davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1888-11-04
Attacked by n Ninety-pouud Wildcat.
From the lfldnfd Consfffukfon

=. A gentleman from Upson county relates a
thrilling experience between Mr.. Matthews.
who lives near Pine Mountain and large
wildcat. Mr.. Matthews, after enjoying q social
chat with one Of his neighbors; saddled his
the mountain; He was riding along at slow
pace. absorbed in thought, when he passed a
thick dump OF trees and bushes that stood
near the roadside. Suddenly he heard loud
crashing. and a large animal Of the cat species
force scream. which 80 frightened the ami
NAL that he gave leap forward and came near
hurting his rider overhead. and at the same
time causing the cat to lose its hold and fall to
the ground. Mr.. Matthews lost all presence of
mind mind, and. forgetting that he had his gun with
at him. Being a bright. moonshiDy" night.
he got good look at the cat, and thought it
Squirting his horse he hastened homeward
and a made m preparations M to return and track the
had its young with 1t. which caused 1t to be SO
ferocious,, Having g, pair OF large, fox hounds.
he took them with him to a neighbours house
and prevailed upon hi IN to accompany him
upon his hunt. Securing few other, dogs.
irving at the spot where he had recently had
called his dogs and put them on the track.
They soon struck out at a headlong speed
across the mountain, and it WAS not long ere
they had the animal at bay, The gentlemen
front to the dogs. was the boldest wildcat they
had seen. In the rear Of the mother, as they
had expected to see, were two large halt-grow1
kittens. These they proceeded to make short
turned over TO the dogs. and. after hard fight
she was killed the hunters assisting the, dogs
with the butt end of their guns. She weighed
ninety pounds and measured six feet
The sun., 1888-11-04
the scene ana tumbled Mr.. Bear out of his

the scene ana tumbed Mr.. Bear out Of his
b%red lHr 9ss on & Ia the direction Nose had sig
spot the sound Indicated. but could sec moth
s passne 81 MHsS anSeT ao @ bfs OAK tree heard
anea Sy to% toas
s iooReS GeS o up 9i along the trunk and there nifty
feet from the ground, saw the bear, and
hanging TO ono OF his launches. like grim
"f knew % that L Nose had got that hold on
the bear while the bear was still on the ground
the foot Of Of the tree; 80 there was but one CON
clusion to arrive At The bear had & reached the the
stated n he trunk NOSE Just one shout
to let me know the fact. and then couldn't re;
ss taking che% at the S9ar ,s rear END and
letting go of live bear meat when he got grip
tree. e. and M Nose. being heavy weight TO- drag
along. Bruin had got as far as he could with
his load, Nose held on and chewod away at
But the peculiar situation put me- ne. II p,Is
ever H lived. Then M again. the bears haunch was
It. tYl and The result Would also Be- fatal 70 the dog
IN the third the 6 dog snw =, bnSP
outoi itfor Mose but a fatal fall. sooner later
II had to make up my mind quick. and did.
teFmined ter fto to fetch Nose down safe at ali risks
Tai %nses ses to TSsf ss Me
and nsy S Ss spa ps h as. ras hd
stopped to get my wind and Just then the In
tsTns Sa
to get the Sssr and to him
' Az soon as could I crept on up, and had
almost got my hands on Nose. when what aid
the bear but cum that
flve feet away from the bear. clinging to the
like a broken. .winded canal horse Of, a not day.
Nose held his grip, and scrambled on to the
WIFE ali four FEET t. the bear eyed M me- say
agely, and then made straight for me.
pnf % o %sana SaHT Th sns 70 ao a 10 the let go ni
nave 81 my sfS esh he had dfS Ss
Sa' 2 spd ofsa fea ana
1 i Sos up Eh looE but IL hss9 %so
face. and the next second Nose had ioosened
animals back like a cat. and. running along 1t
to the bears head. reached over and seized his
bones bones In the bears snout crunch under Noses
the leaves shake, The bear rushed of Of the
branch and climbed on up the trunk, Nose
clinging to him and riding his back.
Suddenly the bear. bowling at every move,
began to move rapidly down the tree. Down
went ahead OF 1t as fast as / could and the
three OF us-Mose. the bear and me-lnpded on
the ground at about the same time. Nose had
chewed the bears nose pretty well of by that
time. and SO he changed his grip for one back
of the shoulder put q ball through the bears
heart, and that ended the days hunt. 1t was
great one. and a greater bear dog never lived
Nose"
The sun., 1888-11-04
Hawk snd wns Duck. In n Battle.
From the Lecis,on Journal


