Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-23
The Girl Who Shot the Wildcat.
BY ELLH q, GILES.

.LLH n. GLE $.

lies"
oh, yes.
"le>, indeed.
THUS was toysurd an eager trio so
jouruiuG in Il little dream Of 4 town
N the &ult coast OF Florida. What is
inowu as the ratamomt Ill The north
is called the Wild cat in Florida,
"rArrr'S one on en- Somewhav down
the road apiece. Seen i'm yiStiddy.
Reckon we kin sit i'm, too, gave
glimmcrin-S OF HuticipatiNc triumph
to TWO Jealous lovers q. the chase
They meant to shoot the Wildcat
rnerrupon arrangements began for
an carly start the next morning.
Horses were engaged. The proper
dogs We're secured rho guns cleaned
With what HrSt one enters into such
preparations if lie or she be fond OF
artiNe sports,
OF course there was passive mem
Npr Of tie trio one Who watched all
these details eagerly from lanmotk
on the porch; who wanted 10 - ON the
hunt just for the novelty OF the cN-
responsibility from first TO last, ami
who wished to be in the cat killing
scene only as an observer.
The mere introduction To the horses
and an interview WITH one or two OF
the dogs were supposed TO be rather
exciting incidents to an amateur OF
rather umd protlivilirS.
In decided contrast to this shrinking
and Sinking individual stood the
young woman who had been trained
to carry Il sun, and could do 1t as we'll
and as long as her father, without any
sort OF fatigue. Afraid OF rifles, and
horses, and dogs and wildcats! oh,
no; afraid of nothing not even hcsitat-
lug to risk "A complexion whose beauty
was unSurpaSSed; OFF on long walks
in the hot sun every few days, lirt1lE
away ut qLailS on land and porpoiSeS
and pclicanS and cormorantS on water,
and bringing back to the hotel the
trophies of her skill to aStonsh her
hosts of admirers of both SEXES.
1t was just four o'clock in the morn
ing when the party formed in front
OF the hotel.
Diana WAS dressed in her usual and
very becoming hurting costume OF
cloth trimmed with brown leather
high rubber boots, to whose tops fell
the short kilt skirt, long, tingrrlcss
gloves. Il jaunty felt hat and broad
belt flied with wcll-loadcd shells
Her gun was Il tine Damascus, double,
hammerleSS chokcd bore l. gauge,
feather weight, j "a lbs. for quail. Ii
had heavy set of eight pound bar
relS to change for duck, which she
handled quite as well as the lighter
set 1t was made to order by the
famous Paris gunsmith Chobcrt The
frequent use of this valuable weapon
had surely not leSScncd the sweet
womanlineSS of its owner On the con
trary, it had developed her muscles 10
remarkable extent, helped to train
wonderfully her clear and piercing, yet
still bonnie blue eye, given her perfect
self-poise and steadmcSS Of nerve, and
the ruddy health that Dclsartc and
JcnncSS Miller have SO ConSpicuously
brought into fashion these later days,
Her fathers outfit was equally adapted
to the occasion, and equally becoming
and picturesque. Ills gun was like
hers. with the exception of being half
pound heavier, Her horse was IA
handsome little thoroughbred, as gen
tie as a lamb, and with eyes that snone
softly in the semi-darkncSs as Diana
1A.,tt. han pntt nm tod
her shapely back. Her companions
horse was "A rawboncd native Flori-
dian Stecd that jumped ID feet every
time a gun was fired and 10 when a
match was scratched. 1t was too bad
he was so poor specimen. He rather
grotcsqu1ly married the pictorial as
poet of the whole, his rider being a
really good model for an equestrian
statue.
The passive member of the group,
who cared Tor only one thing safety
and whose ambition was merely TO
see the cat, had roam mustang That
was SO mild tempered it scarcely
seemed to have any individuality as
horse.
The dogs were Pilate-a biz black
and white hound; Caesar-a smaller
gray pointed hound, and Queen de
scribed by one of the guides as
'mongel cur dog Of the yaller breed"
The first mile was full Of most de-
lightful exhlaration, owing to the
nearness of the gulf Of Mexico.
In the faint daylight one could
scarcely see the water or the pine
forests stretching back darkly from
the sandy beach. But one could inhale
deep draughts of the bracins, salty
air that blew from one direction and
mingled with resinous fragrance from
the other, until breathing became Of it.
self i luxury.
As dawn advanced and the sun
arose above the palm-decked islands
OF the gulf in the misty distance, Civ.
ing radiant glimpses Of the shining,
chanScful waters, the party looked
back for reinforcements, several Llen
having promised to join them at
certain RENDEZVOUS.
And there they were outlined against