The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-21
A FLORIDA a$s$8
a$S:8 HEROINE.
ny Lieut.. >. 81. r. parlow, U. =. A.
90

roe county there lies a great waste OF
tnorasa and jungle known as the big
cypress Swamp, and. running along It's
western border from PuntaHnssa, south.
wards. Is an old abandoned stuEe road
dating from the Seminole war, which
formed In days gone by the only c
Vi communication between the nearest
village, ana the few scattered settlers In
mat lonely portion OF the Penlnsulnr
state.
In one OF the rude olblns lying close 10
the edge OF the swamp lived Minnie
.Whaley, only 10 years old, together with
her widowed mother, an elder sister ana
her aged grandfather, a feeble and help
less old man, a hnlf-grown negro boy
furnished the help necessary for the
cultivation Of a small patch OF truck
garden, and a half acr OF cotton grown
annually, together with many designs In
basket and fern work, sklllfully and
BEAUTIFULLY executed by the girls,
Drought In about the income that the
.uttle family were capable Of earning,
Early one spring It became necessary
Tor some n OF the family TO go up to
tunt1 llasSa 10 make Il few purchases
fOr the household. and rs the mother
was unable 10 leave her home duties. It
tc!l upon Minnie and her sisier 10 make
the Journey In company.
bright n sunny morning the old.
fashioned stage came rolling by, and
bob Wheeler the driver. with a loud
whoa brought his lazy team TO O
StandStlll. As II happened there was
only o single u]noccupled seat within the
coach, but Bob quickly arranged ma;-
tiers by saying:
One Of sou young misses get Inside
and 'tother II climb up hero 'longsldc
inc. I'll tako 'kcer' Of you both all
right. an no mistake"
The road was lonely and wild enough,
running ovcr high ridges. through thick
and gloomy hummocks and across deep
and rough creeks. Former passengers
had told OF painters shot from the top
OF the old coach. OF deer and all!Sators
Killed whlie ~jOurueylng Through the
swamp, and old Bob, the driver. added
to these weird tales by declaring that he
had, on several occasions, encountered
ghosts in broad daylight while travelling
Shrough the dens, blackneS5 OF the
swamp.
However. as to that. the old coach
toSged peacefully along on this day,
humping the passengers now and then
a. q pretty lively rate. and causing
Minnie Whlley IN hold on with all her
strength to prevent being hurled head
long from her lofty perch beside the
driver.
So they went on until the Leroy hum
mock was reacEed-whiCh Is Il long
stretch Of heavy. SwaIupy timbcrland,
so dark In PLACES that Il Is Impossible
40 EpR fshntkay. INA al IL ahtpt1 a. - y,I
and. while going along in the darkest
part OF the woods the passengers were
very much startled and alarmed by n
shrill, ear-pIercIng screech which SEEM
ed TO come from 4 spot In the jungle
Close Al hand.
The horses prIcked up their ears and
broke into q tr0t. and pretty soon the
cry broke out again in all Its blood-curd-
ling ~lntenseueSss, and quite near this
time, while noises in the undevbrush
told that something was coming along
Al 4 rapid ate.
The driver now whipped UP his
horses. and the passengers began 10
show signs Of terror. Only the .IttleglrI
at Bob's side was at all calm, and she
with set lips Hnd determined eyes put
on abrave face end declared to the Old
driver that she ! not the least bi:
afraid.
Just thea they crossed asma,l creek
and began a steep ascent on the farther
side. As they reached the top the road
turning sharply TO ;he left. unD;her
shrill. penetrating scream broke forth,
and this time all or the passengers eX-
cspt Minnie Whaley replied 10 i; by one
OF fear and horror. And we'll they might
There, right before them on the bank,
al IN elevation nearly the same as the
coach stood an immense swamp panther.
It's fiery eyes glazing while its long tai
switched anGrily from side 10 side.
Scream after scream Issued fnDm its
blood-red mouth. and It's terrible eyes
almost snapped fire.
The horses now thoroughly fright
cued, Jumped forward. struggling t!trce-
~ TO get away. and 81 the same mo-
ment the brute crouched Tor I spring and
made IL tremendous jump for the coach.
The creature miscalcul1ted the speed of
vehicle, however, end instead OF sclch-
Ing the driver and his companion, il just
touched the rear or the stage, one paw
graspinS, the heavy shawl OF the girl,t the
other clutchinG the side OF the coach.
over which lis body hung so that the
long tai. WIS actually trailing on the
ground.
The horses went racing madly away.
and Bob Wheeler found that he had
about oil he could In holding on to the
rein. Not SO with the girl beside him.
Minnie Whaley vas . heroine, and See
lnS that the driver could not aid her,
she leaned forward and Erasped the re-
volver, md then, turning so al 10 face
the beast behind her. she pOkcd the
pistol close 10 It's head and pulled the
trigger.
The report was followed by n terrible
yell from the panther, and these noises
together with the shoutings OF the pas
ecnEerS caused the horses to lunge so
suddenly forward that Minnie Whaley
Was torn forcibly from her seat and
hurled headlOnS TO the ground. The PAN
Their was also shaken Trnm the coach
and II fell down in the road whre Il lay
for n moment furiously swapping at It's
" sides, and then II espled the young
girl only n few yards distant, rising
from n bunch OF palmetto brush, into
the midst Of which she had tumjiSd not
much hurt. bur from which she emerged
fearfully scratched about the head, fucc
and arms.
Bob, the driver, gave a groau as he
saw his companion fall, and turned to
jump of to old her. but the horses We're
plunGGng forward with all their might.
while the other passengers. almost
scared out OF their senses. were ream
Ing to him for help.
Looking back he snw the panther rise
up, and then creep towards the girl. She
was Just coming out OF the palmetto
brush at this moment, and the driver
noticed that she stood erect firmly hold
Ing In front OF her the big pistol which
she had fortunately chung 10 in the mo-
ment OF her fail.
Then he saw the brave Eirl knccl
down, and deliberately point the revolver
al the big cat which was slowly creep
ing towards her.
Whcn R-IthIn hnlf dozen Yards Of LIZ