Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-07-20

the eilgo OF tho wood below KIND o.
rusting noise. Thinking it might be
jaclxai / dislodged one OF the large
stones from the wall and half rolled,
half threw 1t toward the spot where
heard the noise.
My curiosity was soon satisfied.
There was sound Of branches break
ing and out walked panther, who
gazed calmly around as il taking stock
Of tho surroundings He evidently saw
me, for he suddenly turned tail.
At first l confess | was horribly
frightened, but when tho animal turned
and fed u reaction set in and felt that
my prey was escaping me, 50 drew
my revolver and fred. From subse-
quens post-mortem examination it APP
peared that had slightly wounded him
in the hind leg.
The animal, growing, faced round
and made for me. pride myself on
my readiness Of resource. Tho stories
OF travellers saving themselves by
climbing a tree in similar circumstances
flashed in a second through my mind.
But where was the tree? Happy
thought-the mosquel which was only
a few yards distant. 1t would prove a
real sanctuary to me.
silently blesse the marabout, and
with all speed made for it. By means
OF the door, which l had left open,
scrambled to the roof and pulled my
self by the help Of the iron crescent to
the top Of the dome, where / sat
astraddlo awaiting the panther's pleas
ure.
Not moment too soon-a sound Of
stones falling told me he was nego-
tialing the wall. Immediately after l
heard him walking round and round
the kouba, emitting an occasional
growl For the present was safe.
l could not see him at first from my
exalted position, but he soon altered his
tactics and crouched down few PAGES
off, whore / had good view Of him.
lie lay ike cat. with his head be-
tween his paws, Only raising it occa-
sionally TO emit a long-drawn growl.
began TO feel seriously uneasy; the
beast evidently intended to starve me
out | could not hold on all night 1t
was getting dark very rapidly. In this
country, as you know, there is hardly
any twilight If only had had my re-
volyer-but had dropped it in climb
ing tho lSouba.
Partly to give me courage, and partly
from some vague notion that strange
noises win frighten animals began to
roar OUTPUT with quiveeing voice ?
snatches Of songs. The only visible
effect my musical efforts had on the
panther was to make him wag his head
slowly from side to side as if beating
time. 1t seemed that the brute was
mocking mo.
In a lit Of Impotence ! unstranped my
field glasses and llung them full at his
face fetching him a crack on The snout
This reused the animal Rearing up
he roarcd at me as il in defiance and
made a dash al the mosque. His efforts
to reach m3 We're in vain.
All OF u sudden no dashed through
the open door into the mosque, per-
hsps hoping to get as mo from the in
side Soon heard a sound of smash
ing and spintering Of wood. The ami
NAL was committing sacrilege appar-
emily, and venting his rage on the holy
mans shrine II | could only keep you
there, my friend, thought, We would
cry quits.
Keep him there. but how? A happy
thought flashed across my mind 1t
was, indeed, an inspiration. Il have
it, exclaimed | began to search
my pockets, and found a couple OF
newspapers. found also that l had a
pocket volume OF LoA5fellow With
these materials-''to such base uses do
We como at last II hastily improvised
sort Of torch, binding it round with
strips torn from my haad1orchict
then poured some OF the contents OF
my brandy lla5sc oyer it aud fastened
one end Of this torch 70 tho strap OF my
feld-glass and the other end Of the
strap to the iron crescent then lii
the torch and carefully let it down over
the doorway,
There was glorious illumination,
which at ouco attracted the raging ami
nal inside. could hear him tearing
from one side OF the mosque to the 9th.
er. S.lI tho torch would only burn
about n minute or so. and l must al
once carry out my plan.
1t was n desperate one but it wa;
/ my only chance dropped softly to
the ground ana shut the door in the
pantbors face to hi, great discomit
ure. aad l found aftorward that the
) doot il shutting hal banged the torch
in tho brutes face and singed his whis.
7 kers.
! There was more to be done yet though
2 il l was to get clear away.
! know that waea the torch hal burnt
/ itsclf-out tho iaflriatel animal would
{ make short WORK OF tho doee ] con.
t Tess MY first idea was to have taker
5 to raJ heels, but ! reflected that tn,
g brute would probably oyertase me be
a fore could get over the village wall
and thought that panlher5, ike cats
o cou sec in the dark; besides, tn;
. brute would smell me. And then
S wha, q glorious thing it would be t,
= I-i,l "a fiill .prq,va panther with NV owr