The time was towards tho close OF the
road manand myself were padding down, and
were quip near the SHORE Across the water
In front OF us, and well down. went q flock al
ducks; fen or twelve In number. and these
paddlea, hoping to get shot Rounding The
point, strange sight met our eyes, The duckn
had stttlod. but the head and neck OF each were
stretched inward. They, were huddled closely
together. and were evidently much excited
thotgh It was plain to be seen that their alarm
wg not on our account. Glancing upward
thtro was seen overhead a monster hnWE
ngched upon dead tree, and at this instant.
lEe nash from the sky no darted with closed
Sings at the birds below. Down they went.
again and hung suspended in midair. Soon
dnck lame up and down again the hawk dart.
ed Time and again this was repeated, mean.
wniie "! lr, my companion explained the situation.
get wing and headway, the hawk could mol
catch feather But they must fret akin the
water when they fly. and here the big fellow
could take them. He will get one before they
eeE OUT OF ,iis cove or drown the lott"
last the hawk was too quick for ono al two
ducks. who fouled tno Joke intended) each other
as they were about to dive. and fastened hie
claws to one. But the duck had got head down.
too. and both disappeared under water II
seemed q minute before anything waa seen
save the rest Of the flock, VINO. coming to the
surface. and not seeing their enemy, took wing
face. and with labored effort, he 70 rose st 10 Sis
old perch. Soon alter came the duck She
struggled to rise. failed, and then we shot her,
II was o strong battle, and my companion ex-
planned to me that had the ducks not been dl.
canoe snd its occupants they would not have
settled in tho hawk trap.
The sun., 1888-11-04

with Whiting % balls. There 'S were several blowing
their % delight With their sun sun bath by iettenns
vent loud hiss I6I. s6H gives then
noticed that great proportion of the serpents
were rattlesnakes, and many seams and opon-
ence @ Of SO SO many difisrent Kinds Of snakes nal at
this spot. They made their winter quarters IN
bright, sunny day v had brought e ; them % out Tin in
cold weather holed them up for good ,..,.
close to one another, and every now and then
Tall and sound his rattiss ati until until everytRins
hummed. II was plain that the colony OF SER
was eStraepg hear q from
OF the snakes for some time. and at last made
up my mind to send load OF buckshot into
hall way between me and the ledge. when sud
denly. and without any warning, one OF the
openns and without er any s"w proIiminary % o
snakes as quick as he. could rise and shoot out
he selected rattI tIesnakes for his victims, and In
or dad repss dsnd
the ground At the coming on the scene of
the deer the snakes started helter skelter for
the rocks. don't believe one rattlesnake got
with his hoofs that they had no time to escape
to cover. In very short time only one live
snake was In sight. and that was monstrous
old black .rattler.
had been SO much surprised by what !
saw that forgot that was deer hunting. and
never thought OF the rare opportunity this
buck was giving me to distinguish myself. l
just lay there In the brush and stared with
nearly to his. hole in. the rocks, when the deer
sprang for him. Quick as lightning the snake
threw himself into coil and sprang at the deer.
The deer missed. but the snake didn't. He
sank his fangs in the deer's nose. and there he
hung The deer leaped two or three times in
a frightened calf bounded away into the woods.
the snake clinging to its nose and In q fash 1t
was out OF sight. At that moment my senses
came back 10 me. and gave myself one OF tho
best cussins fell ow ever got. for sitting there
like chump within ten yards Of whopping
big buck ,ss and letting rattlesnake capture 1t
"A good while afterward. though. I told an
old hunter friend OF mine the story, expecting
to hear him laugh and give me fits. Instead
";Ih' hain't nothin' queer, bout that, Simon,
the best @ the deer. Th' hain't moth n on top
@ earth tht hates rattlesnake wuss'n a deer
does. an they know ez well OF they know how
to run th't rattlers will come outen their dens
on warm. sunshiny days in the fall. Deer is
aluz layin' fer setch days an they take in all
rattlers;, Wy; wen deer. were plenty in these
woods I'd ruther hev rattesnake den to lay
by an watch thin to hey salt lick, fer deer
was sartiner to come to the den thin they was
plugged on their snake.killin,' rounds But I
on him afore: That's the queer part Of yer
story. Simon"
The sun., 1888-11-04

