The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-11-01
Fowler's Panther Skin.

The Thirteen Club has many precious
relies IN its rooms at Capt. Fowler 5
hnickerbocker Cottage, but its most
precious relic is q panther-skin, which
the Captain shows with much pride
yesterday the Captain gazed fondly in
to the glass eyes, stroked the fur low
ingly, and said:
Sept Is, 1870, [ was hunting on the
Mamakating Barrens, up i'll Sullivan
county. wasn't looking for panthers
not by u long shot Deer was what
had enticed me out there, and | was in
shape not to raise any objections to a
bear if one should come my way. One
of my barrels was loaded with thirteen
buckshot. Ever been upon the Ma
makating Barrens? No? Well, they're
pretty well up. being, by actual meas
urement, 1,313 feet above tide
''Pd been tramping over the Barrens
this particular day, and hadn't seen
anything that would indicate that there
had ever been even as much as chip
munk prowling around there, when sud
denly heard a big noise off to my
right. l turned and looked, and there
was the panther tearing straight for
me. just up with my gun and whang-
ed away with my thirteen buckshot.
The panther gave q yell that made me
turn pale, but he stopped, and stopped
for good. | always step just three feet
when l walk-always. | never knew
it to vary an inch. [ walked toward
tho dead panther. l remembered after
ward that took just four of my steps
and not quite the length of my foot
over to where the panther lay-thirteen
feet. My foot is just thirteen inches
long. Queer. eh? Well, of course I
was little upset by my adventure, but
pretty soon l began to haul my big
game out to the road. 1t was q tough
pull, but finally l got him off the Bar
rens. At the place where 1 struck the
road there was small house. l man
aged to get horse and wagon there to
carry me and my game in, as my rig
wouldn't be along till toward night.
After we had loaded the panther in the
wagon l asked the boy who was to
drive me in how far it was to Wurts-
boro.
Plumb thirteen miles, and we've
got hill for every mile, said he.
1--WE got to Wurtsboro, and when
looked at my watch / found that we
had been thirteen minutes over three
hours coming in. l began to find fault
with the boy for taking so long. ''Well,
said he, that's tough road, and 1
think I've done first rate, bein's as this
horse was thirteen years on the canal
before we got him, and that was thir-
teen years ago this month, just the time
[ was born
''Of course the panther and myself
created big excitement, but it wasn't
until counted the panther's teeth, and
found there were only thirteen left and
then found its measurement just thirteen
feet from tip to tip, that | began to
think about the singular thirteen busi-
ness connected with the killing of this
animal. Let's see-13th of September,
1,3l3 feet above tide, Is buckshot, pam
ther with 13 teeth and Is feet long,
dropped dead with 13 buckshot in Is
feet from me, 13 miles to Wurtsboro,
13 hills on the road, boy Is years old
driving horse that had been 13 Years
on the canal. and 13 years with the
boys family. If you don't call these
singular condolences l don't know
where you re going to get 'em. And
The Captain suddenly stopped talk
ing. An expression OF concentrated
awe appeared N lis face. Then he
struck his fist Gu the side-board and
said
Why, holy smoke! Sept. IS, 1870!
That's just thirteen years ago next
meeting day OF this club! Gentlemen,
come!''
There were thirteen bulging based
corks on the sideboard an hour later
when the visitors adjourned. York
to2G22.