Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-05
ENE REFLECTOR ABILENE. KANSAS JANUARY 1898

with Inc. 1T tasteneu itsen 10 NV
left shoulder, and there II staid for
some seconds after had fallen. As
soon as ] could withdraw my nose and
cheek-bones from the rock turned NV
head to see where was and what had
struck me. When | did, discovered
that l was mingled to n great extent
with n forty-pound wildcat, and that
was at the bottom OF the mixture. The
animal had fastened his teeth In nv
left shoulder just at the time IL had
sprung upon me, and was now trying TO
make its jaws meet on my collarbone.
One foot with several batteries of
claws, was caressing the scalp on the
back part of my head, and the other
was toying with my whiskers had
no weapon, not even knife, for had
left that in my saddle pockets, and my
revolver was likewise precisely where
1t wasn't wanted. | had nothing what
ever ON my person except n lead pen
Gil, some pieces Of string and a small
bottle Of aqua ammonia; tho latter
always carried to be used as sover.
eign remedy for snake bites, scorpion
and centipcde stings, etc, TO which n
prospcctor In those ATTITUDES is always
exposed. The little vial had more than
once saved mo from serious discomf fort.
not to say death, aud somehow, with
that gougiug, chewing and scratching
load of intensified deviltry on my neck,
] thought of that insignificant flask.
Reaching for my coat pocket I pro-
cured IL, and uncorking II, for my
hands were comparatively free, |
stretched out my right arm and poured
the contents down the face OF the cat
and into its cycs.
The Gerry, pungcnt liquid did It's Office
well, for the monster, with villainous
scrccch, dropped his hold and began
to roll around upon the ground In all
the agony TO be gotten out Of four
ounce vial OF strong ammonia improp-
erly applied. staggered to my feet,
reached my rife, and while his catship
was blindly endeavoring 10 find out the
exact locality gave him the benefit OF
all the pumps could get out OF a Win
chester In good working order Ito
measured something over four feot
from tip to tip, aud was lusty spoci-
men of his kind. lie had climbed tho
oak, bitten of the turkeys neck. and
| dragged IL out of sight before begin
ming his meal. lie had evidently seen
me coming, and, wishing to hide, en-
sconsed himself in the branches Of the
juniper near his prize. My close prox-
unity and the instinct that was going
TO deprive him OF his lately acquired
ration In all probability induced him
to the attack
II Is unnecessary to state that
| didn't furnish much game for the out
1T during the next two weeks, for
when | came out OF that discussion |
was, as Sally Squeers would say, "a
mass of bruises" and II required some
Of Johuson's skill In field surgery TO
| fix me up In fact, when | rode into
camp my "pard," who wns already
there with Il fresh supply OF venison,
fuilcd to recognize me because Of my
"ringed, strcakcd and striped" appear
ancc, and thought that was n painted
Apache looking for trouble, and done
up in red. The best part OF my star.
| board whiskers were gone, and would
| never more make n stand-of with the
| balmy brcezes of sunny southern Ari.
| zona. My coat and shirt were hui
memories; all the scalp had left
would not have kept Geronimo specu
lating very long. | never sold the pelt
| of the cat or asked any reward from
the territory for his taking Off John
| Bon, who was good taxidermist,
followed out his hide and mounted It,
though 1t never required II sight Of II
TO remind me Of the closest call l ever
had. st Louis Globe Democrat