St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-11-24

| ttcos duQ 0Iter q lew ClrCultSs L00-llO0
was wound up hard and tight. Il was
then q safe and easy matter to end the
bruised, battered. and half-drowned
creatures existence with q hunting
knife.
A very interesting scene in which q
lion figured. ives related to me by q gen.
tleman who was on hunting expdietion
with two or three friends in the range
beyond the Santa Inez mountains.
Late one afternoon they were sitting
on crag. overlooking grassy valley
which was already in shadow. Almost
beneath them hare was grazing. with
her foal gambOling about her. While
the hunters were watching the grace
full little creatures antics, It gave a
startled whinny and sped towards its
mother, and then 1t Was seen that a
mountain lion was in pursuit. The
! mare at once offered battle. showing
surprising agility and courage. She
always kept between the foal and the
lion. Whenever the lion sought to
spring upon the colt. she would inter-
pose herself with Incredible swiftuess,
whirl around and let fly both heels.
As usual with horses out at pasture
age the mare was unshOd, but more
than once was heard the thud of her
hOOfs against the tawny side of the
lion. In her unhesitating devotion to
her young. she made q fine, in
spring picture. Her neck was
aIc;:ed, her action most courageous;
and whenever she struck out with her
feet, the force OF the blows was
tremendous. How the contest would
have ended it is hard to say. for the
hunters. after watching the strange
scene a few moments. hastened down
the mountain side In the hope Of hav-
ing shot at the marauder, but on the
approach of these new foes, the great
cat at once made of. defying all pur-
suit among the steep cliffs.
A very common trait in all intel
ligent animals is curiosity; and on one
occasion "a young lion, nearly grown.
indulsed its thirst for knowledge in a
way which unpleasantly suggested a
thirst of a more sanguinary character.
A few years since q well-knOwn artist
of Santa Barbara was sketching In
Glen Annie, on the famous Hollister
ranch. This glen. with its superb
live-oaks, forms the beginning of one
of the numerous canyons running up
into the mountains. and is but few
miles from the city. The artist. with
out q thought Of danger or Interrupt
ton. was painting busily, when hap
pening to look up he saw a lion but
a few yards away. Here vas
critic which any artist might
justly dread; and the worst Of it was.
that however Indifferent he was to the
sketch, he might find the painter only
too well suited to his taste. A prob
able brush. of q nature very different
from the brush with which he had
been laying on color. now occupied the
artists mind, and he feared that il
might he one which would leave GRIM
son hues in plenty. What course To
take, he scarcely knew. and for mo-
ment the artist and his visitor eyed
each other. The only weapon at hand
was his camp-stool, which would close |
up into something like a club. He
dropped his brush and put down his |
hand to draw the three legs together;
whereupon the creature began to with
draw, a few steps ut time, often look. |
ing back as though undecided In mind. |
1t can scarcely be credited with . wish |
to become q part OF the sketch, or |
with any profound interest in the pict- |!
ure itself The artist. however, in
terested the beast deeply; and how |
tar il woGld have carried investiga-
ton II unObserved il is hard to say. |
These creatures rarely attack an armed |
man, or one who is alert; but. pos
sessed Of unusual cunning. this par
lion might have deemed it safe !
to spring upon the painter II he could |
have been taken at complete disad-
Probably the quiet worker
had at first merely excited the lions
curiosity. A lion. however, never
needs any one to jog its elbow as hint
that q dinner may be had, with or with
put leave.
A gentleman, . graduate Of Yale
College. who came here years ago for
his health, told me OF a remarkable
with this same stealthy
animal With a friend he was out
lrou:-ishing in a wild canyon among
the mountains. The gentleman, whom
We will call Mr.. A., had taken his
friend. stranger to the region. into
The mountains. intending to give him
, chance to catch some speckled
and perhaps to shoot . deer
Dr. two. They had their rifles with
hem. and the friend was sitting
ou the bank Of the stream With
his gun across his lap. It should Be
said in his behalf. however. that he
vas not accustomed to use the weapon.
It was early In the morning. they had
just reached the stream. and Mr.. A. sat
On . sand-spit on the farther side Of the
brook. engaged in fastening q fly-hook
10 . line. His rife was leaning against
tree several feet away. A little cur
dog. called LADY" had accompanied
hem. and she was indulging in . hunt
on her own aooounk She soon found
he dogs proverbial enemy. . ca&. but
one for which poor little Lady would
have made scarcely two mouthfuls.
Yelping. she ran and jumped into Mr..
As arms; when, TO his astonishmenA
70 enormous mountain lion came
oaf ~ Aho Hooda altar. hAs /