The state herald., 1893-02-24
AN OLD HUNTERS YARN
HE HAS AN ADVENTURE WITH
-. A MOUNTAIN LION.
Loaf His DOG and Got Terrible claw
tng-A Tragedy That Was Wit
y, messed While too Far on
81 to Give Help.

hltCk utis uho W NOV COA v Vf'-~'
out in this Montana kentry," said the
old man as we logged along together
dvet tho trail out Of Missoula, ais
ono which the PAPERS don't seem to
hcar Of very often. They Prirs q
heap o. stuff about grizzly bars and
rattle snakes, but this here crittcr
I'm speakin' OF is wuss'n bars and
snakes rolled together. What thcy
calls the mountain lion, sir. amt no
lion. He's half lion and half panther
with big sprinkle Of gineral eussed-
ness throwd in TO make him slyer
than d Injun and uglier than d mad
wolf. Cum around on the other side
Of this cayuse and notice that claw
mark. Look at the scars on his
rump! Them was made by noun
tain lion, and at the same time he
bit through 10 the bone Of my right
arm and clawed most Of the clothes
and hide off n me. It jest starts the
sweat when think Of I'll"
MY pard and planned to hev a
hunt oRo dsy, and soon arter break
fast Jim went up the river and l
down, both hossback and h6eled for
bizness. At about 10 o'clock l got
into an old trail between tho river
and chain o. hills, The trail was
rough and full Of turns, and war
IA, I'm around mass of rocks
jist winu. n'ted
and Bushes when 4 wild screen ~.
me in my. stirrups and burned
mountain lion hit on the hoss at my
back.
The boss jumped me outer the
saddle and run or and my tumble
seemed to skcer the varmint into
maxim off into the bushes. He worked
mighty fast durin' the few seconds he
had. I've got ten claw marks on my
bach and side md beg, aud the way
he bit into my shoulder wotld hev
made yc think he was uncommon
hungry fur breakfast"
II walked some and crawled some
and finally got home to be laid up for
MONTH" he replied. 1--WE thought
the boss would die fur sure, but he
somehow pulled along.
"f'll tell ye what / saw with my
own eyes down In Cold Spring Valley,
beyond Emmettsburg. he continued.
Ss / pressed him for another incident.
Thar was a party eampiI' out thar
"a party OF about twenty men and
women. can't jist remember wbar
they Wis from, but back in the states
somewhat. 1hcy WAS huntin' and
Hshin' and hovin' happy time, and
had been thar ten days when / went
up into The hills west OF EN- to look
fur an old claim | had get track OF.
"Bimcby cum on a spot ~har ]
could look down and see four or five
Of the campers iishin' in creek fur
trout. The highest ones to me was
two Young gals. could see EN-,
plain as fa-; though I guess thoy
was n good two miles On. so, down
on stun TO rest and waz kindes
wonderin' II gals had any tuck in
fishin', when suddenly seen sigh.
which made hair curl II was one o.
them mountain lions stalkin' the gal
highest 10 me. He'd crcpt out II
ihidiic. and was skuikin' ford Jest
like you've seer eat do He'd twist
and dodge ana shelter hiiiscii PC
hind every stone and oush' and she
Vas r-tshiD'sTay ard perhaps singin'
to herself.
"And You were helpless' 7"
81 was, and you don't know what
an awful feclin' u gin me; Hired my
winchester a. last as ] could pun
trigger, bopin' the reports might DO
heard down thdr and sk"rrr tho var.
mint of or bring one oil the men TO
tlie icseuc, but. the wind was agin me.
] also yellcd 1T the top OF my voice
ind waved my hat, but 1t Wis no
| rood. i 1est had TO stand thar and