Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-12-07
FAIRVIEW.
FAIRvIEw, TREGo Co. Dec. 9Th.

FAIRvIEw, TREGo Co. Dec. 9Th.
Cyril Kruht is in Colorado, working on
the railroad.
The weather is fine and small grain is
looking well.
Adolph Swanbeck is still working at
the forestry station.
The ground is in excellent condition for
blowing and some of the neighbors are
blowing the ground that they expect to
crop next season.
We will have an entertainment at the
school house on Friday evening of next
week. Let all come prepared to give us
recitation OF some kind.
Nowsfor a mountain lion story of which
our neighbor, James Best, is the hero.
Mr. Best tells it about as follows: 'In
Feb. of '65, I and three comrades were
about sixty miles north and little west
of Denver hunting deer. One morning
we saw some deer not great distance
from camp. 1t was arranged that I and
one OF the boys should try to kill deer
while the other two prepared breakfast
We started in pursuit, each Of us TAX
ing gun, but leaving our revolvers and
hunting knives at camp. I crippled one
of the deer and followed it for some dir
lance, but lost all trace Of it. I travelled
on in search of my prize, bat my compan-
ion returned to camp. Bye and bye I saw
another bunch of deer and killed ore.
After dressing it and hanging it up in a
saplipg pressed on still further. I saw
more deer and followed them long dis
lance, but fnaily lost them.
It was now about supper time and I
had missed both breakfast and dinner; so
[ began to hunt for camp in earnest. AZ
ter travelling several miles, Istarted down
canon, aud as I was trudging along,
feeling very tired and hungry, heard a
noise, as OF something travelling along
near me, that caused me to stop very sud-
denly and look about me.
could see nothing. I started again
and had made but few steps when I
heard the sound again. Looking off to
my left I saw a mountain lion within
twenty or thirty steps OF me looked at
him for a few minutes and concluded I
would let him alone if he would be as
good to me, and so I started down the
canon and the lion moved toward me-
When I would stop the lion would stop,
sit down like dog and watch me. So 1
changed my tactics and started back
wards up the canon. After getting up on
tho mountain side I saw large rock that
stood up about as high as my shoulders
I backed in behind that and stopped.
The lion stopped and sat down.
If any one who reads this has ever had
such experience, they will know better
how felt than can tell. I felt that I
was confronted by one of the most dan
gerous wild animals of those regions. My
gun was only single shot gun and / had
no other weapon but a jack knife. Such
a knife was no more comfort to me than a
dog knife would have been.
was well aware that if I did not kill,
or MORALLY wound the lion the first shot,
my name was Dennis" I raised my
gun to shoot, but found that I had what
what we called the Buck ague." I got
my gun up the fourth time before my
nerves were steady enough to shoot.
fred and the animal sprang toward
me. scratched gravel" faster than 1
supposed I was capable of doing. had
travelled but q few rods when I glanced
back and saw the lion between me and
the rock, but he was MORALLY wounded
He was trying to follow me but reeling to
and fro like drunk man. He followed
me about quarter of a mile and then
fell PROSTATE on his side.
I loaded my gun and hurried to camp.
The next morning we went to skin the
lion. He would weigh about two hun
bred and eighty pounds. The bali had
struck him just back Of the fore leg, COM
ing out through the opposite flank.
One of my comrades gave me four dol
lars for the skin.
LoSGFELLow.