Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-22
A DETERMINED WILDCAT.
IN SPITE OF WHAT THE Books

ELKLASD, Pa, Dec. 49, The
books saythat the wildcat will under
no circumstances pursue a man, and
that il VIII only show fight when
cornered up or wounded. After an
experience jerome Nef Of Goodhue
Lake had n few days ago. what the
books say about the wildcat will not
have much influence with him. He
was going through the woods by an
old road which rams near the lake
when he WAS startled to see an ami
mai almost as big a. n coach dog
spring from q tree ut the roadside
and alight on the ground few feet
ahead Of him. Wildcats or fierce
Wild animals Of any kind are go
rsre In that vicinity that Neff had
never even heard Of q wildcat being
seen or heari by any one thereabout.
He had never seen one in his life,
but he knew from what he had READ
that here was one, and a very large
one, crouching in the road in front
OF him. The animals eyes glared
fiercely. and N.f, being unarmed.
had no desire to enter into any dis
pute with the wildcat for right OF
way, although he was very anxious
to reach the point he had started
for. He backed away at fist as fast
rs he cHld, and the eatamourt
crept along alter him, uttering low
but ugly gscwls or snarls rs IL fol-
lowed him.
Ner thea turned on his heels and
ran. The wildcat gavetwo or three
leaps, and would nave teen upon
him with one morU, but he lodged
behind the trunk of q big Eastwood
tree, and the catamount went on by.
l.. stopped moment, and then ran
up n tree not more than ten feet
away from the one Neff had got be-
hind, and running out on branch,
crouched down as though to spring.
Nsff put the tree between himself
and the one the wildcat was in, and
ran for dear life back up the rUad la
the direction he was going when
stopped by the cstsmOuni. The
wildcat followed him, lesping from
tree 10 tree with n rapidity that soon
t1ok 1t beyond Nef again, when IL
sprany TO the road as before AMI
lcon:rontei him.
All this time NeT had been call
ing for help at the top Of his lungs.
Il occurred TO him that there might
be some duck hunters Of fishermen
on TIE lake. aud he broke wildly for
the lake, which was only 200 yards
distant. He tore through the brush
and the ca.amount followed him.
Il was 50 close to him when he
reached the lake that he did not stop
but kept right on in the water until
waist deep. He could not swim,
and thought he might as well take
mis- chances with the wildcat as with
the water. He stopped and faced
about. With that inform dislike the
car family has for water. the wildcat
had paused on the lake shore, and
crouehing there a moment ran up
a tree, and kept watch on Neff from
a convenient branch.
Neff's cries finally attracted the
attention Of man who lived on the
other side of the lake, and Neil made
him understand that II he had a gun
ne couldn't do better thing than
fetch IL out aud row over TO him.
The man did so. the gun wasn't
loaded for wildcat though, but he
gave the one In the tree a charge OF
duck shot. That was sufficient 10
change the catamount's intentions,
and, with a yell, it turned and made
quick time back into the woods:
The man with tie gun accompanied
Nef the rest Of the journey, but
they saw no more Of the wildcat,
and Il has not been seen since.