Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1891-01-23
THE PANTHER'S PREY.
Vivid Description of a Tragedy in
the Sunshine.
How the Agile Beast AIighted Upon o
Sleeping Indians Breast-A Savage
Shrek Succeeded by y Short.
Uneven Struggle.

breaking suddenly through the ceuar
thicket, l stood, writes Detroit Free
Press correspondent, on the very edge of
the cliff-at the top Of q ragged wall
which rose almost four hundred feet
from the green grass of the valley. From
my perch could see for fifty miles to
the west. a.
Nature never made moro perfect day
| in the Western mountains. Every
thing, living or dead, was bathed in sun
shine, and there was such intense quiet
ness that heard the swish OF bug
Yards wings as he sailed over my head
so high that no seemed no larger than q
robin.
turn from the distant landscape and
look down into the valley Half a mile
from the foot OF the wall-yet seeming
scarce a stones throw away--is camp
fire--a camp fire which smolders and
sends up thin, lazy column OF blue
smoke. Thirty feet from the fire, lying
on the broad of his back on the grass.
with hat over his face, is human fig
ure 1t is that Of an Indian. You can
tell that by his position.
1t is camp, then the camp OF pair
or trio OF Indian hunters belonging to
the reservation. 1t is their land, and IL
there is any trespassing am the guilty
one. Where this hunters companions
are know not, but they have left him
alone tor the time, and he has improved
tho opportunity to sleep. So quiet--so
peaceful--so flooded with sunshine that
no spot can be safer for one bound in
the chains OF slumber.
Looki Five hundred feet beyond the
body is a cedar thicket. Between the
body and the thicket are scattered
roclss-a sort of out-crop. My eye was
simply passing over this ground when
1t detected a movement in tho thickot.
For long minute keep my gaze fast
ened on the spot, and for some unex-
planned reason my heart beats faster.
Was 1T deer? A grizzly would hardly
be found there. Perhaps 1t Is wild
horse, or steer which has broken from
the herd over the ridge. watch and
wait. -
Good Heavens! k~great tawny beast
glides out of the thicket and stands for
u ulpultub bDAilhk tho ~ 40 VIZ
panther Of the mountains-agile, fierce
and having the strength of the tiger! Tho
scent comes down to him on the breeze.
though | can not feel breath OF air
stirring. He shifts to the right, to the
left; he points straight at the sleeping
man. Death has marked down victim.
Now watch! The beast sinks down to
ha AL ctr nj lla
his body along the grass shows q sup
pleness which even the tiger can not
display. The first rock Is to his left
five yards away. lie seeks the cover OF
it, and his every motion reminds one OF
a cat lie fattens his body--creeps--
crawls-reacbes the rock and for.
moment is hidden. Then | see him
pecring from the left hand side. Has
his victim moved2 No! He still sleeps
in tho warm sunshine, and his lease OF
life is reduced to minutes.
Tho panther moves out for the cover
of the second rock. He Is bolder now.
He seems to realize that his victim is
helpless. He crouches and creeps, lift
ing each fore paw slowly and with tho
greatest care. He does not make halt
OF more than sixty seconds behind the
second rock. He leaves 1t with bound
which carries him fifteen feet, and in
ten seconds he is there.
know what Is going to happen and
| have rife in my hands, but | make
no move. forget for the time that
have the power TO. The march OF thou
sand men down the valley could not
draw my eyes away from that sight.
The panther seems to sink into the
earth behind tho stone for moment.
Then see his head rising above 1t as
he places his paws on the stone. His
oars are laid fat, his lip drops down and
shows his teeth, and | know that his
eyes are glowing like living Goals. IL
Is forty feet TO the sleeping Indian.
VIII some magnetic influence warn him
,f his peril? viii some unseen signal
BRING his companions back In timer
No! My heart stands still as the
lead OF the panther disappears. 1t Is
scarcely second before his body rises
ike great bird leaving the earth, and
It bis second bound he alights full
lpon the sleeper's breast, with savage
ihriek. There is wild yell-a strug-
,le lasting half minute, and then
zee tho beast lying across the body
md tearing at the throat. When sure
hat his victim is dead he rises up.
eizes the body by the shoulder, and
With swing and fiirt he throws tho
weight across his back and trotS OH
We the grass to the thiclket and disap-
,cars. .,s companions Will search tor +
lin. but theJ will find only his bonos.
Destitution In Boston.
As q typical instance Of destitution In
Ioston case is cited Of a young man
'orking in q manufacturing shop at
Dng distance from his Dom. For sixty
ours week he receives S735. The
,ork was hard, wearing, unceasing
light found him tired TO the marrow;
1orning met him half rested. He had
young wife to care for. Tho expenses
I both were, each week: Room, $3.50;
ood, s3.97; car fare, 60 cents; total,
I. OF; margin, for clothes, amusements,
ickness and riotous living, twenty-eight