The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-08-10
A Plucky Parsons Nerve:

A Plucky Parsons Nerve:
BLACK FORK, N. c., July 9.-The
Black Forkers have been having an in.
teresting time of it lately. Jim Fells
boy Jack had made things 80 lively for
the varmints and other pests along the
creek that for while nothing else WAS
talked about. But day or two ago an
old Hardshell Baptist preacher, Mica
jah Peters, had an experience which has
dimmed the lustre, for the time at least,
of Jacks local notoriety, and the old
fellow now stands at the head of the
Black Forkers as wildcat fighter.
About week ago the Rev. Micajah
started horseback from Bald Mountain
settlement for Black Fork, but, being
somewhat absentminded, when he reach
ed the forks of the road, instead of TAX
ing the regular route, he uuintentionally
turned his horse into the longer and
more dangerous path over Wildcat
Ridge. This section has been noted for
the number and the ferocity of the wild
cats that make it their headquarters, and
there are few men who would undertake
to go through it unarmed in daylight.
But Micsjah wasn't thinking of wildcats;
he was pondering over sermon which
he intended to deliver the next day for
the spiritual benefit of the Black Fork
ers.
While the horse was wading the creek
about six miles from the Fork, the. old
man, happening to look up, saw two
pretty, fluffy, bob.tailed and Innocent
looking kittens, looking like punches of
gray fur, rolling and tumbling in play
short distance away on the bank. he
made up his mind to capture the pair
alive and take them over to Black Fork
as present to Jim Fell's boy Jack.
Dismounting he approached as closely as
possible and made grab for the little
fellows, but missed them both. One of
them ran into hollow log near by and
the other took to the woods. The lat.
ter was easily overtaken, but before he
could be secured he had severely scratch
ed the preachers hands. The one in
the log was harder to capture, and it was
not until after half an hour or more that,
with the aid of forked stick he had
him out. Both of the kittens were put
into the inaeparable saddle pockets
along with half q dozen hymn books, a
lot of tracts and other orthodox litera-
ture. i
The Rev. Micejah wiped his face, tied
up his wounded hand, mounted his horse
and started in a hurry for the Fork, for
it was getting late, and it had just dawn.
ed upon his mind that he WAS in bad
part of the country. He had ridden about
two miles when, in q dense forest, he
slackenend rein to give the horse
breathing spell. Just then he heard a
shrill scream above him on the noun
tain side. Directly another yell awoke
the echoes behind him, and he put his
horse into trot, as he could 60 no fas-
ter over the rough path. Another scream
closer than before admonished the now
alarmed preacher that there was trouble
coming, and that all the spurring and
whipping he could give his horse couldn't
save him from it.
Old Micajah is no coward, and every.
body in that region knows it since he
damned Tug Teeters, the bully, for dis.
turbing a meeting" but he didn't han
ker after the kind of tussle which he
knew was coming. Dismounting he
quickly cut him heavy hickory club,
which he had hardly trimmed when he
heard the catamounts coming. They
both appeared at the same time and both
struck the road ahead of where the
preacher stood. They had scented
the kittens and bad run ahead to cut him
off. One of the wildcats was tremen.
| dous fellow, and as he sprang at the
preachers throat his lips we're turned
back, displaying wicked front Of serra.
ted ivory.
Micsjah was on the alert for the big
cats spring, and jumping to one side,
gave the creature a terrible whack on
the head, which sent it on its back. Be.
fore the parson could recover his guard
the female came up and she made
spring, catching his shoulder with her
claws, raking his coat and shirt sleeves
into ribbons, and tearing the skin and
flesh in FIVE long cuts, six inches down
the left arm. The wounds were painful
and the dominic, it is believed, came
very near expressing himself in an unor-
thodox manner. He shook her of, but
by this time the big cat had regained it's
feet, and both beasts began to creep to.
ward the preacher evidently intending
to leap upon him at the Same time.
The dominic backed up against big
tree and waited, but he didn't have to
wait long, for the big cat, with snarl of
rage leaped at his throat, while the fe'
male crept a little to one side with the
intention of making flank movement.
1t was to this manoevure that the preach:
or probably owed his life, because the male
cat leaped before the female got ready to
attack. The dominic made one step to
the right, and as the creature struck
the tree he hit it on the back of the neck
with his club, knocking it senseless.
By another rapid movement Micajah |
evaded the female cat, which struck the
base of the tree with q yell of rage. The
dominic gave it heavy blow, but unfor.
tunately in striking his foot slipped, and
the hickory, instead of landing on the