The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-09-07

and Samantha Hearst, i've In hlu'
one-story log cabin, miles from the
nearest neighbor. They have lived
alone since the death OF their father
Alex Hearst, ABOUT ten years ago
seemingly happy and content will
their lot In life. They cultivate a few
acres OF mountain land, have then
horses and COWS. raise the wool, card
and weave II into clothing. blankets
In fact, they make all their wearing
apparel Of wool or hemp raised by
! themselves. The women are thirty
six and forty-two years old, respec-
lively. As that delightful old gentle
man, Judge Jim Campbell, Of Monroe
Country puts II, they are Gods gentle
/ women. They take great delight in
| raising large numbers Of turkeys
! chickens and other poultry, which they
sell as occasion demands 10 the lum-
! ber camps scattered about the dense
] forests Of Mcdowell and adjoining
counties, for which they receive
enough money 10 keep them in gro
ceries and other articles
Some time ago "varmints" began 20
raid the chicken houses and turkey
pens Of the old maids. destroying and
carrying off dozens Of chickens or
turkeys at night The prowlcrs, they
soon ascertained, were two big cata-
mounts and their progeny Of half
grown ones. The women tracked the
wildcats by the aid Of their dogs to
cliff Of rocks about three miles
further up the creek, but they did not
get shot at them on either of the
dozen or more occasions they pursued
them. a few nights ago Lucy Hearst
reused her sister out with the remark
that "them pesky cat'mounts are in
our henhousc again, S'manthy.' That
was enough for Samantha, and in a
few minutes the two women, Lucy
armed with a long pitchfork and her
sister with large axe, ran TO the
henhouse I'm which terrible racket
was taking place. Lucy had brought
with her an Old-fashioncd perforated
tin lantern, which, rs soon as Saman-
tha opened the chicken house door,
she set down on the floor. In a corner
farthcst away from the door the wom-
an saw two pairs Of yellow, glistcn-
ing eyes and caught glimpse of the
gray coats Of the intrudcrs.
"Cat'mOunts. two Of 'em; now you
get ready with your axe, Smanthy,
while | stir 'em out with the fork" ="
said. Lucy.
"All right, I'm ready" replied Sa-
mantha, but the wild eats didn't want
to be stirred out" They both gave
scream and sprang at the women
Luckily one Of the eats struck hen
roost i'm her spring and was thrown
backward, or the women would have
Jared badly. AS IT was, the biggest
CatamOunt landed close enough to
seize Samantha's skirt In his claws,
but downward sweep of the short
axe ana n plunge of the long-prongcd
pitchfork made him let go and retreat
without having done any damage cX-
Cept to the dress of Miss Samantha,
which was torn. The Catamount
which had struck the roosting pole
was now on her feet, and with hiss
and n scream she tried 1t again, spring
ing squarely at the throat of Lucy
Hearst Quick rs the wildcat was the
mountain woman was quicker. She
! jammcd one end of the long handle
! against the ground ana with the right
hand turned the prOngcd end toward
the oncoming wilcat and held IL firm
and steady Ms Mexican tigrcro would
| have held his short-handlcd spear to
receive the charge of the Mexican IT,
! ger, and, like the tigrcro, she caught
| the brute fairly I'm the chest. The
long prongs were sharp and the force
of the spring, added To the weight of
the cat, forced the pointed steel clear
! through the wildcats body. Then fol
| lowed terrible battle. While Lucy
was trying To hold the wildcat down
by recovering the pole of the fork
Samantha was slashing at the infuri
] nted beast with her axe. She had
dealt II one blow, which, missing its
head, laid it's shoulder wide open. and
was preparing TO give IL another whcr
the larger catamount, having some
| what recovered from his rough han
| ding, again made an attack. AS he
fore, the attack was preceded by &
yell and hiss. The cat jumped, hut
wound he had received prevented
him from springlng straight forward
and To this diversion Samantha doubt
less owed her safety, for instead OF
lighting, rs the catamount intended
on the woman's shoulders, he misse,
and struck several feet TO the left
landing In nest on the top of an ol,
hen, which flew out with frightened
cacklc, confusing the cat long enough
for the woman TO get In blow will
her axe, killing IL almost instantly
Meanwhile, the old female cat whic!
had been perforated with the pitch
fork and chopped SO severely with tn
axe. made one more attempt to attacl,
Before Lucy was aware of the cat
movement. In the semi-darkuess of tn
hcnhousc, the latter caught her 10y tn
sleeve Of her dress and tore groa
strips. tearing her left arm from IN
elbow to wrist The cat failed To gc
hold with the teeth, but would hay
done so a second later hut for Lucy
sister, who, seeing the plight. whlrlc
the light axe over her head and Struc
the catamount just behind the shOu
ders. scvCring It's vertabrae.
That ended the fight. Both cat;
mounts were dead and the women q
capped with a badly torn arm on tl
. part of Lucy and two ruined drcssc
, dozen chickens were lying dead O
a