The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-10-10

011 Pnt's Feat 2spsased ~ 4ss WE
I as Alt1 IA6e - CsAt. - sf'fFsss
One Of the many iAcidents OF bravery
or foolhardiness occurring in CplQrade
took place neer QebeQue. Mesa county.
In the spring of 1885: At that time the
Roam Creek Toll Road company ow1ed
and was operating Z toll road throsgh
the Hogback canyon, ibstween Grand,
Jpnction snd the GsrAeld county line,
and the superintendent was a young
man by the Rame Of 1ohn A. Rhn4e. :
printer by trade, but who proved to be
q careful and competent unicer ofthe
c6mpany. The country through which
the road ran = . Wild -and pic&uresqae
'one, and in those. days the rugged can
yons were fairly alive with mountain
lions. cowarAy but destructive ami
NAL
TO maintain the road the seonpany
kept sea'eral horses, among which was
4 fine blooded Kentucky mare, which
: the president ol the company had ~
cured from . passing .emigrant in ex-
change for another. horse. The mare
was turned out-xith -some Of the com
pany's horses which were not then in
use, and in a, short time she dropped
a ine colt. The mare and colt were
progressinxs finely, until one morning
! the entire band came rushing wildly
.own from thS-hiiis to the toll camp
The colt was missing, and the mares
side was covered with blood and the dis
tinct impressions of the claws of 2
mountain lion.. which evidently made q
spring, but not getting firm hold
simply scratched down the mares side.
leaving !, deep bleeding trail Of each
claw. .i:SR5n3 iHafi'-;f -fF .tH
The sight of the mare painting. fright
ened and bleeding and the los Of the
colt 20 enraged Rhone that he immedi-
ately seized his Winchester and started
out for the scalp of the mountain lion
which had. done the mischief. By fol-
lowing the trail Of the horses he soon
found the place where the brute had
:eized the colt. and then Il was not dif-
aeult to follow the course the lion had
taken with its PREY. Turning abruptly
around ledge of rocks he surprised the
lion making breakfast from the re-
mains of the colt Before he could raise
his Winchester to fire the beast retreat
ed into cave In the rocks. Not to lose
his game, Rhone Immediately built .
Are and attempted to smoke it out, bu.
that failed, 80, ral<ing the eInbers away
from the mouth Of the cave, Rhone pro-
ceeded to crawl into the lions den ON
his hands and knees, but soon the en-
trance got so small he had to lie down,
and finally his body hlled the entire cav
ity. h@s,. ~ = -N'a si.ife'
Just then he heard q growl. and i'm
mediately before him he could zee what
appeared to be two baals OF fire. Rails
ing his Winchester as much as he could
and aiming at tho space between the
eyes, he fired. There was a roar and q
spring, but young Rhone was out Of
harms way. Proceeding back to camp.
he procured a rope and the colored cook
called Punch. and they dragged his lion
ship igqominiously forth By the feet
The beast was monster in size, but its
day Of depredations were over. Rhone
is now one Of the proprietors Of the New
Era Standard. at Kearney, Neb. and il
living . quiet and religious life. And
Punch, the happy COON WIN worked for
the eompapy tor several years rs cook.
is now selling hot tomales ct Cripple
Creek.-Denyer Field and Farm.