Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-14

| impossible; besides was afraid to turn
back on the brute, as that might PR
cipitate his attack. / had but one load
In my gun. and should miss my aim,
which | felt certain | should do, fare
well to Mary, parents and home.
II backed slowly against a large tree,
intending should my fire prove futile,
| to shield myself behind it. had my
Ratchet in my belt, and, taking IL out,
1 slipped it in the waistband of my
trousers, SO as TO have it ready to my
hand, for was determined TO sell my
life as dearly as possible. looked TO
the printing Of my gun, calculated the
distance carefully, and selected the
very place / would aim at, brown
spot about the size of silver dollar,
| just below his ear. 1 looked and lis
tened anxiously for Porter lie would
have been n powerful ally, but as he
had not come TO the assistance of the
hound. feared that for the first time
in his life he had turned his back on
the foe. was afraid to call him, but
thought, perhaps, when he heard my
shot he would rush to me.
while was meditating my plan Of
attack the panther had risen from his
crouching posture. lie kept one foot
on the dead dog playing with it, cat
like, now giving it a bite and shake,
then a playful slap with his paw; now
throwing IL up and ewing It sideways as
it came down, and licking his bloody
paws with his flaming tongue.
"He seemed in no hurry to dispatch
rue, or else he gloated over my misery,
for when he tired OF his play he began
to make his toilet very carefully, wash
ing and rubbing his head like a cat;
stroltinR his long, stiff whislkers and
paying very particular attention to his
ears, licking his paws and looking at
them critically, as II to see II they were
in good working order
HE then seized the dog and began to
walk towards me / braced myself
against a tree and leveled my gun.
The panther stopped, dropped the dog,
crouched on the ground, with his body
moving from side 10 side, his tail LASH
ing the ground and lips drawn back,
displaying his long, blood-stained teeth
II breathed a prayer to Heaven, a
good-by to earth and loved ones, aimed
at his ear and fred, just as the pam
hers huge body rose and shot through
the air. lie leaped about twenty feet
and landed with his hind feet clinging
to the tree, his body and forepaws
striking my chest and right shoulder
with great force, knocking the gun
several feet away, dislocating my
shoulder, and laying my right arm
open from shoulder TO wrist. His
weight bore me backwards against the
tree. / shouted Here, Porter; help!
help! for felt my hour had come
stroVe to disengage my left hand so
that | could reach my Ratchet, but in
vain; my nerves were unstrung, my head
reeling, my limbs paralyzed. For u
few seconds, which seemed an eternity,
stood in the embrace of the panther.
his claws sir king in my flesh, his hot
breath burning my face, his mouth
open, his red, rasplike tongue ilcclsed
with bloody foam, his deep purr in my
ear, his fiery eye see ming to burn into
my brain. felt my senses going, when
o. blessed sound, l heard Porter's swift,
leaping steps and deep bay as he came
to my rescue.
straight on he came, paused Sec
ond in front Of the animal, then leaped
up and seized him by the throat. The
panther released Inc and dropped to
the ground to g-apple with the dog.
The force of his leap threw me several
feet away, where fell weak and bleed.
ing, but not senseless. / sat up and
found myself in reach of my gun.
grasped it, and, though unlonded, the
very touch of IL seemed to inspire me
with new life.
81 looked at the combatants. The
panther lay on his back, cat fashion.
the dog, with his eyes shut, clinging to
his throat, needless of the sharp paws
which gashed him cruelty ut every
stroke. My heart bled for the noble
dog who was giving his life for me.
felt wildly in every pocket for
stray bullet | found handful OF
loose powder, and in turning II ont of
my pocket | saw tenpenny nail. (
would load my gun with that. SO, put.
ting it in and pouring Ia the powder
with trembling hand, ! grasped my
musbet, and crawling softly up to the
panther put the gun und or his fore leg
and fired. lie loosed his hold of the
dog, bounded to his feet. turned around
'''.''J HAN NiiNAi AlbppNh NNdu
~ had fallen back, weak from loss OF
blood; the dog lay exhausted, and 1t
looked for awhile as II we were all
dead My dog, though cruelty lacerat-
ed, was not mortully hurt. carried
him to the spring, bathed and tied up
our wounds, and though scarcely able
to walk made haste to leave the place,
for feared the panther's mate would
get on our track.
THE panther measured nine feet six
inches from Tip to tail. could not
skin it, but left il where 1t fell. close 10
the body of the dead dog.
1--WE Travelled Till midnight and then
rested till morning. Next day when
neared Washington | found my horse
feeding near little creek without
saddle or bride. caught him, made n
bride of hickory bark and pursued my
journey, which terminated favorably,
and entered the land where came so
near losing my life, and have lived
here for lfty ycars."-Zola Camille
Vaughan, ia st. Louis Republic.