The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-08-02
ATTACKED BY A PANTHER
WITH ONLY BlRDsH0T AND
KNIFE FOR DEFENSE.
The Desperate Encounter OF Ton
Tower, ia Which He was oie''n
and Torn Almost to Pieces


,u,r be fe
Tom Tower, young ranone f,onI brins
.,s Cal. is slowly recovering from na
wounds received in singie-hahueu the
counter with full grown panther some balm
DAVIS ago. the memory OF when SUI she
ho,n,s his hours both sleeping and wax 10
aud the scars from which he VIII ,ho
oorrv 70 his grave. A few mornings ago nor
Towsr In company with friend, started "a !,
sor iorenoon's hunt in the foothins. ~,
sf,or a time the two become separated i,
and the friend meeting with indinereh
success. returned to the ranch. ROVER IN,
continued his way deeper into the ioo' ab
L;l,s and while going through dense To,
-, os mesauite and manzanita on
"a NOV 10 the summit OF "hog back, heI -
-,,adonlv entered a little clearing rev ,
- ~ axtent. AS he did 80 huge
nanther arose with growl from i.s ia bro
= the center Of the clearing. for an
;ns,ant Tower was paralyzed with irigh"
n,hor ba rapidly took stock OF his situa-
ion teeping his eyes on the huge oeas'
AZ, was crouching with its yellow pehyn
a, .ho Ground, lashing the short sageIh
';.t ;,s long. flexible tail, its short ears !,
eattened to its head, snariing' sno"
its terrible br
LONG, WHITE FANGs H.
and the long body swaying' prepara'oiy
ros;stless leap. There was no way
,o Ta'ror 70 escape. The brute would
- ON him in another moment, and tnereg
'.s No nossible help within miles. IhereH
was nothing to do but fight. Du' "n
wore his chances? His weapons oon
a;s,od of a double-barreled shotgun
,aodod with fine shot, short, STOUT
I,adod knife. two good arms, strong,
"',s.;a frame and an abundance oil
a,aor true crit. But what OF his an'ag-
-. ,,,ot would be upon him IN an
other instant? sinewy, supple Pows
ful body, paws that could crush 'ne
sL,u al an OK, jaws that couiu oiV1
,hrouOh his thigh with one crunch any
.h;cI tawny hide that would ahor'
srccessful resistance to those pi.n
sasal, shot. While taking this inventory
1,-..ar nod never removed his gaze 1ron}
those great yellow eyes glaring a. nm
from the ground, not five YARD uiS'a
u;s only hope was to blind tue pru'e1
.;.h ,ho shot. He had been stanuhe
r,o,;onless. fearing that the snghVes'
movement might precipitate that .eril
10 loan But now the silence was prok
en- by sharp click OF the cockeu or e
and with quick downward ho''p'
of his left hand
NE LoosENED THE KNIFE
in his belt; then braced himsen ~, No. =.
~ a.an,,lt Il was not long delayed. VII
= a." srst movement by Tower the pan.nt
VA orouched lower, its body trempiin
80 violently, and now it sprang in
the air with cry between roar Tow Tow
s ss tho r;oht barrel full into the peas,
nreu , an. and then jumped nimbly 10 q
l.oi' Isha hrute screamed again Wnl
sac: .ha air and as it struck the groui
>ye. IN v ;ts head with its paws and Dit
. charm singing pain in us pre g.
fewer had only time to step DAY. ~ ~,
or four PAGES when the mada len s,,Ii Go,
snrang again and again met .nS %u n
eP ne second load Of shot hrea py = =
OF .he boud and again did Tower Il
soeauy a;de and at the same noun
10 ono o1an The breech OF his gun /,
bhIoms 20 his belt for more cartnut
Ieacue nonther did not delay the u
i pa, II had hardly touched the gro'
..haan II was ~, and this time ig"J
10 fanos with a crunchlng snali y :,
into his left shoulder. Do"n 'n 6ob
,noSad in deadly embrace, IN n.y.
i ,:sa; that secluded spot on the sloe
, ny mountain, and witnessed ohiy
ioneiy h;nsS sitting motionless IN
~ s,,Soy;se on the bushes.
a"'P AZ THE TWO WENT DOWN
rower grasped his short kniie, as y,
iancs az his antagonist met IN ms 2,
der drove il to the halt IN tne am ..a,
side. With scream Oh pain pail hin, a
reieas s,,d -, over they rolled, the PAL
over an ~ Tower's limbs and vitais
tearing "c o,a we and crushing his arm
n s with its powerful jaws;
e,'aaed To keep his right arm iree
.l,;aJ r. rapidly. Again and again
p1r; . the knife to the hilt in the an
neck and side, the hot blood ~
over him at every stroke, AS Lho
.,,,on waned end Tower did noe /,
IL friend at the ranch became ~
and with three OF the men staI'eo
saarch for his absent comrade.
srst 70 the place where they hs ~
rated the searchers took up tne " \,
had no difficulty in following ~ u
nr;nts being plainly distinguishes ,',
so;i After tramp OF TWO h9J,
sorced their way through tnicn
sonnd in a little opening an m, eSp Ia
- their friends absence. Inere
face downward in the dirt, MS -
almost aim torn from his body OF ~
s shs flesh by great clots Of a drle'
,h had poured from deep,
.nas A few feet away, on =, a
IA Mm,1ood.soaked ground, lay ,i i9
,anther, dead, with short-lplali'
R Rr;ven to the haft behind the j. !
ohonlder. Taking in the sl 'TaV.'
instant, the rescuers ran 70 ~"
, ,ns;no. Of course that he was &C
tbs e,S We're overjoyed 70 and !, ~
vas still enough blood leit IN ~ ~,
create es a pulse. 1t took those ,,
mountains but few mome ani
saruct litter Of boughs, am
~ we almost lifeless body up;
ranch Medical aid was prom
m. IA