South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-03-22
The INTELLIGENCEn
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1859.
JACKS ADVENTURE WITH Il
LYNX.


Who'll tell US q good winter s,o.
ryr asked Rob. "a the family. all At
lone for the Holidays. gathered about
the glowing CRATE on q stormy winter
evening; a regular rouser OF yarn,
all about 6y bt ing Billiards and such2'
Indeed. said his sister, I'D rather
have something summary. story that
will make Us forget for a few moments
the snow and the wind and frost
Il might do that, said Jack. the
oldest son, young collegisn who
had spent his summer vacation in the
Canadian woods. He had not been
home since then till now. and had
many stories to tell Of his adventures.
Yes, said his mother, tell US more
about your camp life.'
Hell us about that wild cat adveu.
ture you spoke of in one of your let.
ters, said Rob. You seemed to think
you were in real danger that time
Say lynx. if you please, Bob, said
Jack. Lynx sounds great deal
more dignified than wild Cat. I'm
sure said lynx in my letter.
70 yes. believe you did. but you
college fellows always call things BY
their biggest name. call it a wild
cat
Call it wild if your peace of mind
is concerned in it, said his brother.
But whatever it may be called,
don't believe i want another of the
things to get after me when I'm alone ,
%, then it was tie lynx hunting
you, instead of you hunting the lynx,
hey 2 asked Rob.
a little Of both, 1 should say said
Jack. Il was padding my canoe up
one Of those small streams which in
Canada SO often run eff into swamps
and seem to get los. there. We we're
a jolly party of boys ten'ing in those
great woods, where, you know, there
is not human being for many and
many q mile away. And we had an
experienced old Lunter, a regular
wOodsman, among us.
We had all been trying for deer
and one evening / was sure l was OF
the track Of one. l kept paddlin :
away as noiselcssly as 1 could, deter.
mined not to give up 50 long as l lad
any hope Of securing my prize. Some.
times could catch q faint glimpse OF
his white antlers far away under the
trees as he browsed on come of the
small bushes.
after a while I began to zee, 80 far
as l could take time to see anything.
th at / was losing my stream and get
ting deeper ard deeper into the
swamp. As twilight settled down,
the shadows of the woods became 90
deep that had little further chance
of looking out for my deer. At last
| entirely lost eight Of him and was
vexed enough at being obliged to
make up my mind that he bad es.
capped me. 1t would have covered
me with glory could ] have taken him
for not one Of us had go much as q
single shot at one. And now / began
to think Of getting back TO the camp
but how was L to do IL 2 / bad been
turning and turning about wherever
L could find water enough TO float my
canoe, until ] had little idea how far
had come or in what direction the
camp lay
Very imprudent,' said mother, W th
a gentle shake of the head.
Jack looked at her with a loving
smile. thinking how fortunate it il
for their own peace Of mind tha,
mothers have so little idea OF the inns
prudent things sometimes done by
their boys.
Yes be assented, Il began TO re-
alize and when l took up my gun tc
fire that l might get an answering
shot from camp, az we had agreed up,
I on to let me know how to find my
way there. But just as I was on the
point of firing thought of looking tc
see how my ammunition was holding
out. didn't want to be in those
woods all alone without any. And
in fact, / found plenty Of shot but moi
full charge Of powder in my flask.
80 didn't dare TO fire. ] gave
two or three shouts, hoping my voice
might reach the fellows; and jus,
then heard a growl right squar,
above my head. i looked up and saw
a pair OF the brightest. wickede eyes
| ever looked at in my life, glazing
down upon me-
Il know what cats eyes arc in the
dark, said Rob, gravely.
Il didn't know what it was, but
had heard the hunters tell about wild
cats-I didn't care much then, Rob
whether you called it lynx or not
80 that / guessed II might be that kind
Of thing. For a moment l thought
he was going to spring down on my
canoe, and knew that IL he did there
was lttlc hope for me, for they do say
that Of all ugly things TO take you 81
a disadvantage they are about the ug
lest. What could I do in my canoe
without n chance Of a shot at him
even if no didn't turn me over into
the water, which was most likely
Those little Canada canoes are frisky
things to manage.
We'll, lie didn't bounce down on me
at once, and as soon as I had time TO
rally my wits 1 gave q quick move .
ment With my paddle and managed
to reach the shore. There was a
stumu fharp and cot nc hocLr aoafn a