In Dakota there prevails among the ma
tives most inspiring method Of pursuit. Whom
at a distance you perceive flock OF geese gar.
nering the golden grain in blssfu uncon-
sciousness OF approaching evil. he tacks up to-
wards them in most unconscious and inno-
cent sort OF a way. lust as though he had some
funny business to- attend to in that particular
field. The geese feed on unconsciously. doubt.
less connecting the approaching team with
ploughs and oxen and farm work to which
they have long been accustomed. Finally.
when the team Is nearly in range they become
somewhat suspicious and prepare for flight.
fiapping their tails and stretching their necks
toward the other.
This is the vital moment. The jehu applies
the wimhle good. and tho bronchos fly over
the prairie with the wings OF the lightning,
The hunting wagon sails over the ploughed
ground occasionally striking the solid
ground to get a new start. while the hunt
ers hang desperately on to the seats and are
filed to the eyes and ears with stubble.
plouRhed ground, and chaff A goose. al
though generally keeping up with tho intel
es this Is reduced to, a lamentabIe state Of
undecided whether to fly or to fall nobly in tho
breach. Now q goose has to get run 10 give
1t start when 1t rises. and as 1t can only rise
against the wind. II you approach on the lee-
ward side. the goose is compelle ed to neet you
half way. Thus one has ample opportunity
to ruffie the plumage of such q bird before 1t
can get well out OF range.
The sun., 1888-11-04
Queer Effect OF n Ground RattIer's Sting.
From the Birmingham Age


Jerry Dargin is the name OF five-year-old
negro boy whose parents live near, Green
Springs. about two miles south OF the city.
About four months ago, while Jerry, was play
ing in the yard one day. he was bitten by
email reptile known as ground rattlesnake.
Jerry's parents gave him plenty OF whiskey TO
drink and applied other simple remedies Tor
poison. but did not call In physician. The boy
seemed seriously affected by the bite. and linz
Gered between life and death for many days.
Finally no began to improve. and was soon able
to run about the yard again. But he has.never
regained his former health and strength. and
recently he began to show signs OF peculiar
ailment or insanity.
He has become strangely silent. seldom ut
gets out In the yard he lies down with his face
TO the ground and crawls along. evidently try
ing to initiate the motions OF snake. When
left alone he will crawl along tho ground until
he finds some place where he can CONCEAL him.
self, and there he will remain In hiding until
his parents find him and take him into the
house. When angered the boy does not cry as
he formerly did, but makes peculiar kissing
noise similar to the hiss OF an angry snake, and
the veins in his neck. face. and forehead swell
to enormous proportions At such times his
eyes assume greenish hue and remain that
color until he is again in good humor
Tho little negros parents think his strange
actions are the result Of the snake bite. while
many of the colored people In the neighbor-
hood are confident he has been voudooed.
The sun., 1888-11-04
Franks OF Maine Bear.


The whole country east Of tie Penobscot,
from Bangor north, is full Of oears. and 1, tac
veteran hunters are al on the warpath with
rifle and trap Queer bear yarrs are 6egtnnipg
has been up on the East Brnch. living in a
logging camp, relates that ole night recently
he was awakened by q noise at the door. and
thinking it was some sportman or PR pMrosp1eet%or 1 to-
When he opened the doc, the hoepitable gun
ner was ALMOST frightendo d out & OF his wits St to
bear erowled and stared in. r. while the man
seantily attired but as ie thought % more Of his h
6e roasted for two aortal hours in the frosty
with such eaiables q the camp afforded;
bered of. and the lone hunter. chilled to tho
bone. descended. to find that his repeating
where he might lave grabbed It in an instant.
and ever since b has been kicking himself for
losing. at one fdl swoop. all his provisions and
a fine black bar. A farmer over in Clifton.
who has lost lots Of sheep. now declares JOY
fully that he las got revenge. having found the
thieving bea the other morning in his pasture
choked to d'ath with sleeps head.
The sun., 1888-11-04
Il FUNNY SQUIRREL, INDEED.
It was Lucky for Farmer Fry's boy that he
Hit 1t In n Place to XIII.

