The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-11-22

FIGHT WITH a PANTHER.
An Old .Arkansan's Thrilling Ex-
perierce.
Tho DaDgerssof Pioneer Life in the socth-
west -,Iiani-to-Band Encounter with
Magnificent Brzlte-Thc Mo-
biuty of Dog.

'sThe most exciting adventure I ever
experienced" said Uncle Billy Clardy,
land the narrowest escape from death,
happened right here in Arkansas On
the spot where my house now stands,
not quite two miles from the city Of
Texarkana. That was in 1855. while
Arkansas was still a territory. ! was Z
young fellow then, but active and mus
cular. You can ali brag about your
athletics, Indian clubs and dumb bells,
but could have whipped any two OF
you with one hand tied behind me.
''It was IN '33. This country was a
wilderness then. There Were only few
towns and they sparscly settled. My
parents lived in Camden, which was
then called Ecore Febre. or center of
trade. This was just a short time be-
fore Van Buren, was elected president,
and the whole country was suffering
from a financial panic. Even the gov
ernment could not pay its debts 1
nad friend living where Washington,
Ark, now stands, and he wrote TO me
in glowing terms of the rich black
land and fertile prairies around him, of
which I could take nay choice. homo
stead the land, and in a few years be a
rich man.
''As 1 had sweetheart back in old
Georgia who had agreed to marry me as
soon as l had home to offer her, |
jumped at-tny friends suggestions.
Il arose early next morning, packed
a change of clothes in my saddlebags
with a supply OF dried venison and
bread, cleaned and loaded my gun,
strapped q good, sharp hatchet to my
sa idle--wIth which to blaze trees on
my wsy-caAled my two faithful dogs
and started away on my lonely
journey.
'Onc Of my dogs was a deerhound,
the other was a mixture of bulldog and
mastif, ,iiarge and powerful. pure grit
all through, ready to grapple with any
thing from a ratclcsnalie to 4 buffalo.
Erare.old Porter. Had IL not been for
him / would never have located my
pleasant home with its sparkling
springs and smiling acres of fertile
Land.
The distance was almost seventy.five
miles and Etraveled .briskly the first
day, intending to go more ieisurely and
inspect theilap6 as l neared my friends
plantation. with view of locating
near him. Il never meta soul or passed
. single house during my first days
ride through the silent forests which
were. full of all kinds of game-wild
turkeys, deer, catamounts. quail and
grouse, with now and again skulking
wolf, which passed snarlihg by.
camped near pretty creek, with my
HORSE staked on the juicy grass and my
two dogs sleeping at my feet.
II was awakened early next morn
ing by a turkey gobbling few feet
away. / peered cautiously among the
bushes and soon found them / sent a
shot in their midst. killing one and
lwounding another. which, in trying
TO escape, caused me to lose my pouch
of ammupition, which loss came near !
proving fatal to me.
Il pursued my lonely journey, be- |
coming more delighted as rode along |
with the country through which | |
passed. and keeping a sharp lookout |
for good building spot, near spring. |
as felt that | could find no better land |
or prettier scenery than that About |
Tour O'Clock in the afternoon | rode |
into a strip of woods that fairly capti-
waited me with its beauty 1t was
gently rolling plateau. which sloped to
ia lovely creek fringed with dropping
willows and alders. There was scarce
jly any underground; groves of walnut.
gum and hickory trees. the growth of
centuries, reared their heads and sifted
the sunlight through their leaves on
the grassy sward below: wild plums,
crabappies and grapes stepped the air
with perfume; at the base of giant
maple trickled the sparkling water of
a spring. SprIpGing from my horse
and tying him to the branch of a tree.
l fastened to the spring and kneeling
took long drausht from its fern
fringed. pebbly fouDt. It was as cool
Ss though it flowed from the snow
capped peaks of Mount Olympus, and |
shouted aloud in my joy. though none
but the dogs could hear
AS it WAS getting late concluded
to camp there, SO that | could select
and locate the ground, which | would
enter when | reached Washington.
LAY fat on my back or the ground with
my head pillowed on my clasped hands.
my soul lulled into serenity bv the
silent beauty of the scene.
was aroused from nv reveries by
hearing my horss snortinr and rear.
ing and tugging frantically at his
orlcle, as though he were mad with
lear. l. also noticed that the dogs.
"hich were lying painting near the
spring, had jumped up and with bris-
ties erect and low growls seemed to /
scent danger in the air. /,
i thought perhaps a wolf was
skulking around, and, Selling nv 5
which held my only load of
ammunition. as had lost my pouch in
lne race after the turkey | hastened 10 6
nly morse, looking cautiously through I
the woods | could see or hear moth /
ng. but before eoald reach my horse
he snapped his bride and ralIonad
nadiy away, the turkeys faoDj,p mn
ind down. and adding new terrors 70 t
MS fright. i,
i started after my horse. calling 10 0
.ne oogs VINO stu seemed cowed and I; 4
rag hteEed Finally the hound came to {
ny call, but ne came shrinkinglv and
lhder protest, as 1t were. while Porter
ne n1S.Suif. refused To bulge. Tho | {
lodnd skuiked after ME with droonire,
ars and tail, looking just as a dog does I
'hen expecting severe beating. / am
lot coward. but III confess NV heart j
'eat faster in The face of this unseen
an rer. am Sill rnlf;r,- -.