The morning call., 1893-04-23


pursuit.
The man, exhausted and trembling was
helped to the nearest saloon, where good
big glass of whisky soon put him in fair
condition. He had several ugly scratches
on his arms and few on his face, but he
was not seriously hurt in any way. Still
he wanted everybody 10 know that he
came pretty near il. and all who saw his
narrow escape from the beast did not
doubt word he said.
According to his story his name was Mat
Humphrey, and he was n laborer on the
Southern Pacific Railroad, and worked on
the Bakersfield section. During the storms
he had been kept up good deal at hight,
making repairs. On the night OF his Gdvea-
ture the work was all done, but the boss
would not allow him to 90 home uu'il The
southbound passenger train arrived. 1t was
late several hours, and things were wet and
damp, even around the fire the old man had
built.
Humphrey was very sleepy, so he crawled
into n car Of freight train that was wait
ing for the passenger train TO pass, so ii
could proceed nOrthward. He knew be
weuld near the train go by and wake up so
as TO be on hand if he was wanted. He tried
to close the door of the door. but could not
do so, rs the many rains had swollen the
boards so il would not bulge. 1t did not
make mitch difference anyhow, as the Inside
of the car was perfectly dry, and that was
what lie wanted.
The car was loaded with all sorts of s:uffs,
including some machinery, but Mat found
warm corner and was soon asleep. The
passenger train must have gone by without
his hearing il, because when lie awoke the
freight train was in motion and running as
If IL was making up for lost time.
Mat went 10 the door and looked out. but
could not see anything to lei him know
where he was. A dense fog had fallen. and
that. combined with the darkaesS, made the
outside world perfect blank. He saw no
way of getting of. so he sat down in cor
ner to wait until the train came to a station,
so he could fnd out where he was aud fix
things to get back to his work.
The eight train flew at passenger-tran
speed and twice went by a couple of lights
without stopping. At last there was
Stacking up and soon the train came to n
halt, and Mat jumped off He looked
around, but saw no sign of a house or light
of any kind. He thought he would go ask
the engineer where he was and started
toward the forward end of the train, but
had not gone more than half the dis
lance before the cars commenced 10 bump
together and rattle went from one end of
the train to the other. AS Mat was rail-
road mau he knew the train must have
stopped at some weak cuvert and the en-
gineer, after assuring himself that it was
safe, had started again. He also knew that
it would not do to be left out on the plain in
Tue lOE Ou SuCA n HiEuh So he Udu barely
time 10 get back into the car before the train
was again running.
But this time he was not to travel alone
lie had just about got comfortably settled
when something jumped in the door and
commenced TO grOHl. Just what sort of an
animal it was be could not tell. but thought
1t was panther. Il had evidently got
scent of him when he was on the outside,
and followed him in to eat him at his
leisure.
Mot
pocket-knife that would have been about
as effective as a pin on the animals hide.
1t was some time before the creature had
him located, and even then it seemed a
little scarey about making an attack
This gave Mats brain a chance TO work,
and he began feeling around for something
with which TO defend himself. He got hold
OF all sorts of things, all of which were so
tightly fastened together that he could not
get one of them loose The corner in which
some sort Of agricultural implement. He
felt the iron wheel, and at first
thought 1t was mower, but care
full investigation proved it to be
hay rake. He passed his hand over the
long, curved rods and wondered If he
couldn't get one of them out, as it would
make good weapon. He commenced to
twist 1t to different sides, and it really
seemed as ii he was to succeed in his efforts
While he was engaged in the work the
was Tulare by the number of people he
heard outside. lie hoped some of them
would come down toward his car, and as
sist him to get rid of his enemy. He couldn't
pass the beast, which was lying near tue
door growing ominously, as if waiting for n
chance to make an attack, so to occupy his
MIND ne kept up his work OF trying to loosen
ono OF the long teeth from the hay rake.
while engaged in his work the animal
would growl and then he would do the same.
q Va N af sow ri
seemed to make the animal undecided about
making the attack and had he been attacked
at that time he would have been helpless.
Several times the animal got up but when
u heard his growl walked around the mid
die OF the car, where there was no freight.
in wild way. but always changed its mind
about the attack.
While twisting at the rake tooth he got
his arm inside and his hand struck a bundle
OF round sticks that seemed like broom
handles. AT last he had something that he
could strike blow with at least. He pulled
the bundle out and found that Instead of
brooms he had found six pitchforks tied
together with string.
lie cut the string with his knife, and
when be had the three-pronged implement
in his hand he felt as il he could at least
make some kind of fight. He got a great
deal OF courage all at once and stood up in
his corner and looked at the animal.
by this time there was little light, and
Inc panther, II that Is what 1t was. MADE
spring at him as soon as il was assured
there was only man to fight.
Mat was not expecting 1t and did not
have his pitchfork pointed right. The
result was that it struck the handle side
ways and glanced off. but managed to put
few scratches on his face,
This made the man mad, and he was lust
about as ready for the fight as the panther
was. He couldn't see very well, and his
lunges with the fork always managed to
just miss the mark. But 1t was growing
lighter and lighter all the time, and the
chances Of the fight were first on one side
and then on the other.
Sometimes the panther pursued and some
times ID was lodging The man f'hav ran