BURdETTsTowN, Pa, Nov Son Thurs
day Simon Fry. who lives on the Small farm.
on the West Virginia side Of the State line. was
at work near his barn. when his 10-year- OLD
son. who had been nutting in piece Of woods
near the house. came running to him and told
him there was funny big squirrel, without
any tall" In a tree at the edge Of the woods.
and wanted him to get his gun and kill 1t. Fry
told his boy that he had no time to bother with
squirrels, and that he must 20 away and not
bother him.
The boy went away. going toward the house.
He had been gone but few minutes when Fry
respects to his poultry yard. greatly 70 its de-
pletion., sailing about. high in the air. The
nsw that hat hs ssxf h asSyE on bis
portunity to pounce upon one and bear It away.
Fry for several days had his gun heavily load
day surprise this winged marauder and lay
him low. The gun he kept behind door In
ance Of the hawk this day Fry went to the
case the hawk swoopsd down; but tho Sun was
piece Of woods where his boy had been nutting
The 1 and hH vaene but
dread alarm, he started on run for the woods.
a and at Ths masne
In his arm and hurried with him TO the house.
1t was there found that he had not been shot,
but was suffering from the great recoi OF the
Soyysm 81 shoulder was s disioeated' ' and tie riebt
side of his face was badly swollen and bruised.
But he was soon restored to consciousness. and
the first words he said were:
"Where's the funny squirrel without any tail?
killed it. know"
He insisted SO in having his game looked UP
that his father. having, despatched a messen-
ger for doctor. went back to the woods to see
II the boy had killed a squirrel. What he found
surprised him.. Lying dead, fifty feet from
enormous catamount. The boys aim had been
good, and the entire charge OF shot had entered
the animals throat, severing the windpipe and
all the arteries. A less effective shot would
have been worse for the infant hunter than the
kick Of the gun. for the fierce beast infuriated
by its wound. would have torn him to pieces
The catamount O rare animal In that locality,
weighed over fifty pounds. and was nearly four
feet long. When next this boy tells his father
tail. in their woods. the father will doubtless
investigate it. The hen hawk did not get its
dinner that day ont OF Farmer Fry's yard. The
sound Of the gun scared him away.
The sun., 1888-11-04

safely 10 the enraeed reptile. he fred FIVE balls
into him before he succumbed and lay quiet.
Merritt then cat of the 'gator's head. intends
ing to bury II to secure the teeth. On cutting IL
of he noticed something projecting from the
neck, and. taking hls knife. no disembowelled
the big fellow. The protection was found to be
had swallowed almost entire, save biting on
the head In the stomach Of the larger one was
tie. bent all out OF shape. two feot Of small
trace chain. a email part OF hame from
ticles, such as pine knots, stones and the head
OF an axe.
The saurian measured IA feet 8x inches In
length from the tip OF bis snout to the end OF
his tail. He was q savage old bull, and had
Merrill been disabled at first he would have fall
The sun., 1888-11-04
CLOSE FORK WITH A BOB.CAE
Ono OF tho Usllest Brutes OF tho Forest t.
Tackle 10 the Canadian Lynx.


From the Boston Traveller
To those who have never penetrated into
the heart OF the Adirondack wilderness or
spent night in Canadian trapper's camp.
and @ % W no doast need 'ssM The
and throughout the Canadian border. apply
resemblance to a tailless cat: or. rather a. cat
with only an apology for tail" bob cat" or
following story. told by an old hunter goes to
prove: ! will not attempt to initiate his pecu.
liar dialect, but otherwise tell it Just as he told
Twas warm morning in September. 1924.
Basn 10
home a fine buck. for the ,venison was rnnning
low at the camp and in this region winter h sets
been plentiful one f9F them The he road ' led led
the moana and }cr rest y Of the
way along the sides Of different lodges. some
%s ase hs asaR ss ass s
more my patience was rewarded BY obtaining
on tree, to await the arrival OF party Of
ttrappers who were going to Join me at the
before % m preparing II Tor the night took it into
my head to have a partridge for supper. and
started out accordingly.
to turn back for the basin when to my dismay
! had not the least idea which way to turn and
1t had grown very dark. the wind had come up.
the air. While pondering what to do: the wind
be hardly heard above the whispering balsams.
but all doubt was removed by a second cry.
much nearer and more distinct than the first
! now realized what the cry meant and know
the nose Of one Of the ugliest animals or the
forest, the Canadian lynx, or bob-cat."
Before could d make ready for an attack or
find place OF shelter, the boughs ahead Of me
parted. and with yell the lynx for such It
proved to be. sprang straight for my shoulders.
I not retained presence Of mind to drop on one
knee. and thus receive the whole weight OF the
animal on my heels. We both turned. but the
cat was a little bit quicker, and, catching my
arms In his open jaws, rolled me over on my
back. and at the same time settled his claws
that was. free struggled desperately to reach
my hunting knife that might the sooner end
the struggle which was beginning to severe-
!y tell on myvstrength. At last my arm was
free OF his jaws; he had dropped 1t. in
order to use hIs teeth to better effect g on my
from under the bushes saw q black shaggy
mass fly through the air and fasten itself on
the back OF the cat. who rolled over and pre-
pared for another struggle. which ended by
Rungine my knife to his heart and thus say
aHs oE that end n
victory for the bob cat 49,
Il slept that night with lynx for pillow
and dog for a foOtboard. and was awakened
the next morning by trappers who had come
In search OF me- not finding me at the basin.
BY the aid Of poles we carried the cat home.
twelve feet. tip to tip. being the largest speoi-
men OF the kind ever killed in the country"
The sun., 1888-11-04
BEN RoYER'S DOG NOSE.
The Greatest Bear Dog That Ever Lived,
as Ono OF His Exploits Alone Proves

