The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-16
4 PANTHER AND A RArrxxsxAxr
Asa . I-sss Eiahernaa Nave a. Aavsasv~e
Near the Red River Of the ssath.

Asa . Issss Yisherns. Mavs a. Aavsasure
Near the Rec River Of The ssnth.
Three men sat on . settee In one corner OF
the barroom Of the Miners Arms. In Front
street. last evening. with heads close together.
smoking short brier-root pipes and talking In
slow way. as N they had to stop and throw their
weight on II before getting word longer than
ono syllable spoken. They were dressed 10
corduroy trousers. tucked into the tors Of their
boots and short thick coats. They were going
over their experiences In the Rocky Mountain
mining regions. the hotel being Q resort for
old. country miners on their way East or
West Finally one OF tho group named Andrew
Mcdonald 81 heightened I'D and said In alouder
voicc than ho had hitherto used: You may
talk about sea serpents. but my pards had an
adventure with rattlor last spring that
knocks out any yarn you ever heard"
Half dozen lounGers and a reporter gath
cred around the miner while he continued.
His name was Hen,an Fish. and no came
from western Ohio. We called him Heme for
short He could do two things better than any
man ever saw. One was to FISH, and the other
was TO handle o blncksnake whip. ! reckon
most OF you know what q blacksnake whip is.
Heme could pick u fly from the ear Of the OF
mule Of n four-in-hand. and never le, the mule
know whip was anywhere about.
Last spring ho and got on n spree in 81.
Louis. and when we shook ourselves together
again we found ourselves In q town called
Paola. Kansas. AS Hemes head began 70
shrink. he took a notion that We should go
away from there by the overland route, and so
We went down to Fort Scott and joined cara
van that was bound for New Mexico across the
Stakod Piains."
A caravan across tho Staled Plains from
Fort Scott last spring p tho bartender remark
cd with some emphasis.
Yes" said Mcdonald. rs though irritated.
We had followed the procession about two
IN ~ kln.y Of
South n hi, OF timber, Without waitinga
hooks under the canvas of our prairie schooner
and started down the creek for mess of fish;
luck. Tie sun was just sinking. and ,Hemc
T@.neh 9n l rem 'n pool to pool now nnd then
about half milo down stream. Thcro In an an
open snace, where tho grass was short but the
sM Ssn hi S
washed around with top down stream. Just
below this the water was deem and sun. and as
blood stirring tug OF the ovonng 1t wasn cat
fish; Not , yery exciting sport you win say;
sss was 50 busy tRa, he did not noloe
his line for the eighth time. ho became aware
nat ia. someihing was about to hapren that he
he telt Just as man does s Who wakes I up pat at
midnight TO md himself bolt upriGht in bod.
hearing nothing, and WONDERING what was the
stead Of landing, tho fish he looked slowly
Of It's head alons; the grass ana smiling at him.
almost, as it lashcd It's tail from side to
Meantime Tie cati-h lad s swaowed the hes HOOK
and was Juggling away SO hard that in spite OF
tremble. he turned TO look a. the line and the
hobbing cork which he always tlshel with.
fell on "a siX.foot rattler that was making lis
way over the edge OF the bank Of the creek from
him. From the snake he looked 10 the cavort-
Ing panther. and then back 20 the ugly reptile.
arad 70 s,ke VIII MS nGe eft tae naniher
lest the snake should attack him us as it
was near enough. Somehow tho movements
over. or ,jumr-d stin legged into the
air. proved stronger attraction. and for
fsh gave u last effort to free itself from tho
hook. The panther was walking away as if to
around and saw that the snake was passing
him h1Gded for the timber i Then He insPra,
pole In his left hand. STOPPING over he caught
the reptile by the tail Quick as this was done
the panther saw the m9;ion, and turning about
easily but rapidly over his head. The panther
was too late ,lleme's skill with the whip en-
TIE pnnthar's neck, and tho next instant 1t
buried is ianEs IN the beasts tongue that
Then Home got really frightened and with
ayeiI, plunged into the creek. and logndoring
When he had managed 10 gasp out his story.
the whole camp roared with laughter at the
cpmical l.ure and al what seemed 10 be about
the most unlikely yarn they had ever heard"
See here. Mack. who primed you to tell
that said the bartender. wipirg his hands on
his partly white apron.
Rrlmed be =" said the story teller. It's
true. Ive got the snakes rattle and I'll show
ii to yol."
-, He took a solid looking vase from behind
the bar. and, while funibiing Tor his key, said:
1t took us about ten minutes to reach the
spot whcre Homo had been fishing. The
panther MAS still alive. but he was on his last
pegs; The snake was in two pieces tho
was bitten. cut the rattle of. and here it is
There were twelve OF the rattles. besides tho
age Tho bartender walked behind the bar
and PASSED. down q big cut-Glass bottle. con
tanning yellowsh fluid. AS he placed n num-
Der OF little smooth round tumblers beside it
he said: Helm Yourselves bows I give II mn