The Forrest City times., 1894-06-15
OvER-JUMPED BY A LION.
The Maa Saved His Life and the Beast
 Missed Meal.

 The Maa Saved His Life and the Beast
 Missed Meal
 As to grizzly bears," said Montana man one evening, recently, ''as to griz, zly bears, we've got plenty of 'em left in our country, but unless you are look. ing for them you might travel the trails and byways for five years and not get sight of old Ephriam. As big and say. age as they are they avoid mankind when it's possible. I've heard 'em mov. ing off in the thickets many time as rode along wild trail, but in fifteen years l have had affair sight of only one. and he was anxious to get away"
 ''How about the mountain lion?" was asked.
 "Ah: you've struck quite another field now he replied. The mountain lion of the far west is not lion at all. as you probably know, but is the beast known in the east as the panther. think, however, the western panther is larger and fiercer At any rate, all things considered, I'd prefer to face grizzly"
 Ever had any experience?'
 "Yes, just one, and it makes my hair stand on end to think of it. I'm half owner of a good, big herd of steers, but wouldn't go through that experience again for thousand of the fattest, juiciest steers ever rounded up in the cattle country. You want to hear about it, but it's no use to get out your book and pencil. My experience was very brief, and there are no na nd Ia<x tx, the map some day and find Flat Head lake. Between it and the Rocky noun tains is beautiful valley thirty miles wide. I've wintered cattle in there and had them come out us fat as butter in the spring
 "Yes, go on."
 sOne spring, eight or ten years ago, was driving in some 'strays' from the foothills. When cattle begin to shed their coats they like to get into the tim Der and rub themselves. About ten o'clock in the forenoon l was riding along an Indian trail on the slope of hill. It was in the timber, with lots of brush covering the ground. saw cattle tracks on the trail, and had no thought for anything else. My mustang wac on the walk and was taking it easy in the saddle. when l was suddenly jumped out of my boots. Something screamed in my ear, and out of the cor ner of my eye saw something in the air. No doubt tucked, but it was in stinct. In the same breath there was great crash in the top of a brush to my right and below me, and just as my mustang started on a wild run I made out what the object was"
 "A mountain lion, sir?''
 '.Yes, and whopping big one, and the snarls, growls and screams he ut. tered lifted me in my stirrups. He landed in that bush on his back. with his legs sticking up like posts, but l don't reckon it took him over five sec onds to turn rightside up. He may have started to follow me, though he was more apt to slink away, but the mustang would have given him hard race. He was wild with fright, and the way he did smoke along that trail and get down into the valley would have made a jack-rabbit wonder how the wings were fastened on. l held on and let him go. As a matter of fact, he wasn't going fast enough for me-"
 1.-The lion had jumped for you"
 ''He had, my boy. 1 went up and figured it out afterward. The beast had crouched on a big rock eighteen feet above me and about twenty-four feet above the trail. Just how close he came to me I can't say, but I'm cer- tain that he brushed my hat as he passed over. The duck probably saved my life. If he had struck me with the momentum of such spring I'd have been carried out of the saddle into the bushes The cuss was lying low for beef or deer, but when came along he thought he had better thing. As he missed me he turned over in the air, and as told you, he landed wrong-side up. I don't know how mountain lions feel about such things, but I've always had the idea that this fellow went oil kicking himself over the way he got left. He had overjumped a good dinner and couldn't blame anybody but him. self "-Detroit Free Press.
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