The San Francisco call., 1899-11-19

Dutaro naturally objected to furnishing
such high-priced provisions for the sus-
tenance Of animals in which he had no
proprietary interest but as he had no
means OF arguing the matter with them
did not disturb them al their meal until.
by good fortune. a man named Smith. OF
san Rafael. happened 10 pass that way,
armed with a shotgun. and at Dutaro's
solicitation discharged the contents Of
potn barrels n them, bringing their feast
ing 70 n sudden end and sending them OF
IN haste 20 the safe shelter OF the nearby
hills
one Of the funniest incidents con-
nected with this recent visitation Of over
grown and predatory felines occurred up
near the Sonoma border line. where John
Pope. laborer employed on one Of the
ranches lives alone with his wife in a
little cabin standing quite solitary on the
slope of a tree-embowered hill.
The wife IS ar uneducated woman and
quite new 10 country life. but she has
this summer found much pleasure and
some little profit in raising n flock OF
chickens. which she has petted
ond cared for rs solitary people
are apt To pet and care for -
any creatures dependent HR- -
on them. Her hens have
been her pride and her
glory. and her well-belovod -
companions all summer. and
have paid her for her solictous
attention TO their welfare by lay
ing for her dozens OF eggs Of tho
largest and creamiest tinted kind.
the sale Of which has added material
" 70 the somewhat limited family in
come.
Every noon. rs regularly rs noon
came. Mrs. Popc has called her feath-
cred friends into their own yard. and
while they were busted over n few
handfuls OF grain. counted them over
carefully and anNlously % see II skunks
or foxes had lessened their number. and
one day. two weeks since after she had
performed this solemn ceremony and gone
back into her cabin. she heard a most
startling outcry among them.
seeing her broom she rushed out 10
discover the cause Of the trouble. and
saw I'm their fluttering and rapidly scat
torinc midst what she thought 10 be an
enormous s.. Bernard dog Filled with
righteous Indignation AT the idea OF any
cannes being bold enough 70 intrude
himself into the inclosure especially re-
served for the shelter Of her beloved
chickens. Mrs. Pope rushed straight at
tho disturber of their peace. expecting "a
see him retreat n once before her deter
mind onslaught. hut % her astonishment
and alarm he did nothing OF the kind.
Instead ~ running away when he heard
her approaching. he turned around and
faced her and as he did so she saw that
he was no kind of \ creature that she
had ever seen before. He looked like a
giant yellow cat instead OF q dog. and hie
vide mouth was dripping with the blood
~ one Of her most valued hens. while
his fiery eyes Eazed al her with an ex-
preston which even she. who had never
seen dangerous wild animal in his
native haunts before. could not help but
understand.
What he was she did not even guess hut
she knew that he meant her harm and
that the crouching attitude which he
assumed as she stared at him for one
instant of mental and bodily paralysis
would De succeeded by a spring that
would mean for her death or horrible
manning and disagreement
She turned 20 run for the cabin. where
AZ least she could interpose n door be-
tween herself and her terrifying adver-
sary, but she knew as she did so that the
impulse Of flight had come TO her too late.
and she almost felt the hot breath Of the
beast or her neck and his tearing claws
iu her Quivering flesh as she took her first
Intellectual step away from the horrifying
menace Of danger which in another mo-
ment would be reality.
And just here IS whore the funny part
happened. Immediately before the chick
ems drinking trough on the muddy ground
lay a small board. and this board was
Mrs. Pope's preservation. Just as her
feet struck IL II slipped from under them.