The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-01-21

decision was the fact that tho besr
commenced ambling down the slope
from his position in the doorway.
Without further hesitation I scrambled
up on the rock, balanced myself as well
as could and made q jump for the
spur. just did catch it, and it took
my very best work, joined with tho
knowledge that hungry bear was
waiting to receive me down below, to
enable me to draw myself up and final
~ gain sitting posture upon it. As I
started to jump from that stone you
see, the stone rolled and went clear out
of reach for stepping stone on which
to descend, if l should ever chance to
grow tired of my perch. However,
there was one consolation about it. 1t
left the bear no chance to get up
When the stone rolled the bear reared
himself upon his hind feet and growled
in a most threatening manner. While
l was suggesting to myself the horrible
thought thai he would probably camp
right there until 1 consented to come
down and be eaten, l heard another
growl more frightful than that of the
bear, and out from a narrow crevice
that probably led off into other depart
ments of the cave, a huge panther
came gliding, its long body almost
sweeping the ground. Now thought,
I'm a goner, sure enough. The pam
Their will be sure to spring upon me
and knock me off this rock, and then
they'll dine upon me comfortably
But they were too much engrossed
with one another to think about me.
The low growls and vicious snarls
with which they regarded each other
for several moments were merely an
intimation of what was coming. The
panther began circling about, always
with that low droop to the body with
his chin extended and his ears lying
fiat against his neck. Around and
around he went-swift, silent, stealthy.
The bear kept himself upon his hind
feet, and turned slowly as the panther
did, but he did not show halt
the anxiety to fight that was shown by
his antagonist. The circling figure had
gone around about four times l think,
when suddenly it went through the air
like cannon ball. Instead of alighting
with its teeth at the bears throat,
though, as it expected it received blow
from one of those terrible paws that
threw it clear against the opposite wall.
1t gave a shrek that was almost like
the cry OF human being as it fell, but
in an instant it was up again circling
round and round, with the blood run
ming down it's sides from the long
gashes torn by the bears claws 1t
did not wait so long this time before
springing, but its leap met with the
same result. The bear was ready for
it, and sent it spinning away to the
other side of the cave. Then began
the battle royal. I turned dizzy and
sick, and had to hold the rock with
both hands to keep from falling off.
The panther threw tactics to the wind
and fought with desperate energy. He
wasn't near SO large as the bear, but
he was more active, and he went leap.
ing, lodging, tearing and getting torn,
now up. now down, in every place at
once. AS to the noise they made, pam
demonium itself couldn't equal it. The
confined air of the cave made it seem
worse, and 1 assure you it was almost
deafening. And don't you know
l felt comic bile, sitting up there on
that perch watching that kind of fam
dango? AS long as the panther tried
jumping upon his enemy the bear got
the best of him every time, but when
it came to regular rough and tumble
fight the panther got in lick that told
every once in awhile. Consequently