The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-14
HE WAS VERY HUNGRY.
Where a Panther Went TO Obtain
a Neal.
A Fight in Freight Car-The Thrill
ling Adventure of Railroad La
bored on the Southern Pacific.
From the san Francisco Call.


into Goshen 1t was running on wild.
time" on account Of the washout near
Bakersfield, and not many people were
standing around the station. But those who
We're there saw strange sight. The train
had no sooner stopped than man jumped
from the car and ran rapidly toward the
station, and an instant later 1.-the look
ing animalof some kind jumped out after
him and started in pursuit.
Lwan was Just breaking, but all the by
ISLANDERS could see that it was some Zero
cious beast that Intended to make a meal
of the man. Some ran into the station,
but others ran to the mans assistance,
and by throwing a few heavy objects and
firing a couple of shots at it made it
change its mind about having breakfast
1t groyled Il few times, and then seeing
it would have no show in the fight ran
into a small turtle marsh near the track
1t came out on the other side, and when
last seen was running along the track of
the branch road toward HanfOrd. No one
went in pursuit.
The man exhausted and trembling, was
helped to the nearest saloon, where good
bic glass Of whisky soon put him in fair
condition. He had several ugly scratches
on his arms aud few on his face, but he
was not seriously hurt il any way. Still
he wanted everybody to know that he
came pretty near it, and all who saw his
narrow escape from the beast did not
doubt a word he said
According to his story his name was
Mat Humphrey and he was a laborer on
the Southern Pacific railroad aud worked
on the Bakersfield section. During the
storm he had been kept up a good deal at
night making repairs. On the night
of his adventure the work. was all
done, but the boss would not allow him TO
go home until the south bound passenger
train arrived Il was late several hours
and things We're wet and damp, oven
around the fire the old man had built.
Humphrey was very sleepy. so he
crawled into a car of a freight train 20
pass so it could proceed Woodward He
knew he would hear the train 20 by and
wake no so as to be on hand if he was
wanted He tried to close the door of the
car. but could not do so. as the many rains
had swollen the boards so it would not
bulge. It did not make much difference
anyhow, as the inside OF the car was per
fectly dry, and that was what he wanted.
The car was loaded with all sorts of
stuffs. including some machinery, but Mat
found a warm corner ana was soon asleep.
The passenger train mast have gone by
without his hearing it, because when he
alyOlle the freight train was in motion and
running as if it was making up for lost
time.
Mat went to the door and looked out,
but could not see anything to let him
know where he was. A dense fog had
fallen. and that, combined with the dark
ness, made the outside world a perfect
blank. He saw no way Of getting off. so
he sat down in a corner to wait until the
train came to a station so he could find
out where he was and fix things to get
back to his work
The freight train few at passenger
train speed. and twice went by couple
freirhts without stopping. At last there
was Stacking up, and soon the train
came to a halt and Mat Jumped of He
looked around, but saw no sign of house
or light Of any kind. He thought he
would 90 ask the engineer where he was.
and started toward the forward end of
the train. but had not gone more than
half the distance before the cars com
menced to bump together and d rattle
went from one end of the train to the
other. AS Mat was a railroad man he
knew the train must have stopped at
some culvert and the engineer, aftor as
suring himself that it was safe, had
started again He also knew that it would
not do to be left on the plain in the fog on
such a night so he had barely time to get
back into the car before the train was
again running.
But this time he was not to travel
alone He had Just about got comfortably
settled when something Jumped in the
door and commenced to growl Just
what sort of animal it was he could not
tell, but thought it was a panther 1t had
evidently got scent of him on the outside.
and followed him in to eat him at his
leisure.
Mat was unarmed except for a single
pocket-l1nife. 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 some
thing 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 he sat was slightly pro
tected on one side by some sort of agli-
cultural implements. He felt the iron
wheel and at first thought it was a
mower. but caaeful Investigation proved
ii 10 be baV rake. He passed his hand
over the long curved rods and wondered
if he couldn't get one of them as it would
make good weapon. He commenced to
twist it to different sides, and it really
seemed as if he was to succeed in his eff
forts
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