The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-11-02

In recent letter to his friends
here, under date Of Santa Barba, Cal
ifornia, Sept. %, Mr.. Marsh describes
very thrilling adventure in his own
terse and vigorous style. A few days
before the occurrence he set out on q
little trip of pleasure, probably in the
hope of adventure, and after getting
away short distance from the city
goes on to say:
II soon found myself in the dusk
of the great oak forest. The sun
was over an hour above the ocean
1.-THE horizon, so I ascend further
and further toward the crags be-
yond-stopping occasionally to turn
and behold the magnificent view Of
ocean and city and valley below far
to the west and south-then turning
to continue nv ascent-holding this
image wildly in my mind till its
grandeur seemed fixed to be enjoyed
forever. Such were my feelings with
nothing to disturb save the occasion
al whir of a wing of an escaping
partridge, or the chatter of a SPUR
rel-when opposite a small dense
thicket-the gentle, rustling sound
as of soft tread upon the leaves
startled me and caused me to look
within the thicket, now dark and
lost to the sun-and there / beheld
what might have easily been mistak-
en- for a puppy-plump, fat and
sleek-of purplish gray color with
tendency to varegated lines along the
sides = short ears = greyish green
eyes, and in most every way pretty
little pup, as thought, and one that
Arthur would be delighted with as
he was with little rabbit, a man
had given him till it got away so /
picked it up intending to appropri-
ate it thinking that perhaps some
one had left it to die far from the
house. l concluded to go to the
road and 60 home that way though
it was little farther that way-the
road being a succession OF curves
and windings-yet smoother-and
it was now getting a little dark. /
started with my prize and got nearly
to the road, a hundred yards or more,
holding the trembling little creature
in one arm and hand. Suddenly l
heard thud as of something falling
to the ground and looking round my
glance was met by two cleaning
eyes; like a shock of electricity a
feeling rose and passed over me
causing my hair to feel as if it were
standing on end, and l suppose the
beast felt the effect Of my surprise
and the advantage it had at that
moment of my semi-paraiyzed state.
1t was but for a moment, however,
and / fully realized my situation;
that l was before a California lion
or lioness robbed of it's whelp which
/ held in my arm. She was beauti-
full, but threatening in her attitude,
waving her tail slowly to and fro
then bending low she softly stepped
forward. l waited not for further
approach but started for the road
not sound uttered ON the part of
either of us. / had been too much
surprised to completely manage as /
might have done, but still holding
the whelp / gained the road but had
not a moment to spare-next l had
presence of mind enough to let the
whelp drop, but l suppose she did
not see it; and the wind was toward
me from her. At full speed / ran
few rods down the road, and after
passing a turn / glanced back and
seeing nothing in pursuit supposed
the dropping Of her whelp had APP
peased her anger, but at that mo-
ment l saw her above the road upon
the bank in the very act
of springing upon me. Before l
could step she was in the air. /
leaped forward and she alighted just
behind me. / now ran for life. She
was in pursuit but not in the road
flor it is strange that an animal will
not follow one if seen along the road, J
but she was making fearful leaps
along the upper housekeeping pace
with me. A moment told me that
my only hope lay in the fact that
underbushes fringed the road and at
intervals became very dense and ex-
tended far back, SO that the lioness
would be retarded being compelled
to plunge through them. Fear added
wings to my speed. l realized for
once that my life depended on the
sureness and swiftness of my feet.
Every minute it was becoming dark
er and more difficult to make long,
rapid leaps with safety. The road
being now and then rougher and
more. stony necessitated care. At
the point about half way there was
an open space about $50 yards along
which there was no hedge or growth
of any kind. This / thought was the
turning point for escape or dead
ly conflict. The dense underground
had enabled me to gain few rods
on my pursuer. 1 was now passing
the open space-half way-oh, if /
could look back and see how near
the enraged beast was-two- thirds of
the way-only few more rods would
place the underbrush between us.
/ could distinctly hear the thud,
thud, thud, as she lighted from her
leaps. CHANGING, at length,
over my shoulder I saw, like two
balls of fire two eyes that peered
throurb tho dark d;rof,l NJ, AZ