Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-01-16
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

Frigh;ful Battle With a Wildcat--A
Girl Routs Bear-Saved From
Indian Raiders by Children.
Bob Sands, boss of the Buzzard
mine at Oakdale, lies in bed at home
suffering from wounds and bruises re-
ceived in fight with wildcat. That
he is alive seems little short of mi.
raculous, for during his tussle with
the beast both fell into 1O0.foot air.
shaft.
He left home Friday morning to
hunt quail, and rs he did not return
his wife gave the alarm and search
ing party was formed. Crowds of
twenty-five each went in different di.
rections, after agreeing to meet at the
Buzzard airshaft Mt o'clock. The
men had hunted all night, when Tom
Writ said he thought he heard noise
in the shaft and going to the opening,
he peered down into the dark hole.
He heard low moan coming from the
bottom OF the shaft, 100 feet below.
The men could not so down into the
shaft, as there was no ladder, SO they
ran to the mouth OF the mine, one mile
away. When the crowd arrived at the
mine Tom Writ and Jack Thomas
burst in the door by means of log.
Ten men now volunteered to enter
the mine and SO to the foot of the air.
shaft. This was very dangerous
thing to do, rs there was not u lamp
in the crowd. The men stumbled
along through tie main entry in the
darkness and had to stop several times
to fight back huge rats which live in
the mines.
After wading through water up to
their knees they at last came to the
foot OF the shaft and found the mine
boss lying on the ground. Hundreds
of rats that were waiting their chance
to devour him ran away as the rescu-
ing party approached. The unfortun.
ate man was lifted from the ground
mil laid OH wide board, which was
pulled from car.
The party started toward the open
ing OF the mine when Jack Thomas
stumbled over an object on the
ground. Thomas stopped down, and
to bis surprise found what he thought
to be hog, but after moments ex-
animation the animal was found to be
q wildcat.
When the party reached the open.
ing the mine boss was found to be in q
terrible condition. His face was terri
bly, cut, his clothes nearly torn from
his body and he was very weak from
loss of blood.
On the way home he told the men OF
his awful adventure. He said that he
had hunted all day without much sue
cess, and on his way home stopped at
the mine to see if everything was all
right. He then started over the hill
toward the air shaft, and reached it
about seven o'clock in the evening.
1t was very dark and he was stand
ing close to the mouth of the shaft
trying to think Of some plan to cover
up the hole and still have it serve its
purpose. All at once a rustling of the
branches overhead aroused him, and
suddenly large animal dropped on
his back and began to tear at his face
and body. He grappled with the in
furiated beast and terrible battle en-.
sued.
AS the mine boss dropped his gun
at the first attack the animal had the
best of the fight, and in a short time
man and beast were on the ground,
and every minute they rolled nearer
TO the opening. At last both fell
over the bank and were hurled down
ward to the bottom of the shaft
They struck the ground with the Wild
cat underneath, which saved the mans
life.
The boss will recover from his terri
BILE wounds, although the scars will
stay with him for life. Cleveland
Plaindealer.