The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-26

cover blankets. Half asleep, he thought
it might be his brother, and mechan-
ically put out his elbow, only to prod
that worthy in the ribs and to wake
him up ALSO Both men then suddenly
sat up together and beheld, lying right
at their feet and looking up longingly at
the string of tempting birds, an enor-
nous panther-at least John said it
seemed gigantic. Both gave frightened
yell, and the panther, frightened per-
haps more than they, sprang up, bounded
off into the brush and was gone. The
men caught up their rifles and pursued
it, but not another sight of it did they
get.
Travelling across country one summer
day with several heads of horses, John
made camp as evening approached on
the edge of thicket of live oak and
mesquite that bordered the Arkansas
river bottoms. He tethered the horses
on the open prairie near by and then
went into the thicket for firewood. Re-
turning with a small armful and
scrambling through the dense bushes
into small open space, he suddenly
came on large panther lying asleep
full length on the ground, and another
few yards away sitting on its
launches regarding him. The panther
on guard gave muEled purr, and the
other cat sat up quickly and glanced
around. Then it walked leisurely
across the small clearing and sat down
by its mate. Neither showed the least
desire to run, and John, taken by sur
prise, stood looking at them, as they at
him. He had no weapons, and he
knew better than to make tracks. For
tunately with the frewood he had
gathered was q stout mesquite stick,
about as heavy as base ball bat, and,
taking that in hand for club, started
across the open space past the pam
theirs toward the camp.
The big felines got up, but did not
retreat as he came within forty or fifty
feet of them, and as he struck into the
bushes again the largest one walked
slowly after him, perhaps more in
curiosity than otherwise. John was
within a hundred yards of camp now
and he made dash for the prairie
and dare say, came as near lowering
the running record for the distance as
the thicket and brush would let Ism.
As he burst from the bushes TO where
his packs and rifle lay another panther,
to all appearance considerably fright
ened, sprang past him into the thicket.
This fellow had been, with spirit of
investigation, turning John's packs
over, had clawed his saddle-bags open
and eaten a part of fresh rabbit that
had been intended for supper. John
quickly buckled on his revolver, seized
his Winchester and started after the
last panther, but could see nothing of
it. Then he went back to the small
cats and found they had disappeared
also. He hunted the thicket for half
mile back and forth, till it got too dark
to see, and returning to camp ate
bite of bread and canned stuff and pre-
pared to turn in. Before doing so,
however, he thought of mare and colt
among his horses and afraid that the
panthers might spring on the colt and
drag it beyond reach of the mothers
tether before she could interfere, went
out and turned the mare loose with
halter on. That night. for the first time
in his life, he had his rife for bed fell
low and his six-shooter where he
could catch it up in a moment.
Nothing disturbed mis- slumbers
till nearly morning, when he was
suddenly Weakened by a commotion
among the horses and galloping of
hoofs that came rapidly nearer, and
the mare and her colt emerged from
the darkness. dashed forward almost
running over him, and then stopped by
him.
With rifle in hand he peeped into
the darkness, but he could see nothing.
But the mare mad turned about, and
he observed that the sharper-eyed ami
NAL could see something in the dark
ness. John watched her closely and
presently she began to show unusual
excitement, putting her ears back and
stretching out her neck and head,
Cooking devilish," as John said. He
followed her glance and then could
barely distinguish dark object close
to the ground coming near them.
He fired quickly, point blank. The
panther raised itself on it's hind legs,
either slightly wounded or stung by
the dust and gravel that the bullet
picked up. and then, pumping another
cartridge into his rifle, John fired again
more steadily. There was a muffled
bowling and growing and. to use
Johns expressive vernacular, that
THAT painter just cussed his luck fur
about minute, " and then disappeared.
When daylight came John took the
mare back among the other horses and
tethered her again, and then taking up
trail of blood where he had shot the
panther followed it for about mile, to
come suddenly upon the cat stretched
out and dying, while another panther
sat near watching it. Two rapid shots
l<illad tham both Thev wara Y,rob, llr