Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-06-22

to loosen one Of the long teeth from tta
hay rack
! While engaged in his work the animal
would growl and then he would do the
same. This is what Mat says saved
his life. for 1t seemed to make the ami
mai undecided about making the at
tack. and had he been attacked at that
time he would have been helpless
Several times the animal got up but
hearing his grCwl, walked round the
middle of the car where there was no
freight, in a wild way, but always
changed his mind about the attack
While twisting at the rake tooth he
got his arm inside. and his arm struck
a bundle Of round sticks that seemed
like broom handles. At last he had
something that he could strike a blow
with at least. He pulled the bundle
out, and found that instead of brooms
he had found six pitchforks tied to-
gether with string. He cut the string
with his knife, and when he had the
threeponged implement in his hand he
felt as if he could at least make some
kind of fight. He got Il great deal of
courage all at once, and stood up in
his corner and looked at the animal.
BY this time there was a little light,
and the panther if that is what it was,
made 4 spring at him as soon as it
was assured there was only Il man to
fight
Mat was not expecting it and did
not have his pitchfork pointed right.
The result was that it struck the handle
sideways and glanced off, but managed
to put a few scratches on his face.
This made the man mad, and he was
just about as ready for the fight as the
PANTHER was. He couldn't see very
well, and his lunges with the fork al
ways managed to just miss the mark.
But it 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
sometimes it was lodging the man.
They ran over the stuff in the car,
the man bowling and curSing and the
beast growing with fury and pain
from the several wounds Humphrey
had managed to infict.
The panther really had the worst Of
it, but Mat was growing weaker and
weaker every moment, and still the
train showed no signs of stopping. AS
things We're if it would stop even for
moment he could jump off and call for
assistance. ,A,. -xy
AS the figat progressed the beast be-
was becoming almost frenzied in it's
onslaught. AS light came Humphrey
did better work, and a few of his
thrusts went near where he wanted
them. The beast showed signs Of
weakness in one attack, and that was
Humphreys salvation, because he was
ready to drop from exhaustion.
AS the beast came forward slowly
he thrust for it's head, but as he did
not come as fast as he calculated the
fork went in front Of it's nose few
inches and passed down and through
the middle of the right fore leg. The
beast pulled back, but Humphrey kept
his fork straight, so that it could not
get off, and by a great effort made q
downward thrust and drove the prOngs
tightly into the floor
The panther was now captive, and
Humphrey had a chance to breathe
and get little rest, although he had
to keep a tight hold ON the upper part
of the handle or the panther would
have pulled loose. Still, he knew he
was about safe, because as soon as the
train stopped he would have plenty of
time to get off and reach a secure spot.
The panther howled and snarled, and
with rage, but could not get
near Humphrey to do him any harm.
but it must have been only a short
time, as it was not much more than
daylight when the train eventually
stopped at Goshen. ..[
Humphrey did not know where he
was but as he was close to the door,
made Il jump the instant the wheels
stopped revolving. He was very weak
and almost fell to the ground, but in a
had seen the station lights
and started for them. The beast got
away much easier than he expected,
and but for the assistance that was at
hand would have made an end Of him.
AS it was, he is now as well as ever,
but says he will never take another
ride alone i'm freight car as long as
he remains in the West where there are
any wild beasts. ...,.