Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-07-26
LADY AND THE PANTHER.

~ guAndsyt md, 0oondly, Seoou8o % An
al1oss unbsagd ~ vis1hation, . regular
Phgns % musquitoaa me psEnisious
eulaS VI o. amucb laEIw dDO than w
kavO ben -Sccusa1nsed To- 0nd thaig bits
Vaou1ouS 10 TIE sxtguUA sOthasI gadly
AeospAed 80 tnVitstios from our friends,
thse-h 70 Vinea thom ~ . pictuesqno
~ aitost6d . shoFa distance hUm Khan
ank Thp ayTang0Deps sSss-A ~ ad-
miFnbly, 90 We had nkruady made up ~
uaind0 10 proceed ~ 0oon . ] could get
oWuy 70 hatseTan. . delightful hill 70
Sogh with q Ane hraeing air. situated IN
he Ghauts, and which affords en- agree
abls relief during the hot season 70 .
hrgs number Of jadsd Bombay oficialA
On my arrival at Bale Vista, / found
That some other Of SIS friends had
Unexpectedly asked 70 be put up. and
w@e indeed occupying the epare Don
Of tho bungalow. ] Therefore insisted
Mat nc change should be made in the
family arrangements on my account.
AZ my earnest solicitation / was allowed
70 have my way, and take up my quar-
teTs IN Q cool. inviting tent erected about
thirty yards from the house, and which ]
found mine host wal using as n study.
The removal Of his books wa the work
Of . few minutes and these were quickly
replaced by the necessary furniture Of a
bedroom. ] noon found everything ar
ranged 20 my mind, and l congratulated
myself upon having secured the coolest
and most delightful sleeping apartment
IN the place The lookout from the door
Nas q Of exceptional beauty. The
moon shone out clear and soft ove the
whole landscape before me.
Having done q great deal that day, !
was very tired, 80 l Soon prepared for
bed. Ny little fox terrier Fidget, my
only companion, took UP her usual place
ut the foot Of my bed. Icrept under the
muBquito curtains and sank into a sound
sleep. In about an hour l was awak-
ened by the growing and barking Of
Fidget. looked sleepily up and
thought l saw an animal Of some kind
standing at the foot Of my bed. Iroused
myself a little, clapPed my hands and
made a noise. This made the beast
hurry away. 1 turned over and was
one mor fast asleep. / was not, how
Y permitted to enjoy this very long;
faithful little Fdget soon set up a fiercer
haSk than before. I started up and
shOutsd, and ! S0on had the satisfaction
n seeing what l now thought to be
either o wild cat OF q pie dog stink out
through the chink Lett In the tent. !
must have been very sleepy, as / never
Tor q moment thought I was in any dan
gsr. and again / lay down and went off
70 sleep But my Little dog was on the
watch, and Tor the third time I was
awakened and Startsd by her loud bark.
ing.
This time | became wide awake d.
-cctly, and by the light Of the moon l
caught sight Of a big animal standing In
tie doorway Of my tent. l had no longer
sry doubt as TO my midnight visitor; II
wa a huge panther. Its eyes we're
Aashing fire, and 1t was ashing its long
tail furiously to and fro. as IL 1t really
saeant mischief. In q moment NOR II
seemed on the point of making a spring
&c me. and I could no longer doubt that
It was bent on making a meal on my dog
and myself. In no way, however, lost
ray presence of mind, "a l commenced
shouting with all my might, which
caused the beast TO retreat. He walked
slowly toward the open door by which
he had entered, but only Co walk arouno
ths outside of the tent and enter by
smother opening. which brought him
somewhat nearer to the bed. / stretched
cut my hand and clutched ut my candles
and matches and quickly struck q light.
This. together with my shouting and the
dogs barking, startled the animal. and
hs again disappeared IalSo took In my
tsFeiug clock, thinking that II the
worst came 70 the worst, I could at least
give the creature q good blow.
I looked at the time to see II 1t was
aear day, and found to my horror that
IL was only a quarter TO q felt my
hair would turn gray II | sat all night
shouting at a panther every five min
utes; besides. he seemed 30 unusually
daring | was not certain that he would
stand such trihing any longer. g l felt
courage vas required. and | must either
get help or do something 20 pass the rest
At the night In safety; but the worst was
had to come out Of my protective cur
tains 10 do 90, for q tent "a such q dead
ser Of sound l knew no one could hear
ms from there. 30 out jumped, Sc
c1rtRg Edget well under tho curtains,
aud ran TO the brightest doorway. and
screamed frat for one and then the other
At the top OF my voice l put my hand
10 my mOuthy l called IN every way I
could think, but not soul heard ma
Tbs servants were too tnr away, and
tho6-ia. whose room looked on my
Ode. were toe fast AsleeP with their
widows shut 30 mado up my mind
7 could stay there no longer. " any
ntnuto I folt thobeags might return. So
LSnAde q dash Tor my dressing gown,
GtppOd Into ny clippers. tucked my dog
undOg my aEms and nan Tor my life I'm
o~cEtunatsly,.I could not tell where the
opimal WA and the dark shrubbery,
VIII toos OVslhead, looked iust the
OlDoee or hin 70 Nm but Iha1 bttl