The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-07-18
>2loIiitoluof pilot,
THURSDAY, july Is, 1889.
PLAYED WITH a PANTHER.
ADVENTURE OF AN EIGHT YEAR OLD Bo,
WHO EOMPED WITH "BIG CAT"

New CASTLE, Ind, July 81 once
listened with great pleasure to story Of
81 old pioneers adventure with panth-
er, when he was but a small boy. 1t
happened on Four Mile Creek, Athens
County, Ohio, only a few miles distar
from the mouth of the Hooking River
A family by the name of Green had NOV
ed into the wilderness and built rude
IOg-cabin structure from q quarter to a
half mile distant from the stream, and
On quite an elevation of land. At that
time the woods around them were full of
dec, bears, panthers, and often the
nights were rendered hideous by the
near proximity of that terror, the timber
wolf. The heads of the family were
kept very busy during the day, and did
rot always notice the absence of the old
est child, a mere boy of s years, and he
sometimes wandered much farther from
the house than was safe. So one morn
ing this boy Owen was his nance wand
cred off as usual until he finally found
his way down to the creek bottom. The
mother being quite busily employed
about her washing, supposed that the
boy lad gone with his father, who was
out chOppiDg, and hence she felt no un
easiness about his absence believing that
father and son would both come home
together. But about noon the father
came III and began looking around and
asking for his son. The mother was
astonished and became perfectly wild
with fear when told by the father that he
had not seen anything of the lad since
leaving home in the morning. Both
parents now began to describe q circle
Of the premises and call loudly for the
boy, bot received no answer, and the
mother became almost distracted with
grief.
The father returned to the house pro-
cured his gun and concluded to make .
more extended search. 1t was early In
the fall, aud the woods were usually
thick and heavy with foliage, aud Mr.
Green crept along silently noting every
sound, looking for signs, and listening
intently. After
WALKING STEALTHILY
for perhaps fifteen minutes, he reached
tie banks of a small brook, and began,
following it down to where it emptied
into -Four mile Creek. Cautiously he
ip.toed bis way along on the sand bars
or flat stones, and seemingly did not
make even the slightest disturbance that
could be noticeable. Just before reach
ing the mouth of the little brook he
thought he discovered signs indicating
the direction which his boy had taken.
Indeed he grew very confident, and
being an OLD hunter and remarkable for
his sagacity and keenness of sight,
ranked the equal of the most expert say
age of that day in tracking. Occasion
ally he would find few leaves or peb-
bles misplaced but short time before,
and though there there was but little
little water in the brook, vet he soon dis
covered that his boy had gone in that
direction. But what startled him with
Sudden fear and sent thrills of terror to
his heart was to observe, near tue boys
tracks, the prints made by the feet of
some very large animal and which had
certainly passed along after the boy and
was doubtless either still following or,
perhaps the father thought, had already
Nlled the lad. The father did not know
what course to pursue, but finally decid
Ell TO move on more cautiously than
ever, for lie concluded if the boy was al
ready dead he conld not possibly save
aim, but if still alive he might fad him
md kill the beast. Every minute the
lgrs grew more fresh, and Mr.. Green
te't certain that either the animal or the
hoy, or beth were very near, and that
he might at any moment discover them.
Every few steps he stopped and listen.
Ell, but could hear nothing. Then he
got down and crawied along on his hands
to some thick brush close beside the
mouth of the small stream, and soon after
began to peer all around him and through
the thick foliage. As vet he could see
nothlng, for the thick foliage screened
everything III front of him from view.
But something either instinct or affec.
lon for his child, seemed TO firmly con-
vince him that his lost son was very
near, and he realized that he must steal
inside the foliage. and he did so with ex
IRENE caution. When once inside he ex-
amlned his gun to see that it was ready
for action. Then be began to hunt a
space between the leaves so as to look
outward. There was but one place where
he could see out, and that was slightly
beneath the foliage and next to the
ground.
He lowered his body carefully to take
a glance and just as his eyes reached a
level with the opening he discerned an
animal few rods behind him, and, at
once recognized it as the one whose
tracks he had noticed in the creek bottom.
1t appeared to be.
PLAYING WITH SOMETHING,
and as he brought his gun to his should.