The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05
WINES Last PANTHER.
The Boy Whs Killed the Animal Used tho
Ruse = Missionary Played on Lion.

LiNCoLNVILlE, Ne. Nov. 3-Thc last pan.
ihcr seen in the Maine woods was Killed twelve
years ago by Odbury Snow in the old limestone
quarry. a mile back from Lincnlnyille Beach.
The quarry had been blasted into the south sido
Of high hill until II formed pocket, onc.tOurih
Of n mile long and thirty rods wide. Before the
Civil War the lime business gave employ
10 a good number Of men, but after the Rocknnd
quarrics had put in a railroad for transporting
the rock 10 the klns, the cost Of hauling used up
the profits and the work was abandoned Ten
years later the place was given up 10 bushes
Owing To the fact that new lime rock grows very
hot when exposed " bright SUM ght a German
resident Of the town had put UP a greenhouse
under the Gill; where he raised mammoth Gu
cumbers The iafmcrs who had apples 10 dry
and the fishermen who had lately dipped their
cotton coats in boiled oil TO make them water
proof always brought thelt goods 10 this side OF
the sunny wall 10 hasten the curing process
II conditions had no, been Just they were
the last panther in Maine would have been alive
today and Odbury Snow, the boy, never would
have lived grow whiskers. One Saturday
afternoon in November 1857, the Snow boy took
his fathers muLz!e loading gun and went up
the hill after partridGes The day cold and
raw. with a keen wind blowing in from the lie
tramped about in the woods for an hour without
finding anything worthy Of shooting, after which
he made dctour around the cliiI and put his
back against the sunny wall Of the old quarry
10 get warm II was so comfort BILE there in the
sunsh, and away from the wind that he went 10
sleep with his gun on his arm and his school
zap IN his hand Attached to a projecting stone
four feet above his head WAS heavy oilskin coat
which q fisherman had lately dipped in oil and
hung out To dry. The boy said he did not know
Just what IT was that woke him up. When he
MA; wide awake hi, hair Was badly gummcd
dripping coat Looking alofi TO find out who
had been playing Joke upon him his vision re
~ until il rested on the limb Of an oyerhauging
beech tree. where great rusty yellow animal
was cIouching and masking his tail go Just like
The Lincolnvllc Shows are Of Old fighting
stock and the boy was Stamped with the family
the most dangerous beast in the woods Of America.
Unless he contrvcd some method 10 outwit and
kill 1t he felt sure ihe animal would make short
work of him, While he sat there thinking the
panther had crawcd further along the limb 10
~ 10 nv i'd me PROJECTING ledrcs when i should
il some Sunday choo book a story Of a good
missionary and very bad lion that had met
s.m,mcwhrrr among the mountains Of Africa
Above him was the lion ready To S'rinT. ljr-
low him wa n vast lance Of eni"ty air ter
minatinG al the bottom in sharp stones, Tho
hem upon his Hlpcnstock a. 10 make II rcScm-
bic Q scarrcrow IN need .! repairs and bcckoncd
King 81 beasts did conc on aud Thea went on 10
tie stones that were waiting FIR him n mile or 50
below. The boy made IN his mind In initiate
the missionary. lie lifted the yellow sticky
oskin coat from the ledge on the end Of his gun
barrel and began TO retreat backward In the di'
rcciiOn OF the greenhouse, hopng thereby 70 draw
the FIRE 81 the panther 10 his dccoy and thus al
fo-d time 10 get inside the building.
The panther WAS not reluctant 10 accept tho
challenge Making due allowance for the NOV
ing figures below, IL shot from the limb, striking
the oIlskin n"a- the sholldT. TIC ontSl,etchcd
as II the animal WNS trying IN nut II on, W tho
gun was kuocked from the boys hand he rushed
the panther as Ii went srittinP and snnrling
about the quarry and thanked the good mission
AIRY for the rcsni'c Uhch the rusr had afforded
As the panther vnS still growing and making
aar In find out what WAS going on His gun
lay where il had fallen, Beyond he gun, among
a bed Oi dry leaves was moving sputierlng
something as big as molasscs hogshead but
thcr had pushed its fore legs through the slccvea
IT the coat until the body Of ihc garment had
come up arainst it's breast. When the Pummy
surface Of the coat had come IN contact with the
hair Of tho panther the two became one, Nftcr
that tho frantic animal had houndcred about
and ted lis body and legs with dry leaves until
II was helpless 10 fight or run away Though
the conduct OF the missionary afforded no precc-
dent for the act, young Snow took advantage
Of the situation and placing the muzLe OF his
and filled lis brain with bird shot few days
later, the fisherman who owned the coat met the
hoy on his way 10 school and gayo him hearty
whipping for meddling with property that was
not his own
\ Bachelors Romance.
From ne hi"ago Record