The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-04-09

turned my head and glanced back over
my shoulder. There right behind me,
and not more than ten feet distant,
were two mountain lions The noun
tnin lion is the largest of the panther
species, and by far the most ferocious
and powerful. Knowing this, for | had
heard father speak of them often,I was
almost paralyzed with fright, and stood
rooted to the spot with horror. Only
for a moment, however; the instinct of
self-preservation is strong in all of us,
and in "A moment | was flying through
the timber at rate of speed perfectly
wonderful, expecting at every leap to
feel the terrible claws of one or both
of the lions.
Luckily they did not pursue me.
Evidently the carcass of my deer pre-
scented too great an attraction for them
just then, and they let me go as a re-
ward for presenting them with such u
fine dinner, | suppose.
Il ran till was tired out, and then
sank down on the ground and gasped
for breath. l was terribly put out over
the affair. Here | had succeeded in
killing a fine fat buck only to have him
tdltu DN ii CpulJlt VI lllOull Itlll llOllS
By rights l should have been thankful
for my escape. but, boy-lille, / did not
think of that then; | could think of
nothing but my lost deer
IL was IN terrible stew; | did not
know what to do. l could let the lions
have my deer-though | hated to bad
enough-but | could not return home
without my gun, which was at that
very moment lying on the ground not
five feet from where the two lions
We're devouring my buck. l had been
too frightened to think about securing
it when ran, and it would have done
me no particular good at the time as it
was not loaded. If l had thought to
bring it, however, l could have loaded
it and returned and shot one or both of
the lions as they were busy eating my
deer. At any rate that is the way |
figure it now" and jim smiled and ac-
cented the now as he spoke.
I'm afraid you wouldn't have fig
ured it out that way them laughed his
WIFE
"Well, not having the gun" con.
tinued Jim. II could net return with
the intention Of shooting the lions, but
/ made up my mind to return Just the
same. | was bound not to go back
home without my gun; the folks would
never have gotten over laughing at me
if ! had ] made up my mind to wait
till l was sure the lions had finished
eating my buck and departed, and then
return and get my gun. If ! had time,
l intended to try for another deer be-
fore going home.
"Wcll, l waited fully two hours, and
then, slowly and carefully, for didn't
! know but | might run on to the lions,
made my way back to the scene of my
triumph and my discontinue | kept
a bright lookout, you may be sure; but
seeing nothing of the lions as | APP
| preached the spot where ! had felled
the deer, | concluded that they had
filled themselves up, and then, being
fully satisfied, had returned to their
lair.
Thinking thus, threw aside my
caution, and advancing, picked up my
gun and took look at my buck. There
was moth ing left but bones, and, just
as / was on the point of turning
away, heard noise behind me, and
turned, to see the two mountain lions
crouching on the ground within yard
of me.
II was worse scared, if possible, than
had been the first time, but l had
sense enough to not try to run away,
as had done before. Not having the
fat carcass of the buck to keep them
back this time, they would, was sure,
4 follow me, and they could easily out
strip me in a race, gorged though they
We're, after eating the deer
"Helplessly stood and stared at the
lions and they stood and looked me
in the eyes in return. They made no
motion toward attacking me, and be-
gan presently to hope that they would
be satisfied with the feast they had been
treated to and go away and leave me.
But they did not seem inclined to do
they moved with me, keeping their
noses within foot of me-
st was not pleasant position to be
in, you may be sure. / was so badly
frightened that l hardly knew whether
| was standing on my head or my
heels Almost unconsciously, how
ever, kept trying to edge away from
the lions, and they kept right along
with me. 1t was evident that they did
not want to attack me then, but it was
equally evident that they did not want
to let Inc escape. They had dined so
heartily on the carcass of my deer, that
they did not feel like eating me just
then; but they wanted to keep me in
sight, so that when they did want me
they would have me.
"As the only thing | could do, ! kept
walking backwards, step at a time
and the lions kept right after me. 1t
was impossible for me to get away
from the lions, and had not something
happened to bring the affair to close,
| suppose / would eve ntually have far
nished meal for the ugly brutes.
SIN walking backward of course
kept my eyes on the lions, and sudden
ly, as ] took a step backward, | caught
my heel on root and fell fiat on nv
back on the groundI In an instant the
lions leaped forward and one Of them
placed one paw on my breast, emitting
low growl us it did sol gave myself
up for lost, and closed my eyes. The
lions did not attempt to make a meal
of me, however, and soon discovered
that they were puzzled. They began
| smelling of me, and shifting about, and