Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-09-27


der the broken pane
"Thls was too much for poor
Susan.
"sOh, | dasn't-never she
whimpered, backing hastily out OF
her mistress reach.
"Nother regarded her with wlther'
ing scorn, then turned aud looked
at me, where lay close behind her
in the basket of old clothes.
"Assuring herself that the
panther could not get me III her
absence she seized the lamp ana
marched up the ladder with it The
pauther growled most menaclngly'
and thrust his face down to the
opening, but as the smoke ana
flame came under his nose, he
snarled and drew back.
"On the very topmost step dld
mother deposit the lamp, where II
blazed right up through the broken
pane. As she turned down the
ladder the panther's claws were
heard along the shingles, beating
a reluctant retreat.
"In a moment or two he was
heard on the shed, and then mother
opened the skylight, reached out
and clasped down the wooden
shutter. Susan's courage revived
"Now that the danger was over,
mother picked me out of the basket
and gathered me again to her
bosom, while Susan began to
speculate what the panther would
be up to next. On this point she
was not long left in doubt.
"In tde corner the barDyard was
a pig pen, inhabited at the time by
a pig three months old. Present
ly the poor little pig set up a ter
rife squealing, and mother and
Susan rushed to the gableIwlndow.
"As | have said before, this
v,;,dow commanded view OF the
! bar. ward. The panther was on
the roof of the pen, peering down
through the cracks and scratching
vigorously to gain an entrance
Baby had been denied him; but
porK he was determined.
"The pig squealed IN way that
mother trusted would alarm the
neighborhood. and tried to hide
himself in the straw from the reach
OF those pale, cruel eyes. At last
the panther quilted the root and
found the pen door. Here he paus'
ed a moment or two, suspectlng
another trap. Then, finding moth
ing suspicious, in he glided. There
was one terrific squeal, and all
was still.
M fancy mother and Susan both
went. thinking how well the fate
OF poor piggie might have been
their own-and mine.
"For long while the two women
kept watch at the window. lie
glanced at the house in coed
natured fashion, as If he bore us no
grudge; cleaned his great face with
one paw, snlffed the air thought
fully in various directions, and then
made of toward the wOods-and
we knew that our pig went with
him.
"When he was well ont of sight
mother and Susan removed the bar
ricades aud iorsoOk the attic. You
NAV be sure they fastened every
window, kept keen lookout and
went about their work IN fear and
tremh ling.
"When my father got home, In
the middle of the afternoon, he
heard the story before he unharn'
essed the horse. Straightway he set
out again and organized hunting
party among the neighbors. The
party was armed with all sorts and
conditions of weapons; but it bag
ged that panther before sundown'
whereby was my mother much con-
soled. Aud now, have l stuck to
the facts =" said StraniOn, turning
to Willis.
"To my surprise, you have" re-
sponded the latter.
"Well," vent on Stranion, IN
RULED, "since they took the trouble
to get after me 80 early, it's not sc
much cause for wonder if they've
kept it up
at this moment strange, uD'
earthly, gurgIIng cry broke The
nights stiffness, and we started
involuntarily.
"He's on your track, sure, Stran
ion," calculated Sam. "But' t'
Judge from his voice, your story
has rather sickened him
"That noise came of the lake.
, growled Willis. "fIe's coming
, after you by water. maybe :"
, "My dear boy" was Stranlon1
sleepy reply, "that's nothing bu
a young loon, learning his notes
Now it's time to turn in."-Chdrte
r d. Roberts in Golden Days.
s No Bouquets with Strings Wanted
l A bird had picked an earth worn