River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-08-28
AN HEROIC MOTHER.
How She Brayely Saved Her Child from
the Jaws of Panther.

the Jaws of Panther.
Mrs. Frances Darlyng, of Fort Pierre,
Fla, is a native OF Kansas, but her ex-
proved that she is well fitted for frontier
life. She is great fisherwoman, and
equally proficient with the gun. A few
weeks ago she killed big panther
here, under most exciting circum-
stances. Near their house flows
small creek, and near it is fixed the
wash-house. Rig trees surround and
hang over it, making it cool and de-
lightful in the hottest day. On this
dav Mrs. Darlyng's servant girl was do
ing the weeks washing there and with
her was Mrs. Darlyng's youngest daugh-
ter, baby of two years.
The mother was at the house doing
some work, when all at once she heard
a terrible scream from the colored girl,
followed by shrill cries from her baby.
Snatching mp a 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 well 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 a long. low, branching
limb of water oak was her child.
looking up into the tree and crying
piteously. The servant girl was lying
down rear 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 be-
low, ever and anon licking its chops at
the prospective feast before it
The mother nerves grew as steel, at
the peril of her beloved child, and she
raised the gun to her shoulder, and with
steady aim pulled the trigger. 4 hor-
rible scream followed the shot, and a
long yellow body shot swiftly down
ward. The huge beast had leaped the
moment she had fired, but the rifle-ball
had changed its course, so that it
alighted several 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 heroic
mother, the big cat snarled necessarily
and its tail switched from side TO side,
its rage increasing all the while. When
within dozen feet it gathered itself
hnr ..A Ia
She pulled the trigger, but the cartridge
failed to explode. Stunned for mo-
ment at this miscbance, the brave
woman never for an instant lost her
wits. Springing forward she grasped
the big dipper used for drinking water,
and standing beside the big kettle that
was filled with boiling water. she ladled
it out freely and dashed il in the face of
her ferocious assailant. This weakened
the eat, and it fell back. rolling over
and over in its agony, as the water was
scalding hot
Mrs. Darlying continued to dash on
the hot water and finally the panther,
with a baffled cry of pain and rage,
hastily scrambled up a low tree near
by. Then wOman's pluck showed itself
Reaching for her rife, she examined
the cartridges carefully, and taking
good aim at the yellow, furry body amid
the leaves above her, fired three shots
as rapidly as possible. The panther
tumbled down in hurry, and with one
long waul gave up the ghost
Drs. Darlyng clasped her child to her
bosom, and ran swiftly to the house,
where she fell in faint on the door
step. Her husband, an hour later, on
his return from the post-office, found
her just sitting up, the baby patting her
mothers cheeks and saying: ''Me NAM
ma dood-she 1T big kitty" The
panther was skinned. and its pelt now
adorns Mrs. Darlyng's cosy little sit
ting-room as reminder OF the bravery
that saved her child's life.-St Louis
Globe Democrat