The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-07-16

lost consciousness of all that wal
going on around me. How long
slept | know not. 1t might have
been II few minutes, or 1t might
have been an hour, but | awOke al
last with start, and sense oI
some great danger banging over
me. | did not start up or move
hand or foot. A certain something.
! could not tell what, chained me
down.
81 opened my eyes and looked
about me, but | saw nothing; and
just on the point of making a mo,
ton to get on my feet, When | heard
a slight cracking of brush above
my head. Looking in the direction
of the sound, l beheld a sight that
almost froze the marrow in my
bones, and seemed to turn my blood
to ice. A huge panther was crouch.
ing there, ready for a spring upon
ME.
GAS motionless as one dead lay
there and gazed upon my terrible
enemy. To stir as much as a
hand | knew would the signal
for the beast to spring upon me.
Its fiery eyes were fixed upon my
face, and its tail was geutly waving
to and fro, like that of a cat.
"H0pe of escape there seemed
none. My doom was sealed. The
panther had me surely in his power
as though at that moment he had
his claws fastened in my flesh. The
agony of those few moments | shall
remember to my dying day. 1t
haunts ne in my sleep, aud often 1
start up in alright, dreaming that
the terrible scene is being enacted
over again.
"All at once the fiery eyes of the
panther was turned from me, and
fixed upon some object a little to
the right. What could it mean
What new danger WAS approaching
me from that direction BY turn.
ing my head little | was enabled
to see what it was. A man was
creeping toward me with a knife in
hand. He was not a dozen feet
from where lay, aud at first glance
| recognized him. 1t was the man
whom had made up my mind was
a villain, in the tavern the night
before, and whom [ feared all the
forenoon might be following me.
The preSentiment [ had had was
not groundless, then. But / had
not connted'ou a double danger.
"Cautiously the villain crept to-
ward me, With a mnrderous look in
lis face. A glance showed me one
hing was evident. The villain,
While he sought to murder me, was
rot aware of dis own danger, for
,he panther no longer kept his eyes
N me. 1t was watching closely
very motion OF the villain, and
,yery instant l expected that it
would leap down upon him. If it
would only do so before he reached
ny side, it would prove my saliva.
ion.
"Closer aud closer the villain
lrew toward me. Only IA mement
more and he would be so near that
le could reach me with his out
tretched hand. There was not an
Instant to lose, and | was on the
'Oint of springing to my feet, when,
.uick as flash of lightning, the
,anther cleft the air and landed on
he shoulders of the villain. A ter
IDLE cry of rage burst from his lips
S he fell, his blood dyeing the
arth. At the same instant | was
II my feet, and drawing a pistol l
pnt a bullet through the head of
be beast. 1t did its work well,
lough even in death 1T clnng to
S victim, and when at last its {
were over, as | pull
4 it from the bleeding man, | saw 7
lat it had done its work. The i'm. 7
ress of death was on the Villains I
ce, and in few moments he was {
aad.
81 left them both lying there O
I'd buried on to the next settle I
ent, where | told my story. With d
lip returned aud the dead man e
IS carried to his home, where no a
o seemed to care for his fate. t
sin my own home | have the
in of the panther stuffed, aud
ould you come my way, gentle !
sD, should be pleased to show v
to you. There, you have my Y
)ry. Now, the next" y