The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-01-23

its eyes shining like living Goals in the
dark.
With murmured prayer, Johnnie
took quick aim and pulled the trigger ;,
The animal gave a leap into the all
toward the boy, uttered savagd
scream of rage, which echoed far and
wide, and fell back dead, with bullet
in It's brain. 1t was some minutes be.
fore Johnnie dared approach the fallen
creature and when he did he was more
than astonished to find around its neck
broad, leather strap, which had evil
IDENTIFY been placed there by human
hands. I
While Johnnie was wondering what
1t all meant and how the strap came
there, Mr.. and Mrs. Blakely drove up
The mother was too frightened Ia
speak, as she gazed at the dead panther
and thought Of the danger in which her
boy had been placed. The father, after
making a critical examination of the
animal and the collar around its neck
at once set out for the home Of his near
est neighbor.
| On his return he announced that the
mystery of the panther would probably
| be cleared up on the morrow, as
party intended to make search foI
the lair of the animal and find If it vera
| to be found. Little Johnnie pleaded to
be allowed to accompany the party, but
could not gain consent, as his mother
entered a firm and emphatic protest.
In the early morning hounds were
secured and a small party Of the set
tiers took up the trail Of the panther.
1t led to the ledge of rocks on the Brula
river, where the animal had successful
ly hidden so many times when pur.
sued by the hunters. This time the
hounds kept the scent and it was found
that the home of the creature had been
in q cave almost hidden from sight
which could only be reached by leaping
over deep cut in the rocks.
AS the party entered the den, which
ran back into the rocks for some dis
tance, the smell of smoke greeted theil
, nostrils. Almost too much astonished
to speak, the men slowly advanced and
at last came to the fire. Near 1t was
, seated a half-breed Indian, fondling two
small panther cubs, evidently the young
of the female which had been killed ths
!, day before by Johnnie Blakely.
,, The Indian jumped to his feet as the
men, with their rifles at their shoulders
= approached, and made a dash for the
opening of the cave. He never reached
!, it, for a rife was discharged, probably
accidentally, in the excitement Of the
moment, and the half-breed fell on his
face, blood pouring from a terrible
, wound in his chest.
Everything possible was done for the
sufferer, but it was seen that he was
: mortally wounded. AS he was placed
: tenderly near the fire on a pile Of fura
!, he gasped painfully once or twice and
: then spoke. He had come into the
3 neighborhood the previous fall, he said
bringing with him the female panther
which he had captured and tanned IN
Michigan.
: In this cave he had lived alone, with
: = only his savage pet for a companion
= Here the cubs had been born and ht
was endeavoring to train them as ht
y had trained their mother-to kill and
bring to him whatever came in hel
. path. Human bones were found in thu
=. cave, but when the half-breed's body
;. . was taken to the settlement, along will
y the cubs, no mention of these bones wa!
!, made by the men, who decided that NJ
good could come from 1t.
The body was given decent burial
ie the cubs were killed after being on ex
= hibition for a few days, and the reward
Of $50 was paid to Johnnie Blakely
y who is now a business man in Wis
!, consin city and who higly prizes al
!" old-fashioned muzzle-loading rifle ant
tattered panther-skin rug, which oc
cupy positions Of honor in his home.
Twas he who related to me the stor!
as here given. Nothing was ever Learned
concerning the identity Of the half
breed although inquiries were made
: and it is more than probable that HI
had been more or less crazy, had raiset
4 the old panther from a cub and hat
wandered from Michigan over into Wis
consin, as he said.