The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-05-16

III tG<@S 49, 3~NN& HClItCtIN easy,
and without any undue excitement.
1t came about In this wise: One of the
ranchmen living in the foot hills near
the North Platte river had been miss
ing large numbers of his sheep, and
they had evidently been slain by some
wild animal. The depredations in
stead of decreasing were rapidly aug
menting till each 1norning two or more
members of the f1ock would be found
slaughtered and their carcasses partly
eaten. The owner of the ranch con-
cluded that it was the work of a lion
and employed Gerald Bob to bring in
the animals skin
The first day ont, though he fol-
lowed the lion through deep valleys
and over the rocky sides of the noun
tains for nearlyforty miles, vet not
once did he catch sight of the beast,
though at several times he was very
near At one place among some thick
brush the lion stopped long enough to
kill good sized deer, and was feast
ing on the carcass when the noise of
the hunters approach caused him to
flee again.
The hunter. after taking a fair
nights rest sander some shelving
rocks was out again at the first dawn
of day and soon discovered the lair of
the beast where it had lain during the
previous night Then another toll
some day was spent in following the
lion, but Bob got one glimpse of him
behind some bushes. This greatly en-
couraged the hunter, as he noticed
that occasionally the lion halted at in
tervals, indicating that he was grow
ing tired. At the earliest streak of
light ON the following morning Bob
hastily swallowed his ,ld lunch of
jerked. meat and biscuit and was off
after the lioh as usual. The trail led
straight for cave. and just as Bob
entered at one end the lion rushed out
like flash at the other. But quick
shot from Bob's rifle wounded the lion
and in its flight left trail of blood in
the path. On it went, up the sides of
the steep, craggy mountain, with Bob
in steady and determined pursuit
Now he felt certain of his game, the
blood enabling him to follow it easily.
Still the animal did not exhibit any
uncommon signs of fatigue until late
in the day. At various times, how
ever, it endeavored to secret its trail
by doubling and springing in and out
of the water, but the hunters eagle
eye readily detected the effort at de-
ception and the latter lost but little
time with blind trails.
Late in the afternoon, as Boz was
carefully feeling his way up among
the crags, suddenly ne was startled by
low growl, and instantly he saw the
form of the animal in mid-air, coming
directly toward him Stepping to one
side he barely lodged the beasts paw,
and it landed far below him, and
again disappeared in twinkling. He
now pursued it with more vigor, and
that evening just at dusk discovered
where the animal had crawled in a
hole between some rocks. Bob halted
at the outside only long enough to eat
his dry meal, and then. with his Win
chester in hand, boldly entered. At
first he could hear growls and the ami
NAL seemed to be moving not far from
him, but he could not distinguish a
single object Soon he came to where
the hole forked, and as he did not yet
see the animal, he decided to remain
in the den until morning and prevent
its escape. All the time he could hear
the movements of something near,
and he lay with his finger touching
the trigger, ready to shoot. Hours
wore away, and he thinks he must
have fallen asleep, but how long he
did not know, for when he woke up
he forgot where he was and put out his
hand, AS he did SO he touched the fur
of the lion, and it Immediately gave q
snarl. Two eyes now glaIed iiercely
upon him. In another instant he
pointed his gun toward the two glis-
tening eyes and fired. The report was
quickly followed by "a cloud of dust
and violent struggles of the beast.
Then all became calm. A few mins
utes afterwards he found the corpse Of
the dead lion, and then began the task
of pulling it out of the hole. On ar
irving at the surface he WAS consider
ably surprised to find the day quite
well advanced, and after skinning the
animal at once hastencd for the settle
ments. The lion measured almost
nine feet, and was real western mon
ster.-Laramie City Cor. st. Louis