The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-05

] BULL pitCu OdTks dQQ TO aQQ 20 nay uOEIOr
had forgotten the 'lay of the land My
head didn't work just right couldn't lo-
cate the door. Try as 1 might it was i'm
| possible for me to remember which side Of
the room my bed faced.
"Of course the only thing to do was to
| lie still until there was enough light to see
the door, and in the meantime to pray that
the object beside me might not be reused
by any noise in the house. / had no idea
what time it was. l had no ideas at all,
except that some enormous beast occupied
| part of my bed and that heavy, curly paw
with claws on the end lay over my body.
II believe / was going crazy when heard
baby sob little. Yes, hewas in my wife's
room. How happy I felt as l heard that
noise, for l didn't know but the animal
had made a meal of Buster before it lay
down. Then feared that the baby would
cause the brute beside me to awake, but at
that moment his mothers soothing voice
quieted him. Those words of Mrs. PauPs
never seemed so sweet, never so musical
"But all was again still except the
breathing of that beast. All this time
had lain in one position, not even daring
to move my hand that rested on the fur OF
the paw. It was growing cold, the early
uncovered, and in clammy sweat. There
was no more noise. OF course have no
idea how long l remained. l counted 1000
breaths taken by the animal; then, strange
to say, felt sleepy-exhaustion was doing
for me. That must not be. collected
my faculties again and once more was in
abject terror.
"a faint glow appeared at the side OF
the room. 1t was a CLINT of dawn that
Hghtened the space at the window. Only
few moments more I said to myself.
Slowly the objects in the room began to
stand out, and finally 1 could outline the
door which was opposite the foot of the
bed. 1t was standing half open. waited
a few minutes longer until more light
came in, then, seizing the paw, threw it
from me and with one bound was out Of
the bed. Another carried me into the hall,
and with bang 1 pulled the door shut,
and as did so heard savage growl and
a crash.
Mrs. Paul can do better justice to the
rest Of the story, but as she is not here !
will tell it as she has often related.
'She was awakened by the most terrific
yells interspersed by the growls of an ami
NAL and the entire house was Jared as if
cannon balls were being hurled against the
walls. Running into the hall she found
me holding onto my doorknob with both
hands and jumping up and down. had
on only my short nightshirt, and she said
my legs moved up and down like pistons
in and out of cylinder. All the while
was yelling at the top of my lungs, and by
this time Buster had Joined in the chorus.
Mrs. Paul thought me crazy, but fortu-
nately had enough of my wits left to tell
her to call the men, and in a few minutes
the gardener and the stable boy came in.
81 sent them for rope, and in few
moments we had the door fastened There
was rife in my wife's room, fortunately,
and ordering the gardener to get ladder
l sent Mrs. Paul with Buster to the stable,
for l was fearful that the brute would
break through the partition. Then, with
out stopping to put on any clothes, which, |
by the way, l could not have done, as they
were all in my room. hurried around to the
side of the house and climbed up the lad |
der to my open window, which was about
six feet from the ground, and was more of
portfolio than anything else. I must |
have been peculiar spectacle, standing |
there in my bobtailed nightshirt with my |
repeating rifle on my shoulder.
81 soon caught sight of the brute's eyes |
and fired. There was yell and a crash |
The animal had jumped for me. Com |
pletely unstrung by the terrible hours |
had passed, fell from the ladder, and |
knocking the gardener off his feet we both |
rolled on the ground. He was certain that |
the animal had him, and his cries caused |
Mrs. Paul to run from the stable, she be-
lieving that we were both being killed In !
my fall sprained my ankle, and when l |
tried to get up tainted from the pain.
GA half hour later found myself lying
in my wife's bed and doctor standing be-
side me- After / had tainted, Mrs. Paul,
who by the way is very clever shot,
had replaced the ladder, and Selling my
rife dispatched the animal, which was
entered its brain"
There was hush as the captain finished
his story and everybody felt little
creepy as he turned in that night.
The four men stood beside the captains
steamer trunk the next morning, and Mrs. |
Paul took out large heavy skin that had
been carefully preserved and laid it on the
deck.
Poor old Jumbor' she exclaimed. Gap
tain Paul had to pay $500 for killing neigh
Dor Garcia's fine Newfoundland dog, and
so we have kept the skin"
The men filed out.
"Ahem" coughed the consul to Captain
Paul. "What will you have? Here, stew
Fl. W. in New York Recorder.