The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-03-27

| hC@xu AAtic Ncific, whom u8u lOrk0t
ten for a few minutes. call out:
"Oh. what bid pussy! Unkie John!
Unkle John, SEQ the bid pussy-tat!
II looked around. and there. just
above the trail. and not the length Of
this log from the sled. stood the finest
| specimen Of . mountain lion think
ever saw. Twas queer. but at first
sight ! didn't feel bit afraid ~
IN fact, hardly surprised. ut seeing him
there. am not poet rs you know,
but was so near to one that morning
that really think had forgotten for
t'3 moment that there was any such
thing ~ danger or death on earth.
AS looked 1T him. my first thought.
derived. ! suppose. by an association Of
ideas from the hymn which had been
running through my head, was:
"'Leonem De fribu judo
.He was so stately and massive, so
dignifed and-I can't find any word to
express his look but magnanimous--
that for moment felt nothing but
kind OF wondering admiration.
''Thcn. in flash. woke up. There
was that blessed baby. holding out her
little hands and calling: Pussy, pussy
pity pussy! come an pay wiz Nellie.
Come to Nellie, pussy; Nellie love co.
And there. not ten yards away, facing
her. was that yellow brute. a cruel.
savage, greedy beast, who might the
next second-ugh! it makes me shiver
now to remember il. And to think
that ] was Is powerless to help or pro-
tect her as she was herself-that the
slightest move on my part would prob
ably only hasten the tragedy:
$50 we stood there. how long don't
know. Nellie coaxing and pleading, her
eyes sparkling. her black curls dancing,
her rosy cheeks glowing, and her little
mittened hands outsprcad TO the grim
beast that stood, with head turned
little to one side, watching her steadily,
and IS motionless - il carved out Of
rock.
Il don't know whether it was instinct
or desperation that at last made me
step slowly backward. pulling the sled
after me. Foot by foot the distance
widened, the great eat keeping his gel
low. unwinking eyes on Nellie. as she
slowly turned her head to keep him in
sight. ! think we might have left him
there. Il she, despairIng Of his coming
to her. had not turned to me aud cried:
.Unkie John. p'ease let Nellie get
out and pay wiz her bid pussy-tat!'
This seemed to break the spell which
had held him. for he stepped slowly
down into the trail and followed us.
Backwards went drawing the sled
with my left hand. and keeping my
right on the butt OF my revolver, ready
TO tire If the worst came to the worst.
and he crouched for spring.
III any Of you want the hardest job
you have ever had. just try walking
backwards up steep. icy trail. on
twelve-foot Norwegian snow-shoes, not
turning your head to see where you are
going. didn't dare turn around, nor
take my eyes of the tawny beast that
was following US. Every now and then
he would stop and rub himself against
tree. arching his back. and purring in
deep. mlffled bass. Just like q COM
mon house-cat only hundred times
as loud. Then he would turn out from
the trail. quicken his pace little. and
for hundred yards or so. walk abreast
Of the sled. then drop to the rear, cross
to the other side. aud do the same thing
there; and then saunter lazily on be-
hind again.
I, AFTER the first five or ten minutes,
lost q good deal Of my fear Of him, he
seemed so peaceable and good-natured;
but didn't know what minute his
temper might change. AT last. saw
= break in the trees ahead. and knew
we were coming to timber. line In .
few minutes we were out in the open
pass, within . quarter Of mile of the
divide.
AS we drew away from the woods,
our self-appointed attendant seemed to
conclude that he had escorted us as far
as politeness demanded. for he stopped
and watched US as we climbed away
| from him; and. Just rs we reached the
crest, he opened his great red mouth.
and let out one OF the most diabolic
vowls ever heard, by way Of parting
| salute.
1.-The next minute l was over the
ridge. out Of his sight. had snatched
Nellie out Of the sled. turned around.
let myself 60. and was of down that
mountain like shot ont Of a gun.
thought I'D rather risk broken neck
than have any more Of such company rs
we had had for the last half-hour.
I've done . good deal Of snow
shocing, and have made pretty fast
time, but that trip down Grassy Hill
beat the record. 'Twould have made .
streak Of ella lightning hump itself to
have caught US.
lyon know that double mule shoc,'
where the trail bends twice on itself. to
get up from Friars Creek to Grassy
Hill? It's not over two hundred yards
straight. but it's more than mile
around the trail. Id noticed, coming
up, that the snow had driftcd there 50
that IL made 1t tolcrably smooth, and
thought I'D risk cutoff wanted to
get out Of that neighborhood as quick