Democratic messenger., 1889-11-30
GALS GONE WILD.
The Thrilling Experience of Commercial
AIan Ga the Weeds of New Jersey.

The Thrilling Experience of Commercial
sIan in the Weeds of New Jersey.
Owen Clark. commercial drummer
Of Newark n. j.. went into the dense
woods about half mile from the Pas.
sale river. opposite Bellevillc. one
Sunday afternoon 10 look for mush.
rooms. lie was stoppi':S under a
large tree To pluck lis%e button"
when he was sdaslled 70 the ground by
the violent shock Of something that
alighted on the back of his neck and
clung there. In his bewildermcnt Mr..
Clark at first supposed the tree had
fallen on him. but as the object that
was holding him down hissed aud
spat fiiriously. his next impression
was that whole colony of snakes had
attacked hiia simultaneously. His
third guess WAS correct. AS his aSS.ll.
ant clawcd and bit him fcrociously he
came Ia the conclusion that he had
been attacked by a cat. Mr.. Clark is
powerful man. but his strength was
taxed To its full extent in his effort To
struggle TO his feet and throw OIL his
aEgressor. lie was badly lacerltcd
. about the head and face. and some
seconds passed before he was able To
sec what it was that had hurt him.
Then he perceived, standing threaten.
ingly before him. few yards away.
an enormous cat, with glaring eyes
and distcndcd tail. IL was fully as
large rs a wildcat. and il had all the
appearance Of Il forest born animal.
with the exception of the fur. which
bore the tiger like stripes common on
the domestic tabby. IL had sprung
from the tree, aud as Mr.. Clark
glanced ut the branches he was much
disturbed To see three other cats. each
as large aud fierce looking as the one
that had attacked him. crouching
there, watching the one sided combat.
and evidently quite prepared 10 take
an active part in II if the fortune of
war should seem to bc going against
their companion.
Mr.. Clark felt that he was over
matched. and he began TO retreat eau
tiously. leaving his hat behind him.
and walking backward with his face
toward the enemy. All the eats kept
upa savage splitting 1T him. but they
did not pursue him. and lac reached
the outSkirt of the wood without fur
thcr injury There lac met party Of
young men who were hunting squir
cls. He showed them his cuts. which
were quite severe, and, procuring
stout sticks. they all went into the
wood tu look for the cats. They found
Mr.. Clark's hat. but the animals had
disappeared.
These creatures are well known To
persons who frequent the woods that
they have made their home. They
are the progeny Of an immense female
cat that some two years agp ran away
from the house Of colorcd family
living near Avondalc. Some boys
chased her. and she SWAN across the
Passaic river, aud escaped into the
brush on the other side. II is said that
she had some wildcat blood in her
veins, and she certainly brought up
her family wholly unir,mmcllcd by
the restraints of civilizations They
are ycriiablc wild cats, and more than
once unarmcd persons have been
severely mauled by them. Boys and
girls do not care tO 20 nutting where
the eats have been seen. They have
been fired at several time, but they
seem To bear the provcrbial multi
plicity of lives Of their tribe, for they
still dccimatc the birds and rabbits in
mild weather, and raid the surround.
ing poultry yards during the winter.
New York Tribune.