The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-17

THE COLUMBIA CHEMICAL CO.,
Washington, ID. c.
LIPPMAN BROS, Agents for Savannah.
the young panthers wrapped up so suugly
in my coat and the cries of the old one
approaching to think of dropping the lit
tie panthers, rushed madly to where my
bicycle was leaning against a tree but
Jew yards away, and with celebrity al
most astonishing, mounted and was off
down the road
With an almost frantic energy 1 put
forth every effort on the yielding pedals
of my obedient machine, and, aided by
the rapid descent gained a marvellous
speed in almost moment. | soon found
the revolutions of my wheel to be too
swift for me to longer keep my feet on
pedals, and, throwing them over the
handles. leaned back to avoid a dump"
and let 1T go by the momentum already
acquired and that given by the steep de-
cline.
From that instant when the first angry
scream of the mother panther had reached
me till l was leaning back with my legs
over the handles of the machine and de-
scending the incline at an almost incredi-
bic speed but moment had passed, but
in that moment the panther had nearly
full screams growing nearer every moment
seemed to chill my very bones.
The reader may ask why it was l did
not drop the two little panthers and thus
by giving up the object of the old pam
theirs pursuit escape from the danger of
confronting me. To this l will say that
wished for nothing so strongly at that
moment as for power to drop them, but
they were tied to my belt and / could not
unfasten the cord which held them.
Nearer and nearer came the sounds of
those awful screams. until could almost
feel the breath of the pursuing beast and
found myself calculating on how long it
would take her to kill me and whether
she would mangle me up or Just strike me
down and go off with her recovered off,
spring.
Moment after moment passed with the
screams still continuing, and l found my
self wondering why she did not strike
me, and in moment hastily glanced over
my shoulder to the rear.
The sight that met my eyes caused me
to iuvoluntarily close them for an instant,
but only for an instant, and 1 was again
watching the road before me with careful
eye My glance behind had revealed the
panther less than twenty feet in my rear
covering the ground with tremendous
bounds, her mouth wide open and ugly
eyes fairly cleaning with suppressed
anger, but apparently not gaining. En-
couraged by the thought that 1 might be
able to get away yet, chung tenaciously
to my wheel and, reaching a sharp decline
of dozen rods at this moment, fairly
f1ew-I can use no other expression-down
it, and spun on with greater and increas-
ing speed.
In the next few moments the screams
in my ear seemed to grow less distinct.
and thus encouraged | ventured once
more to look behind and saw, with a salts
faction absolutely beyond description,
that l had gained on my fierce pursuer at
least seven or eight rods.
The road was very steep before me and
on, on we went, until the cries of the
mother panther almost died out and
could not see her any more. Concluding
that she had given up the chase and that
l was therefore out Of danger, bethought
me ola heretofore unthought of peril
that of being killed by running into some
thing and falling.
My mind being relieved of the fear of
death by a wild animal. this new peril
seemed to brighten me more than the
other had and / felt myself positively
grow weak with terror as l noticed the
tremendous speed at which | was pro-
ceeding
Hastily pressing the lever connecting
the brake, which was applied to one of
the wheels, there was a sharp snap and
knew that the brake was broken. With
that gone there was but one alternative
presented must keep my wits about
me and ride until / reached the level near
my brothers ranch, and the momentum
of my machine was sufficiently lost TO ad-
NIT of alighting.
Grimly clutching the handles Of my
7 eho, nh
structions, leaned well backward and
sped on with speed rivaling an express
train. In an incredibly snort time l
emerged from the timber and whirled out
upon the level stretch of land extending
for mile and a half to the river in front
of my brothers. ranch. Half way across
the intervening space, and approaching
on a run, were Bert and three of the
hired men. BY the time 1 had reached
them my speed had sufficiently slackened
to allow me TO alight, which | did, and
almost fell to the ground with exhaus-
ton
In q moment learned that my brother
had happened to be looking with power
full spygass at the spot where stood just
as the panther sprang into view; had
seen me mount my bicycle and had seen
the pursuit. Hastily calling some of the
men who were standing near by, they
StarteU on the run lOf bn6 mountain, HOG
realizing that what had seemed so near
when viewed through the glass was in
reality all of fourteen miles away. Thus
it was that l was met by them, and it
seems that during the time spent by them
in running mile, l had passed over
nearly thirteen miles. 1t seems almost
incredible when we think that they could
not have been over ten minutes in cover
ing the distance from the ranch to where
met them. but it is true, nevertheless.
When Ihad received this intelligence it
was made very clear why the mother
panther had not overtalIen me.
The two little panthers we took home
with us, but they were so vicious that we
eventually had to kill them, and 1 have
their hides stuffed and set up in very life
like shape on the mantlepiece before me
now as / write The old panther was
killed by some herdsman few days later,
and ] had the satisfaction of seeing her