The Greatest Rear Dog That Ever Lived,
as One OF HIS Exploits Alone Proves
PINE CREEK, Pa, Nov. ST s'pose that
dog used to be the greatest bear dog that ever
lived" said Ben Royer, pointing to decrepit,
half blind black dog OF no particular breed that
hmped along after him.
Ben Royer was once great hunter, but five
years ago he lost a leg and an arm In q saw
mill. and he hasn't felt like going into the
woods since.
"The greatest bear dog that ever lived" he
continued. and bar none. He Is old and
played out now like his master. but he has a
record. He's blind and deaf and lame. and
is in his fourteenth year. but II a bear
was to happen to come by here this minute
that dog Nose would know 1t. and he'd show
fight. He's been with me in many bear fight,
and he never hunked once. and more than
once 1t would have gone hard with me II 1t
hadn't been for him. think his greatest ex-
pioit was the one he had up the Kettle Greek
five years ago. Twas In the fight incidentally.
and 1t was my last one too, for the very next
week found that fighting circular saw wasn't
as soft snap as tusselling with bear. as you
may see by what is left OF me-
Nose and went out for a little hunt the
day before Thank sgiying that year. Nose al
ways locke out for signs OF bear himself, and
found place where bear had been turning
over the stones or tearing old logs and stumps
IN search OF grubs and bugs. Nose let me
know II by. q peculiar bark. always the same.
II he found bear wallow, he signalled me by
q different bark, and 1t was always the Same In
such cases; II he struck warm trail he let
II he started up tho bear In sight he informed
me Of that In o way there was no installing.
On this particular day Nose had signalled
things that had not panned out bear when
all Of sudden, u good ways down in the hol-
low, heard him tell mo that he had started a
bear. and that 1t was in sight. hurried down
as fast as my legs would carry me. and before
cane ~ PSI sight o. thS chase Nose sang Spt e
II once though. and that puznled me. for whom
ever he bad hunteA bruin intS ? tree before
The sun., 1888-11-04
CLAWED HIS HEEL OFF,
The bad Luck OF q Boy Who Found Cub
without Knowing What 1t Was.


SCRANTON, Nov. 3.-"While think Of it."
said the old hunter Il must tell you about a
funny thing that happened when was young
man to a chap on Tobyhanna Creek. I say 1t
was funny. because the fellow that 1t happened
to brought 1t on himself. when, II he had let tho
bear alone he wouldn't have got hurt. He was
a boy in his teens. and he found bear in
trap that some one had set near the swamp
along in the fall. The young chap was roam
ing around. as boys will do. having nothing
particular In view except to kill time. when hs
came across the bear. The clog had got caught
In something. and the old bear was storming
and thrashing around to relieve himself and
the boy. as soon as he saw that the bear was
fast. thought that 1t would be wonderful fun to
tease the old fellow. 80 long as there was no
danger Of his getting loose.
80 the young chap hunted around till ho
found a good club. and then he skipped up to
the bear and hit him a clip on the head. OF
course that enraged the bear @ good deal and
made him renew his efforts to yank his paw or
foot out Of the Tap aad Of course the bears
the boy kept up the fun little too long, and at
last the bear yanked himself loose and made
for his tormentor. It took the boy, so ,unawares
the bear. and before he had run far
one one, Of MS feet got caught @ under the tough
on his hands and knees. He had on shoes and
while he Was Kicking to get HE @ foot Il loose @ the
and tore the shoe. stocking. and q chunk OF the
flesh OF the boys heel OF. That let him loose.
. and he , ran OF yelling murder; Dut he didn't
was so scared. The blood. from. the. heel and
the flesh, that was left within the shoe made
didn't follow the boy any further. The lad got
TO the nearest house without any further In
heel till some one told him, know the boy
for several weeks TO pay for the fun he had
with the bear
Another lad of my acquaintance once got
in the woods and starting OIL with it He didn't
know anything at all about the risk he was
running for his folks had lust moved up here
bears. and he wasn't TO blame for what he did.
The cub made q noise. and tho boy tried TO
na As sSSsessS !hs noiaisE Y got he hung 70 Il