Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-04-30

pistol range, stood behind a tree and
fired at the nearest hog. Hardly had
the big fellow rolled, kicking, to the
earth when every bush and tuft Of
grass within range seemed to disclose
4 hog. For moment their angry
grunts and squeals filled the air, and
then, seeming the young hunter, they
swarmed toward him. He saw his dan
ger at once, ard succeeded in reaching
the lowest limb of the tree just as the
nearest peccary leaped for his foot.
The Infatuated animals swarmed
about Philips stronghold by hundreds,
tearing the bark, crowding over one
another and granting savagely. In the
hope of driving them of the young
hunter fired at them with his revolver.
Every one of his 20 shots killed it's hog.
But instead of frightening the herd
away it seemed to infuriate The animals
oil the more. They trampled down
their dead companions and their cried
brought reenforcements from the
jungle. .a ~ "
And now there was the sound OF
steady scraping and tearing at the wood
of the tree as the animals gnawed to-
ward its heart. AS those nearest it
grew weary they gave way to others,
and thus hour after hour the rasping
of the teeth continued.
Philip grew sick and weary. The
surging crowd of dark-skinned objects
below him tired his eyes and half-hyp-
rotized him; the murderous grunts and
gnashing of teeth and the ripping
sound of wood as his foes tore off splin-
ters from the tree bore witness to his
danger. AS the hours dragged on the
restless, swaying movements of his be-
siegers confused him and began to
shake his nerve. He was hungry,
thirsty and cramped. At times he grew
dizzy, and was afraid of falling off the
limb on which he was seated. Then
he began to fear that his pillar of safety
might not prove thick enough to re-
sist the uninterrupted attack upon it.
Would the beasts never get tired and
leave him? Had anyone at home heard
his shots? Would they come in search
Of him after noticing his long absence?
Such were the questions he kept alter
Eately asking himself till he felt
half dazed. Time dragged on, but
neither did the hogs Leave him, nor did
any help arise to raise the siege.
Towards sunset Philip felt the tree
swaying and shivering under him, and
he knew that it could not withstand tho
rasping teeth of the hogs much longer.
As the darkness grew he could see tho
fierce eyes CLEAN, and the vague move
ments of the herd added new terrors
to the position.
AS night deepened the gnawing grew
less fierce, and presently, from a dis
lance, Philip heard the grunt of hogs
that were apparently leaving After
that the herd slowly and regretfully
slipped away, for it was night, and n
wild hog will not hunt in the dark.
For hours Philip remained iii the tree
shivering with nervous dread, lest, when
he descended, the hogs should be Sleep
ing near, ready to pounce upon him.
AT last he slipped down, ran breath
lessly through the woods and escaped.
hungry and worn with anxiety After
ward he found that the tree had been
gnawed down to three or four inches
in thickness. If the day had been two
hours longer the hogs would have
brought him to earth, and he would
have suffered horrible death.-Cbi,
cago Record.