
leader fell off again, and bein' afraid
he'd ret oil the road, | grabbed the Az
aud slid down. mad gone about SIX
steps, and was Jest feelin for the
Bride couldn't see an inch-when
there kim the dredfulleSt snarl and a
kind of a whish and a rush, and | was
knocked agin the bosses As if I'd been
struck by lightning. In minute | was
down between the boss and somethin
else-the Lord knows what, was
ri 70
break out, eXpcctin' to be kicked to
death, the critters bein' crazy. Right
on one o them was Critter yellin and
screamin' like a thousand devils. Some
how had hung on the handle of the AK,
and without thinkin' o the hoss, let
ont Jest where the critter seemed to be.
Sure's your alvin ! hit him, and the
next minute was on my back and the
critter on me. The snow was tolable
deep, and that's what saved me. |
grabbed the thing by the throat and
cinched for all was worth, while the
critter clawed me. Every clip seemed
rs 'twould tear me up. All to onct it
cot my hand into its mouth and that
ended the business for me. ! reckon
must have tainted or somethin', for
when | came to the critter was gone,
and the bosses was standin about half
froze in the road. was so weak
could hardly stand, and my right hand
seemed all gone. | saw my only chance
was to get hum, so unhitched the
leader and crawled on, havin first let
the others loose, and started down hill.
How got there never knew but
did, and it was a month afore | got out.
Them ere fingers was all chewed up,
and had to be cut and trimmed. was
so scratched that the doctor said |
looked like n bloody zebry, and as for
clothes, they was all torn up and done
for. y
But what was it?' interrupted the
passenger by his side, much interested
in the recital.
That's the curiestes thing about it.
never seed it, and it never seen me.
We WAS II sort o feclin for one another,
rough-and-tumble like. A party went
up next day and found the team abou,
half dead; one of the bosses neck was
cut and torn fearful; but the snow had
kivered up every track, SO that arter all
what the crittcr was YOU know as well
as me, 1t wouldn't take much of a
| guec though to pint out the animal
| II must n been one o them ere wild.
cats Nothin' but wildcat, n lynx, OF
panther could have raised such .
mess; and from the size o. the crittor IA:
felt 1t, I'm inclined to consider il o
nnt ~ -. Nom Enrt san