Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-19
BOY AGAINST JAGUAR
"mlLksop DAM PROVES HIMSELF TO
De A COURAGEOUS LAD.
4 Youth Of Twenty Has = Terrible s'rus-
sis with Three drown. Dioodthirsty
Psnshsrs = Protected By = Gage. lie
Wound. Two and Knifss . Third.

ais with Three drown, Biocdthirsty
Psnshsrs = Protected By . Gage. lie
Wounds Two and knifss . Third.
Nigh, had fallen over the great mount
ain wall Of the Andes, and tho foothills
between II aud tho coast were wrapped In
agloom which the rising moon was siill
Too fechlo 10 pcnctratc. Any one would
have needed good eyes TO make out that
the shadowy mass on the brink Of a small
stream, which runs down ono Of tho hlghar
valleys, was a huge iron cage with man
inside Of It,
Was he prisoncrf Hardly. for hc was
unbound aud armed with a rife, but, on
the other hand, II he wns free agent, IL
wins old that ho should he lingering at
spot which every onr else carefully avoid
ell after dark ~ tho chosen haunt Of all
the Wild boasts IN the nclghborhood. And,
stranger still, this strange watcher was y
mere lad. barely twenty years old. whose
local reputation was that Of "milksop'--
fellow with no spirit whatever.
Danlel Martin was the junior 81 tho star
Of a mine that had Just been started at thu
head Of the valley. With the other en-.
ployc. he was very unpopular. partly be-
cause be wns the only "AIicricano" among
them dor NIL the rest were nativos). and
INNfNN NfNhuHfs luNAtNl W rHfUllilK UlH
evenings like them. he was always poriug
over scientific books or studying the con.
s,ruction and working OF tho mining ma
chincry.
No Que ventured actually 10 molcst him,
q for. quiet as hu was. therc was n look about
him that warned the most reckless not to
70 too far But they all looked down upon
him ns n mllksop, aud whenever he passed
they whispered epiteful jokes TO each other,
which hc was luckily not NO silly rs TO
mind.
WAITING TnE ATTACK.
Now, In thia wild aud thinly pcoplcd
district the beasts Of prey were 40 trouble.
some that the owner Of tho mine. rich
citizen Of Luna, had offered pretty high
reward for every jiguar (panthcrl killed,
but 10 kill them was no caay matter. Tho
wary beasts seemed 20 avoid by Instinct
all traps aud pitfalls. and would not touch
poisoned meat, II u baud Of hunters went
forth against them they were no whcrc TO
be seen. while any man who yentured
through the bush alone was apt TO sco more
Of them than lie liked.
This was the pcrilous mission that had
brought thu brave American lad to tho
dangerous spot by night lie had not a
trap for the jaguars aud halted II with
himself, and now he was watching to Acc
what would come OF IL.
Hc had not long to walt The savage
brutes had already scented him, and crc
long rustling and ctackllng was heard
among the bushes, and the Frightening
moon showed him three long, Raunt bodies
creeping steal,hily toward tho cage In
which he stood ready. rifle In hand.
There was u complete jaguar family-fa-
Their. mother and son--tho younger beast
being almost full grown, and armed with
teeth and claws we'll nigh as formidable NJ
those OF his terrible hiro and dam. With
their huge fiat heads lowered. their great
white fnngs cleaning In tho moonlight.
and their striped, slnewy bodies gliding
noisclessly over tho ground. with a fierce,
elastic life In every movement, they were
indeed u grim band, tho sight Of which
might we'll havo made even au old hunter
look grave.
IN THE CAGE.
but Dan Martin Ind faced In his time
tho 'painter" and grizzly bear Of the far
west, and ho was not tho lad TO DO scared
by any Wild beast upon earth. Coolly
waiting till tho fearful group came near
enough To make bis aim sure, he icveicd
his piece Mt the foremost beast, which hap.
pened to DO tho cub. and let fly.
His MIN was true, and down fell tho cub
stone dead, but tho fall was followed by
fdghtful yell rs the female jaguar. mad.
dencd by tho loss Of her young, flow raging
at ono side OF Dams sholtering cage, while
the male. either by accident OF design,
dashed at the other
Tho attack on both sides at once whether
intended or not, brought tho gallant lad
within a hairs breadth Of destruction, for
the bars were wide enough apart TO lot his
grim foes thrust their paws between 80 far
w. almost TO touch him ON either side,
while he. standing Us erect US no could be-
twixt tho clutching talons for he knew
that one Inch TO right or loft would cost
him his iifcA reloaded with all possible
speed.
But all ut once tho she jaguar, mad with
rage ut being unable TO reach the slayer Of
her young. rushed around TO the other side
OF tho cage and leaped up on tho bars lust
ns tho male beast made q dash ut them
likewise.
Dor AND beast TOGETHER
Dan fired again and wounded her NOR.
tally, but II was too late The weight u
tho two huge bodies, suddenly thrown
both Mt oncc upon the Same spot, over
balanced the cage. II tottercd on tho edge
Of the bank. turned over aud fell with u
loud splash right down Into tho stream,
sarrylng Martin along with II.
HNlfh9 ioi out Hcto ANuu WOulu Otncrs
wise have becn drowned In this novel sen.
try box) the shock Of tho fall snapped the
worn and rusty catch" Of the bolt, aud
Dan, bruised and dizzy an he WINS, was
able 10 push back the door Of the cage and
scramble out Into tho shallow water,
which was little more than waist deep.
But Just ~ he WINS about TO chamber up
on the bank furious splashing In tho
stream drew his attention 10 tho third
jagunr. which. badly hurt by a blow from
ths corner OF tho cage ~ II II, was strug.
Cling In the water close bes him. Come
what might II must not ape. Like
lightning Dan whipped out his long hunt
ing knife and buried II IN the monsters
throat--a blow that needed no repetition.
Just at that moment the other officers Of
the mine. startled by the ilrlng, came rush.
ing up to the spot In body TO SEQ what
wins the matter, and stood In blank amaze.
ment Mt tho sight Of the dead monsters aud
the young uilksop" by whom they had
bean slain.
-Senor Don Daniels" at length said tho
chief OF the mining stan, who had always
been hardest Of all upon the young hero,
you are brave man, and for Que will
peser say another word against YOU'D
New York Dispatch.