Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-08-27
sglnmth's Column.
The Children and the Panther.

Down on the Blackwater, in south
eastern Saline, about the year 1880,
settler named Samuel Miller, had
built his cabin and was opening a
small farm. He had two little daugh-
tiers, Jennie and Susie, aged seven
and six. One morning the mother
of the little girls sent them on an
GRAND to neighbours, nearly two
miles distant. The road was mere
pathway through the thick woods,
but the children knew it very we'll.
Hand in hand, they toddled along,
unheeding peril because unconscious
of it. But half mile from home,
on the upper arc of large leaning
tree. which bent directly over the
path, they saw large panther
stretched out at full length, basking
in the morning sun. They did not
know rightly what it was.
ooh, Susie,'' said Jennie, "there's
wolf"
eyes," said Susie, "and | s'pect
it's the bad fellow that catched my
lamb and killed papa's pigs. Let
US 90 right back home and tell papa,
and he will come and shoot it wiz
his gun"
''But what if it runs away while
we are gone?" returned Jenny. ''Tell
you what we'll do, Susie; you stay
here and watch it. and I'll run and
tell papa! [ can run fastest, you
know"
Little Susie readily assented to
the arrangement, assuring her sister
that if the "bad old wolf should
come down the tree, she would stake
stick and punch his eyes out. "
Then, gathering some acron cups
and quantity of velvety moss, she
set about constructing ''play-house"
at the foot of the very tree on which
crouched the panther, watching her
curiously. Presently he arose and
walked back and forth, back and
forth, along the level extent of the
tree, as if impatient to descend.
But Susie shook her little fist at him
menacingly and soon he lay down
again, with his head between his
paws, lazily blinking his great yell
low eyes, Gas if" Susie said, che
was awful sleepy"
Away ran Jeunie, feet as little
| fawn and in due time she reached
her fathers cabin, and hurriedly told
| her mother that there was "a big
wolf on tree, and that Susie had
stayed to mind it, Mrs. Miller at
once comprehended the narrowing
truth, and called frantically to her
husband, who was at work in his
| clearing near by. Mr.. Miller came
at once, accompanied by a young
man in his employ, named George
Plunkett. Realizing the imminent
peril of his child, and dreading that
perhaps already a horrible fate had
befellen it, the pioneer did not speak
a word but in few seconds he and
young Plunkett, rifle in hand, were
running swiftly to the scene. Near
ing the locality, Miller said:
eff we are not too late, George.
let me fire first"
Possibly the emotions of the father
at this time may be imagined GER
tainly, l cannot describe them. Faint
hopes and sickening fears alternated
in his breast as he sped feetly on.
1t was hardly possible that the child
was yet alive; out, as the panther
had not sprung at first, there was 6
bare chance. Meanwhile, in the lit
tie cabin home the agonized mother
had caught her remaining little one
to her breast and was praying silent
| ly, but fervently.
Butch, JOY of it!-on coming
within sight of the Hateful tree, Mill.
er saw his child safe and unframed
The little innocent was busy at bel
play, grooming sweetly the while
Doubtless, He who stopped the
mouths of the lions had preserved
her. High above, the panther was
on his perch. In two seconds, Mill
er's rifle rang out; the panther came
crashing to the ground, a bullet fair
ly in it's brain and little Susie sprane
| up and exclaimed, go papa, how
you scared me -
The panther measured five feet ter
inches. Miller tanned it's skin anC
when his daughters had grown tc
womanhood, each of them had {