The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-24
PANTHER'S HIDE.

"Well, yes: that there is painter
hide" said old Nose Boddle, point
ing 10 a nondescrpt looking affair
that lay upon the puncheon floor OF
his cab n. Don't look much like ii,
do it,"
The hide in question was muddy Of
hue and well "frazzled" at the edges,
while il had evidently once possessed
much more hair than it did at pres
ent
"You sec," continued Nose, ''me
an my wife, Canada, have raised
Dine children, one after another, an
they've all wallered over it, lettin'
alone usin' IL for a bed-kiver every
winter for twenty years come next
Jan0oary."
Nose was grizzled hunter OF the
Blue Ridge Mountains, whose long
rife and coonskin pouch were better
known in the wilds Of Rabun County,
ga. in those days than the per.
sonalitieS OF many more widely noted
men. His cabin was shell OF half
rotten logs. with a dirt floor and a
rough board roof held down by rocks
and poles, instead OF the less cum
bersome but more expensive nail. In
summer it was airy; in winter smoky
aud cold Iried vension and bears
meat hung from the grimy joints;
lean hounds slept in the ashes OF the
fireplace; on the outer walls were
stretched the skins of foxes, coons,
and grOundho2s, as odorous trophies
OF the chase.
Canada was lank, sallow woman,
clad in dirty homespun. She sat in Il
splint. bottom chair, griffin lup
roastin' ears" for the daily supply Of
''grit bread. Several ragged, dirt
eating children squatted about, va
cantly silent and staring. The young
est lay morching a bacon rind upon
the panther skin, while Nose him
self was cutting some grea ed wads
for his rife.
PAINTERS nowadays is about as
skase as hens teeth" he went on.
"But hit weren't SO in my younger
days That there hide was oif'n my
fust one, though I've knocked over a
many one sence."
So Nose repeated the oft-told tale
that hunters everywhere delight TO
tell or hear. But, without following
his peculiar idiom, il may be sd d
that his narrative ran somewhat us
follows:
Several years before his marriage
he had lived in the same cabbin with
his mother. One bitter winters
night he and younger sister were
left alone, tAelr mother having gone
down to Letter Gap seven miles he
low. on trading expedition 10 the
nearest store. She would not be back
before next day. Nose was then IA
lad OF IL, and his sister Johanna
might have been three or four years
his junior
The winter was a severe one, and
there being no mast IN the woods
wild an: mails, as well as tame ones,
were famishing. ear had been seen
down in the coves. and the VOLTS
melancholy howl was heard at night
with unusual fre Iuency 1t was said
that a large panther-the rare>t OF
the wild beasts that prowl those
mountain regions-had caught Il
young steer close by Jabe Writings
COW pen, and many were the in, unc.
tions laid on Nose and Johanna by
their mother not 10 stir outside the
ca DIN walls after dark
When night came on they brought
In the yellow cur dog built up a
rousing fire in the fireplace, and ielt
quite COSY, despite the cold draughts
pouring in through the half-chinked
logs; nor did they heed the winds
sad whistle down the chimney "a
"Yaller Creek" moaned in the ravine
outside.
They went to bed early ta keep
warm as the fire grew low. Nose was
drifting into a dOLe, when he heard
the house cat mewing outside. Pres
emily a plaintive cry sounded up the
ravine, not unlike that OF a child in
distress, but for its ending in pro-
longed snarl. The cat redOubled its
entrelties, and scratched at the door.
Nose rose shirering and slipping the
bar. let the poor thing in. The dog
now began To growl, interspersing his
plants with s,.ndry winnings indica-
tive OF fear as well as anger. The
cry up the ravine again rang out
nearer than before. Its power and
lerOClil "cIt uulbc sOdi u us' ih'
plaintiveness was rot perceptible ex-
cept when mellowed by distance
Nose hastily barred the door
His precautiUn was timely. fer in
moment more stealthy footsteps were
audible without accompanied by
fieic &C breathings and "a scratching
sound against the logs The cur dog
now slunk under the bed. his bristles
lowering aud his whines subsiding
into shivering silence. Nose began
10 wish his mother was at home.
What is it," VII spered Johanna
who had just walked up.
"Bears-or mebbe hits a pantr. {"
returned Nose. Il wish we uns had
paps old rife"
The animal. whatever IL was. after
snuffng at the door, ciicled slowly