Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-07-15
Mrs. Darlyng's True Shot


is native Ks: san, says tbo ST. Louis Globe.
Democrat, tut her exploits With gun and
rod have proved tha. she Is well fitted icr
frontier life She is great fsherwomsn,
aad equally proficient with The gun. Two
weeks ago she killed big panther under
most exciting circumstances. Near their
house flows small creek, and near it i5
fixed the wash-house. Big trees surround
and hang oveg it making it cool and delight
ful in the hottest day. Ga this day Mrs.
Darlyog's servant girl was doing the weeks
washing there, and with her was Mrs. Dar-
lyngs youngest daughter, baby OF two
years.
The mother was at the house doing some
work, when ali ct once she heard terrible
scream from the colored girl, followed by
shrill cries from her baby. Snatchiug up q
Winchester that hung up beaide the door,
the alarmed mother 6arted toHGrd the
creek AS she reached 1t she heard loud
cry, or uneartbly yell, that she recognized
too we'll as the tones OF an enraged panther
The scene that she beheid as she emerged
uDon the creeks bank will never be effaced
from her memory. Seated under long, low,
branching limb oil 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 nather's quick eye glanced
up Ia the tree, sud there encountered the
fierce eyes and snarliug face of e huge pau-
ther that crouched low on its belly On the
limb, eyeing the child below. ever and anon
licking its chops at the prospective feast be-
fore it.
The mothers nerves grew as steel OF the
peril Of her beloved child, and she raised
the gun TO her shoulder and with steady
aim pulled the trigger. 4 horrible scream
followed the shot sDd long yellow body
shot sWiftly downward. The huge beast
had leaped the moment sbe had fired, but
the rifle ball had changed its course, &c that
it alighted several feet from the child. 1t
landed on the ground, relied over several
times, and then ross up and faced the won-
al, its yellow tangs showing as II srarled
and yelled With rage end pain.
Slowly advancing toGsri the heroic
mother, the big cat sHarled incessantly snd
ts tail switched from eide TO side, its rage in
creesng all the while When within dozen
feet it gathered itself together and spreng at
toe woman. She pulled the trigger, but the
cartridge failed to explode Stunned for
moment or this misohance. the brave woman
uSVSE lUE t2D tuStouG itsS AlSt WIS.
ing forward she grssped the big dipFer used
for dipping up water. and, standing haside
the big kettle that was filed with boiling
water, she lsded il out freely and dashed 1t
10 the face OF her ferocious assailsnt. This
weakened the cat and it fell back, rolling
over and over in its agony, as the wator Was
scalding hot.
Mrs. Darlyng continued to dash or the not
water, and finally the panther, with bsifled
cry of pain and rage, hastily scrambled up o
Low tree near by. Then the woman's pluck
showed Itself Reaching for her rife. she
examined the cartridges carefully. and, tsk
ing. good sim at the yellow, furry oily amid
the leaves above hsr. fred three shots as
rapidly ss possible. The panther tumbled
down In hurry, and with one long Waul
died.
Mrs. Darlyng clesped her child to her bos-
on and ran swiftly to the house, where she
fell In faint on the doorsteps Her hps-
bsDd al hour later, on his return from the
postoffice, found her just sitting up, the bsby
patting its mothers cheek and saying: me
mamma dood-she lit big kitty" The pan
ther was skinned, and it's pslt now adorns
Mrs Dsrlyng's cosy sitting room as re.
minder Of the bravery that saved her child's
life.