Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-01-09
AN EXCITING ADVENTURE.
4 Practical joke Which Might Easily
uaVo Ended I'm o Tra:0 y.

-. hODcrtS, In st. Nicholas. 1t hap
pcncd in this way. In tho midwintcr of
1879, had occasion to visit the chief
camp of tho Little MadawaslSa. Com
ing from tho city, and to q camp w:Icre
was q stranger to all tho men, was
not unnaturally regarded as q pro-
nounccd specimen of tho grocuhorn. l
took no pains to toll any ono what tho
boss already wcll know, that is, that
had been q frcqucntcr of tho camps from
my boyhood. Many and many neat
trap was laid for my apparently
"tendcr'' foot, but 1 avoided them all as
If by accident. AS for climbing q tree,
I always laughed at tho idea when it
was proposed to me: L always suggested
that it might spoil my clothes. Before
long tho men, by putting ittlc things
together, camc to tho conclusion that
was an old stagcr; and, rather shccpish-
ly, they gavo over their attempts to en-
trap mo. Then l graciouSly waved my
hand, as 1t wore, and was frankly re-
ceived as veteran, cleared from every
suspicion of being green.
At last tho day camc when I did wish
to climb trco. Tho camp was on
high plateau, and not far off lowered o
magnificent Pine tree, growing cut of
tho summit of q knoll in such q way as
to command all tho surrounding couD-
try. It's branches were phenomcnally
thick; it's girth Of trunk was magni1-
cent. And this tree resolved one day
TO climb, in order to get clear idea
of tho lay of tho land. OF course l
strollcd off surrcptitiously, and, as I
thought, unmatched. But there 1 was
much mistaken. No sooner was 1 two
thirds of tho way up the tree than, with
shouts of laughter, tho lumbcrmcn
rushed out of the surrounding cover and
proceeded to chop mo down. The chance
was too good for them to lose.
concealed my annoyance, and mado
no attempt to descend. On tho contra
ry thanked them for tho littlo alton
ton, and climbed 4 few feet further up,
to secure ~ position which | saw would
be safe one for INC when tho tree should
fall. As | did SO, 1 perceived, with Il
gasp and q trcmor, that l was not alono
in tho trcc.
There. not ton feet above mo, stretched
at full length along q largo branch, was
a huge panther, Glaring with rage and
terror. From the mon below his form
was quite concealed. CHANGING restless
lcsGiy from mo to my purSucrs, tho
brute seemed uncertain just what to do,
rs / carefully rcfrGinCd from climbing
any further up, ard tried to assume an
;.ir OF not having observed him, he ap-
parcntly concluded that ! was not his
worst enemy. In fact, daro say he I'M
dCrstood what was going on and real
lied that he and Wcro fcllow-su1fcrCrs
laughed softly to mysclfa 90 thought
how my tormcntorS would be taken
abacli when that panther should como
down among thom. ! decided that. con-
Eidoring their numbers, thCro would DO
at least no moro danger for them than
that to which they wcro exposing nc in
thcir reckless feeling. And, already in
fuonccd by that CoucI oi nature which
makes rs SO wondrouS lind,
Tho trunk oi TAO pho WIS SO thick
that might almost have reached tho
ground before tho choppers could cut it
through. at last it C;:vo IL mighty shud-
der AID Gaggcd To oYc side. l balanced
myself rirably on tho upper side, steady
ing myself by q convenient branch. The
greet Il&3S Of foliage, presenting y wide
Euri;co 10 the air, Eado tho faiI y con-.
parGtivcly slow one; but tho tremendous
sweep Of tho drauCht upward, a8 The
trOC-Gop described its gigantic arc. gave
mo o aicllcning sensation. Then CGrnc
tho lral dull end thundc!ou9 crash, and
in an iaGt2nt, found I1yseii standing
il rIy place, Jared but unhGrt,
Tho next instant tncrc was another
Io2r. or rGCIcr u sort Of screaming yell
overwhelming the riotoug laughter Of tho
Woodsmcn; cad out of tho confusion OIL
pinC-louGh3 shot tho tawny form Of The
panther iii q whirlwind Of fury. Ono OF
tho choppers was in his path, and was
bowlci oyer lhlo clumsy nino-pin
Tho rcXt bound brought tho beast on tc
tho backs of u yoke of oxen, and his
orGcl claws severely scratched tho oxcn''
nocllS. AS tho poor animals beloved
snA foil on thoir knees, tho panther
paused, with somo idoa, apparently, o.
Sighting tho whole a83cmblcd party
But a3 tho mon, recovered from thci
first amazcmcnt, rushed with their axes