Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-08-03
A FEARFUL SIEGE.

n IL II Lt1 ~ II O41IN LA
The capital of Michigan had scarcely
b,cn changed from DJtroit to Lansing
before my father got the fever to 20
West. vs. wore then living in New
York State, and doing fairly well on
farm, but tho talk ab ut Michigan up-
set many man who was then well
enough If was IA years old the day
wo left for the We father, mother,
four children, aud hired man. All If
US, clear down to the baby, were en-
thusiastic and full of hope, and fathg
was Just the sort of man the Detroi
land sharks were looking for. The
soll him a swamp farm in ShiawasseI
county, and in one way and another
cheated aad dclraudcI him, until We
reached cur destination with hardly o
dollar to begin on. A span of horses
and COW constituted our live stock,
and when father found how he had
been dupcd, he lost heart entirely. The
swindlcrs guaranteed forty acres Of
Gearing and good log house. Tho
clearing was lake, and the log house
was wrctched affair." about sixteen
feet squire, which had boon put up for
some surveyors.
1t is not, however, of our family
troubles | am goiag to talk. Michigan
was a great game cou try at that date,
and we soon discovered that we had To-
Gated pretty near headquarters. Inside
Of three days we had seen panther,
three wolves, bear, lynx, and an IT.
dian devil. Our nearest neighbor was
ten or twelve miles away, and the near
est village about twenty. We were
dead stark alone in the midst OF great
wildern ess, and, aside from all other
perils, tho Indians, who were generally
supposed to be pcaceable, looked upo
al pioneers with ic.sf, ~. N ID /,
her two years later; and inside Oh =
week they made several attempts 70 S0'
Tho horses. 1t was not until treo upon
that they left us in peace, ami thon en'
wild beasts and reptiles took holu. W"
but stood within 300 feet OF the cugo .
a great swamp, and the swamp wa
bcadouarter, for rattlesnakes' oiu
racers, black snakes, bears panthof'
wolves and every other creature belong
i,n TO the country. During the hr'
weok of cur stay wo killed upward
h,,adrod snakes most of them rattler
and Gordon, the hired man, who was
GOOD shot, killed a bear ana I'M
wolves. 49,
Our adventures with the panth'
we're many and perilous, as the pea
seemed determined not to leave the
c,litv Tho first time l saw one
life was pre,ervod in most wonuei
anor We had been located ao
10 DAYS. and were clearing up p
~ land about quarter of mile II
tn, house. Father was SICK lu
hlu,o Gordon was off alter oeer
meat and Twas in the clearing az
4 having a light axe and cutting ava
a the small trees. The only thing ie
was tho snakes, having been avs
" " that no wild beasts would attacA III
20 20 daylight. In cutting down y
rs bcoch tree it fell upon an i7onwooa
" way to break it off about 10 ieet
the ground aud leave the trunk
srlintered. This spliutere trunk
ne about IA feet from very large
np' had noticed it only in a general
use =. had set myself stint TO az
his rs was working with much enthu'ias
az a. II was about o'clock ln the
loe;; noon and was bonding over to
r at inc a curious bug which was cr'
!" It nv feet. when scream hllc
lss2' woods something hit and kr
NOT not me fat on my face, ana
.tual instant a wonderful situation was
+" opod. A panther had sprung u
from tho large beech tree. The
sue had no doubt been watching
M H@"- lonr tim, and had waite | Tor
Get nv back to him. lie meant
'FR,s FRS tho splintered ironwood in his
died but he did not quite succeed.
" struck me with his paw rolling
,at or INIT not hurting me to speak OF,
reved !, came down his right hl
ORA osAt. :. caught between two great spun
icine. held him fast. Then was tr'
oircus va 800 scared to
Nass stood not more than ten feet
witnessed what mob 'dy ever
for. The beast hung head d
:, the air. c,awing and spi
ve. ling, and the harder he stru
msre securely was his foot IN
sn.h screams and yells! II
mo;her came running
ssrposing l was
IDS s: 6: :: j.: II: !: :; =: !: :: f.: :: Z
clers sent splinters OF wooo
about aad the 1.-THE BODY
twisted like snake. we n
and father was too weak 10
u Q the axe. We were, there