Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-09-01

the hero of that neighborhood, and
is at the same time pronounced I'M
hesitatingly the most fortunate man
in West Virginia.
Newton is quite sportsman and
a crack shot Early one morning he
went out turkey hunting on old Bald
Knob mountain. AS he went to the
mountain he stopped at the home of
job Magruder, where he held short
conversation with Kittie, the daugh-
ter of the house, and then proceeded
to Dead Mans gulch into the pine
woods. Here he struck the first
turkey signs
Quite a large flock of birds had
alighted and wandered along the
edge of dangerous precipice, and
then up the mountain. Newton
noted the signs. and with his dog
gleetully followed the trail in au-
ticipation OF a good shot
After accommodating a few mo-
ments he decided that they were
either on wooded ledge. which he
knew jutted from the east wall of
tho gorge. or else were at the bottom
OF the gulch.
He quietly crept through the brush
toward the edge of the precipice and
took q station under the old hem
lock. from where he could see the
gulch below and the several lodges
Whereabouts. He finall; located the
flock among the brush on ledge al
most directly below him. lie could
hear. but not see. male bird as it
gobhled and strutted about He
patiently waited for it to show itself
SO that ne could pick it of. Finally
he saw its tail through the brush.
ana took aim at the turkey cock, lit.
tie dreaming Of the danger that
iaeuaced him. The dog wa, gcowl-
ing. and, fearing that he would scare
OF the turkey, Newton fired.
simultaneously with the crack of
the rifle there was crash among
the trees, a wild scream and the
next instant huge panther. which
had been crouching on a tree direct
~ behind Newton and watching his
every move. alighted full on his
head and breast. Newton was
stunned momentarily by the panther
spring, but soon rallied, AMI fear.
full struggle with the bloodthirsty
beast ensued. In the struggle New
ton blindly staggered toward the
edge of the precip ce. and stumbling,
fell over and shot downward. In
the fight he had grasped the pan.
theirs legs, and unconsciously, he
held on to them in his terrible fall
through space. Together man and
beast crashed downward throu III
the brush to the ledge near the bot
tom OF the gulch How he landed
he knew not, for he lost conscious
ness in the fall. but it was his grip
on the panther's legs that saveI his
life
The dog which had attempted to
aid its master in his unequal fight
with the panther seemed to possess
almost human sen q. Nero, as New
tor had named him, at once ran
barking, bowling, and CRYING to
Magruder's cabin. nearly mile dis.
tant He scratched on the door of
the house and howled dismally. Kit
ty Magruder, the young woman with
whom the hunter had talked in the
morning, at once OWNED that some.
thing had happened to the young
man, and. picking up her fathers
rifle. she started for the mountain.
Nero trotted ahead of her whining
and growing until he came to the
precipice, when he sat back on his
launches and howled dismally.
Looking down into the gulch the
girl at once recognized the apparent
ly dead body OF Newton. She at
once fired her rifle three times-the
mountaineer's signal of help needed.
In few minutes her signal was an
swered from the mountain side below
and in short time her father came
rushing through the brush to her
aid, He soon learned what was
wanted and fastened back to his
mousse to get rope and tackle so that
nc could secure Newton's BODY.
Kitty had meanwhile been investi-
eating and had discovered that New
ton had had fight with some kind
OF wild animal, and. again peer
ing below where his BODY Law, she
saw that some animal was beneath
him. When her father returned he.
too, concluded that such was the
case
After carefully fixing the ropes
Magruder lowered himself to the
ledge. As soon as he had safely
reached the side OF Newton he shout
ed back that the dead animal was a
painter. Carefully tying the rope
around Newton's body Magruder
quickly pulled him to the top of the
precipice, where Kitty cared for
him. Magruder next lifted the BODY
of the panther 10 the mountain side,
and then followed himself The
panther weighed about sixty pounds,
and was fine specimen Its neck
had been broken by the fall, and
Newton falling on top OF it, was
saved from being dashed to death on
the rocks.
Between themselves father and
daughter soon rugged up a litter, and
Newton's unconscious form was car
riel TO Magruder's home and a mes
senger dispatched for a doctor.
Newton soon recovered conscious
ness, and, as Kitty was none other
-. 4 H.. 4.