The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-10-11
A DISAPPOINTED PANTHER
An Oregon Baby Saved from a
Terrible Death.
A Little niacl.-and-l Tan DOG .,x. -.
Warning That Brought Asslstancr
i'efore 1t Was Tos Rate III.
Animal Killed.


There is q curious trait not rcner.
ally mentioned by biologists but
universally attributed by all bach;
woodsmen and old hunters to the
American panther and other mem.
bers OF the felidae family. Ii is that
these animals cover with forest
leaves or otherwise conccal their
prey, and then wait for some other
opportunity for final attack and cap.
ture. It is device only Of the Fe.
male, resortcd to while She is rear.
ing her young. This attribute
would seem TO be well placed accord.
ing to the following true story:
Joel Kramer settled with his fam.
lily in a log cabin on Black river, in
southern Washington, about a year
ago. One afternoon recently he
went out TO camp 10 split some cedar
shakes for the roof OF u new barn
With him wenthis six-year.old boy,
Bobby, aad Lion, a little black and
tan dog. While Kramer worked in
the little clearing Bobby and Lion
disappeared in the surrounding
thicket. Towards evening Lien
came running into camp, uttering
sharp, nervous barlts OF alarm.
The experienced woodsman at once
concluded chat something unusual
had happened to his little boy.
go, Lion, quick! Show me where
Bobby isl exclaimed Kramer.
of darted the dog. followed by
the now fully aroused father. Man
and dog made their way through the
brush for fully u quarter Of mile,
when they came TO the base of u large
cedar, under which there was
strengthening mound OF dr. leaves
freshly scoopcd together. Lion
dashed to the spot and began Wig.
orous scratching, jumping from side
to side aud uttering nervous whines.
1t was but the work of moment for
Kramer to brush away the leaves,
disclosing his little boy sound asleep.
To him the case was as clear as day
light. n she cougar had found the
boy asleep, covered him with leaves
and soon would return with her kit
tens to dine ROYALTY. Deem furroys
made by the creatures paws in
scraping together the leaves showed
that the cougar was monster.
When Bobby was fully awake he
confirmed his fathers conlectures
by saving that he and the dog lay
down together and he went to sleep.
Rightly concluding that Mrs.
Cougar and her children would not
return TO the banquet until near
nightfall, Kramer determined that
he would change the menu. So he
rearanged the mound of leaves over
a little heap OF rotten wood, to make
it look exactly as he had found it,
and returned to the cabin with
Bobby and Lion.
He aud Dave Peterson, his hired
man, set of ut once with Winches.
ter and shotgun. Arriving at the
decoy mound, which had not been
disturbed, the men took up their pc.
sition in the lower branches of q
young cedar of dense foliage. They
were about twenty feet from the
ground, and about fifteen yards in
a straight line from the mound.
Hardly were they settled in their
seats, when the cracking of dry
twigs and the rustling of leaves an
nounccd The approach of the wary
animals. Next was heard the talk.
ing'Nf the dam TO her young ones,
a kind of vocalization exactly like
the talking" of cat tohcr kittens.
Kramer caught the first glimpse of
the monster; aud without the move
ment of a muscle, save a glance of
his eyes, pointed her out to Dave.
She was accompanied by four three
quarter-grown'kittcns.
As the mother stcalthily crept
along, lashing her sides with her
great tail, the young ones were
gamboling in the widest abandon,
clawing and rolling over one anoth-
er in regular kitten fashion. Hav-
ing approached to within eight or
ten yards of the leafy mound, the
beast emitted peculiar note of
warning which was instantly OBJ
served by the young ones, for they
ceased their play, dropped their
erect tails, and nervously huddlcd
behind the dam.
The scene now began to grow
strangely fascinating. With deep
drawn breath aud hearts pounding
with painful loudness, the men
waited the critical moment. The
huge creature, with her great, star
ing eyes riveted upon the leafy
mound, dropped upon her belly and
crawled rather than walked. When
within fifteen feet of the goal she
paused for the awful spring.
The horrible settling of her hind
feet, to get firm rest upon the
ground, braced her for the effort.
Gracefully rising high in air, us If
- e.. =. A;.rl.A III, Il -, M, hnn.-