Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-07-06
ovnR.UMPED BY A LION.
The Man Saved His Life, and the Beast
Missed Meal.


Missed Meal.
GAS to grizzly bears" said a Montana
man as he lifted his feet q peg higher and
took long pull at his cigar, as to grizzly
bears, we've got plenty Of them left in our
country, but unless you are looking for
them you might travel the trails and by
ways for five years and not get sight Of old
Ephraim. AS big and savage as they are
they avoid mankind when it's possible.
I've heard them moving off in the thickets
many time as 1 rode along wild trail,
but in IS years have had fair sight of
only one, and he was anxious to get away"
"How about the mountain lionP' was
asked.
''Ah, you've struck quite another field
now" he replied 1.-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. l think, howev-
er, the western panther is larger and herc-
er. At any rate, all things considered,
I'd prefer to face grizzly"
Ever had any experience"
Eyes, Just one and it makes my hair
stand on end to think Of it. I'm half own
er of good big herd of steers, but I
wouldn't go through that experience again
for 1000 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. Ny expert
ence was very brief, and there are no
names and dates to put down. Look on
the map some day and find Flat Head
lake. Between it and the Rocky noun
tains is a beautiful valley 80 miles wide.
I've wintered cattle in there and had them
come out as fat as butter in the spring"
Eyes; go on"
Zone spring, eight or ten years ago, I
was driving in some 'strays' from the foot
hills. When cattle begin to shed their
coats, they like to get into the timber and
rub themselves. About 10 o'clock in the
forenoon l twas riding along an Indian trail
on the slope of hill. 1t was in the tim
Der with lots of brush covering the ground
I saw cattle tracks on the trail and had no
thought for anything else. My mustang
was on the walk, and 1 was taking it easy
In the saddle, when suddenly jumped
out Of my boots. Something screamed in
my ear, and out Of the corner Of my eye
saw something in the air. No doubt
ducked, but it was instinct. In the same
breath there was great crash in the top
of bush to my right and below me, and
just as my mustang started on wild run
made out what the object was"
"a mountain lion, sirH"
Eyes, and a whopping big one, and the
snarls, growls and screams he uttered lift
ed me in my stirrups. He landed in that
bush on his back, with his legs sticking up
like posts but don't reckon it took him
over five seconds to turn right side up.
He may have started to follow me, though
he was more apt to stink away, but the
mustang would have given him a 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. held on and let him go. AS
matter of fact, he wasn't going fast
enough for me-"
1.-The lion had jumped for you"
'He had, my boy. went up and fig
ured it out afterward. The beast had
crouched on a big rock 10 feet above me
and about "a feet from the trail Just
how close he came to me can't say, but
I'm certain that he brushed my hat as he
passed over. The duck probably saved my
life. If he had struck me with the mo-
mentum 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 land
ed wrong side up 1 don't know how
mountain lions feel about such things,
but I've always had the idea that this fell
low went off kicking himself over the way
he got left. He had overjumped a good
dinner and couldn't blame anybody but
himself. detroit Free Press.