The Washington times., 1894-03-18
PALACE
eI2-eI4 SEVENTH STREET NORTHWEST
A WOMAN'S ADVENTURE.

In the woods OF the upper Skagit, the great
logging river of Puget Sound. Mrs. Van Fleet
lived happy life with her husband and chill
clearing her bushy-bearded husband had
made in the midst of the tall frs and cedars
was frightened by her garden. in which roses
luxuriated and pansies bloomed until the
January frosts locked up the fountains of the
earth and cleared the sky of Its winter
clouds. She was fond OF chickens. and her
good gardens were cabbages headed twice
and tomato vines covered the earth were in
danger OF ruin from the trim little brown leg
horn hens and their fine snowy lords, that
mock the game chickens in all but their cour-
age. All the valley sent to her FOR settings
for their chickens, and many quiet wedding
in a simple farm house was frightened by her
flowers.
There was no neighbor within half mile to
disturb her gardens or inpound her hens for
trespass. The new highway which her hus-
band had opened as road supervisor, the
great dispenser OF frontier patronage. passed
by her clearing. but no stragglers from the
column of immigration ever invaded her hen
roosts. The native Indians. Siwashes, as
they delight TO be called in their language of
trade. are honest on their own river. II is
only in an enemys country that stealing is
legailzed in their savage code. 1t is war
measure purely.
There would seem TO be nothing to disturb
Ms Van Fleet in her esthetic devotion 10
the cultivation OF the beautiful in plants aud
the improvement OF the breed in chickens.
But men are not ones only enemies in new
country. Her chickens were gradually dis
appearing. and. do what she could. the loss
OF life continued. A high-handed seizure in
broad day created such disturbance that in
vestigation was made and the imprint of the
claws of a panther was found in the soft
mold Of the garden. There was one conso-
lation i'll knowing the size of the enemy.
Neither the large cougar nor the small skunk
was the depredator The bear was not to be
feared.
The panther Was provoking animal. He
paid no attention to traps. II the hen-house
was secured and could not be broken into at
night, he made his assault in daylight. If
dogs and guns we're made ready for him. he
visited some distant portion of his flock
Throughout it all his own plans never seemed
disturbed by the ingenuity OF his foes.
One morning Mr.. Van Fleet went down TO
the lower emo of his district to see that some
road work was well done. Now, Mrs. Van
Fleet did not go with him. Women were not
compelled to work the roads. though the new
laws OF the territory allowed them to vote
The legislators We're wise men to exempt
women from personal tax. Itwould be bad
plan to tax women out when everybody said
there were not half enough women in
One day, as Mrs. Van Fleet was busy in the
house. the chickens began to scream in a wav
that showed that ii was no hawk that was the
assailant. Mrs. Van Fleet rushed to the door
There the panther crouchei against the fence,
his yellow cat eyes cleaning and his teeth
grinning for his prey. All the wrongdoing
of the season flashed into her mind. and Mrs
Van Fleets wrath was enkindled not little
She dashed into the house. took down her
husbands rifle. aud running out cooled her
ire a moment while her eye glanced along the
barrel into the eyes of the hungry beast. The
report of the gun first woke her to the con-
scousness of her own danger. At the shot
the panther leaped forward and Law notion
less upon the ground. Then the woman as
serted itself. Trembling, she reloaded her
rifle, called her son, a twelve-year old. and
sent him off to her Ieighbor's for assistance.
When neighbor Benson arrived she marched
under his protection to look at the panther
she had killed.
Dead it was. andnow its dressed hide is an
ornament in the frontier cabin. and Mrs Van
Fleet laughs as her husband tells how she
feariessly s. ct the living panther. but was
afraid TO look at it5 lifeless body.
WM. G. EwING.