The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-01-24

stream. Just below this the water
was deep and still, and as his hook
sank into the water he felt the first |
blood-stirring tug Of the evening. !
1t was catfish. Not very exciting |
sport, you will say, to catch bull
head, but then the eating of them is
never to be despised. For fifteen
minutes Hene was so busy that he
did notice the flight of time, but
Just as he felt tug on his line for
the eighth time he became aware
that something was about to happen
| that he had not anticipated. He
said afterward that he felt just as IA
man does who wakes up at mid
night to find himself bolt upright
in bed, hearing nothing and Won
dcring what was the matter. The
feeling was so strong, that instead
of landing the fish, he looked slow
ly around.
Not five feet away to his left was
a big panther, arching its back and
rubbing the sides Of its head along
the grass and smiling at him almost
as it lashed its tail from side to side.
1t was playing with him cat fashion.
Meantime the catfish had swallowed
the hook and was tugging away so
hard that, inspite of his scare, which
made his broad-brimmed hat trem-
BILE, he turned to look at the line
and the bobbing cork, which he
always fished with. From the agi-
tated water about the cork his eye
fell on a six-foot rattler that was
making its way over the edge of the
bank of the creek from the old dead
dead log, and was headed directly
for him. From the snake he looked
on the cavorting panther and then
back to the ugly reptile, afraid to
strike with his pole lest the panther
should spring on him, and afraid to
. stand still lest the snake should at
tack him as soon as it was near
enough. Somehow the movements
| of the panther, as it trotted about,
rolled over, or jumped stiff-legged
: into the air, proved a stronger at
{ traction, and for a minute he watch
ed it attentively, until the fish gave
a last effort to free itself from the
| hook. The panther was walking
r away as if to leave its victim in
= peace, when Heme looked around
t and saw that the snake was passing
G him, headed for the timber. Then
t the inspiration came that saved his
;, life. He had the pole in his lef
?, hand. STOPPING over he caught thu
J., reptile by his tail. Quick as thii
c was done the panther saw the mo
ton, and turning about settled for |
O spring as Heme whirled the snak
it easily but rapidly over his head
The panther was too late. Heme'
skill with the whip enabled him t,
drop the rattler comfortably abou
the panther's neck, and the next in
Ie stant it buried its fangs in the beast
tongue that showed through its hal
g open mouth.
y ''Then Heme got really frighten
. ed, and, with a yell, plunged int
. the creek, and fioundering across
'e ran breathlessly up stream to tn
1t camp. When he had managed
o. gasp out his story, the whole cam
" roared with laughter at the comics
TX figure, and at what seemed to b
Is about the most unlikely yarn the
ST had ever heard"
III "See here, Mack, who primed yo
to tell that?" said the bartende
T. wiping his hands on his partl
ef white apron.
"Primed, be d." said the stor
~ y teller. cts true. I've got IL
snakes rattle. and I'll show it
ie you"
:; He took a solid-looking vali
|, 81 from behind the bar, and, viii
n fumbling for his key, said:
at took about ten minutes
reach the spot where Heme ht
w been fishing. The panther was st
w alive, but he was on his last peg
GU The snake was in two pieces, Il
al panther having chawed its head {
We after he was bitten. | cut the ratt
lie off, and here it is"
There were twelve of the rattl
- y beside the button on the end. TT
snake was l3 years of age. The ba
tender walked behind the bar al
M passed down a big cut-glass bot
Is Is containing a yellowish fluid. As
~ placed a number of little smoot
.,.. M round tumblers beside it he sal
',S' M "Hely yourselves, boys. | give
-" m up. The rattles prove it,"
-
iei FArRNEss--Simple integrity, SIM
I" fairness, simple justice to poor and ri
:, alike, giving to each one his right