The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-08-09
KILLED A PANTHER.
A Brave Mother Saves Her Child
From the Brute's Jaws.

From the Brute's Jaws.
Mrs. Frances Darlyng of this plac
is native Kansan, but her exploit
here with the gun and rod hav
proved that she is we'll fitted fo
frontier life, writes the Fort Pierre
Fla, correspondent Of the st. Loui
Globe-Democrat. She is a grea
fisher-woman, and equally prof
cient with the gun. Two weeks age
she killed a panther here under ex
citing circumstances. Near theil
house flows a small creek, and neal
it is fixed the washhouse. Big trees
surround and hang over it, making
it cool and delightful in the hottest
day. On this day Mrs. Darlyng's
servant girl was doing the week &
washing there, and with her was
Mrs. Darlyng's youngest daughter,
a baby of two years.
The mother was at the house do.
ing some work, when all at once
she heard a terrible scream from
the colored girl, followed by shrill
cries from her baby. Snatching up
Winchester that hung up beside
the door the alarmed mother darted
toward the creek. As she reached
it she heard loud cry, or unearthly
yell, that she recognized too we'll
as the tones of an enraged panther.
The scene that she beheld as she
emerged upon the creeks bank will
never be effaced from her memory.
Seated under long, low, branch
ing limb Of a water oak was her
child, looking up into the tree and
crying piteously. The servant girl
was lying down near by, her head
buried in her apron, almost dead
with fright. The mothers quick eye
glanced up in the tree, and there
encountered the fierce eyes and
snarling face of a huge panther,
that crouched low on its belly on
the limb, cycling the child below,
ever and anon licking it's chops at
the prospective feast before it.
The mothers nerves grew as steel
at the peril of her beloved child,
and sheraised thegun to hershoulder
and with steady aim pulled the trig-
ger. A horrible scream followed the
shot and long yellow body shot
swiftly downward. The huge beast
had leaped the moment she had
fired, but the rifle ball had changed
its course, so that it alighted sew
eral feet from the child. 1t landed
on the ground, rolled over several
times and then rose up and faced
the undaunted woman, its yellow
fangs showing as it snarled and
yelled with rage and pain.
Slowly advancing toward the he
roic mother the beast snarled in
cessantly, and it's tail switched from
side to side, its rage increasing all
the while. When within a dozen
feet it gathered itself together and
sprang upon the woman. She pulled
the trigger, but the cartridge failed
20 explode. Stunned for a moment |
1T this mischance the brave woman
never for an instant lost her wits.
Springing forward she grasped the
Dig dipper used for dipping up wa
,er, and, standing beside the big
Kettle that was filled with boiling
water, she Labeled it out freely and
dashed it in the face of her ferocious
.ssailant. This weakened the cat,
ind it fell back, rolling over and
'ver II it's agony, as the water was
'calding hot
Mrs. Darlyng continued to dash
N the hot water, an1 f-"lly the
panther, with a baffled cry of pain
nd rage, hastily scrambled up a
ow tree near by. Then the woman's
duck showed itself. Reaching for
Ter rifle, she examined the car
ridges carefully, and taking good
i'm at the yellow, furry body amid
he leaves above her, fired three
hots as rapidly as possible. The
'anther tumbled down in a hurry,
nd with one long waul, gave up
he ghost.
Mrs. Darlyng clasped her child
o her bosom, and ran swiftly to the
ouse, where she fell in faint on
be doorstep. Her husband, an &
our later, on his return from the :
ostoffice, found her just sitting up, /
he baby patting her mothers
heeks and sayings: "Me mamma {
ood-she 1T big kitty" The pan t
1er was skinned, and its pelt now :
dorns Mrs. Darlyng's cozy sitting :
pom as a reminder of the bravery :
lat saved her child's life. :
The Only One In America.