Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-03-08
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THURSDAY, MARCH s, 1888.
4 FIGHT WITH APANTHER.

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san Francisco Examiner.
.Fleshy" Murray. of Oakland, and
John NJ. Cannon, of this city, have re-
turned from two-weeks' hunt in Men
docino county. Cannon is clothed in
plasters and he is 50 stiff that he finds
considerable difficulty in walking.
They were after big game and they
found it. Coyotes and deer have been
plentiful in that country the last two
months and it was their intention to
slay some. Murray is an excellent shot
with the rife. Cannon is one of the
crack duck-shoOters, but he has never
made any reputation as shooter of big
game.
They were in the hunting region two
days and had killed deer, few jack
rabbits, and coyote The last was as
sassinated about sundown the second
night, and the men were just on their
way to camp when they came to a sud
den halt
From behind the brush a ferociOus-
looking panther sprang at Cannon be-
fore he could raise his rife to his should
er, and it knocked him to the earth.
Murray, thoroughly excited, hit the
animal a stunning blow over the head,
knocking it from Cannon. who was fight
ing desperately for his life. The blow
delivered by Murray paralyzed the panth-
er only for second, and the animal en-
tered into combat with Murray. Muir
ray, though a powerful man, was no
match for the animal. Together they
rolled around on the earth, the man eX-
erting himself to his utmost to free
himself from the deadly attack. His
clothes were being torn from his body,
and pieces of flesh were scratched from
hisbody at every claw.
Cannon, at first slightly stunned by
the blow he received, recovered quickly
and Joined in the fray He could not
use his rife, as the contest was SO excl
ting that he might have accidentally in
jured his companion had he attempted
to lodge ball in the anatomy of the
beast. But he took his sheath-knife and
plunged it into the panther's back, max
ing the creature writhe in agony. Blood
nearly blinded Murray, but, as soon as
lac felt the hold of the beast relax, by a
deXterous movement he threw it from
him. Cannon knew he had to take
some risks, so he threw himself upon
the panther and plunged the knife into
its heart, letting its life blood flow out
upon the turf.
1t was the closest call the men had
ever had.
Murray wac very feeble and Cannon
assisted him over to Kearn's ranch, where
the wounds of both men were attend
ed to.
Next day Kearn and Cannon went
over to where the dead panther lay and
took the hide off it. From point of nose
to tip of tail the panther measured 6
feet 81 inches.
A DOGS ENDURANCE AND SKILL
PRETTY STORY FROM TIE SHEEP
RANCHES N CALIFORNIA's MOUNTAINS.
The kindergarten.
The best of the dogs were worth 5000
or even more. One herder whom we
met at Cold Spring Ranch showed us
very pretty one that he said he would
not sell for $780, She had at that time
four young puppies. The night we ar
rived we visited his camp and were great
" interested in the little mother and her
nursing babies. At dark the assistant
herder came 10 say that there were 20
more sheep missing. Two male dogs,
both larger than the little mother, were
standing about doing nothing. But the
herder said neither Tom nor Dick would
find them; Flora must go.
1t was urged by the assistant that her
foot was sore, that she had been hard at
work all day, was nearly worn out, and
mist feed her puppies. The boss insist
cd that she must go. The sun was set
ting. There was no time to lose. Flora
WAS called and told to hunt for the lost
sheep, while her master pointed to a
great forest through the edge of which
they had passed on their way up. She
raised her head, but seemed very 10th to
leave her babies. The boss called sharp
IL to her. She rose, looking tired and
lnw-spirited, with her head and tail
down, and trotted YEARLY off toward the
forest | said:
That is too bad
''Oh, she'll be right back. She's light
ming on stray sheep"
The next morning went over to learn
whether Flora found the strays. While
we were speaking. the sheep were re-
turning driven by the little dog, who did
not raise her head nor wag her tail, even
when spoken to, but crawled to her pup
pies, and laid down by them. She had
been away all night, and while her hun
CRY babies were tugging away fell asleep.
How often the scene comes back to
me. The vast, gloomy forest, and that
little creature with her sore foot, and
her heart crying for her babies, limping
and creeping about in the wild can0nS
all through the dark, long hours, finding
and gathering in the lost sheep.
There are other than dog mothers,
who often have like fare. The dog
stands for fidelity and sacrifice, and we
have heard it said that the best part of
human being is the dog in him.
BRINGING UP CHILDREN.
From Woman for March