The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-21
"DORIE" BURDICK'S
BLACK PANTHER SKIN

Bounty, but He and the Alderman
and Others Couldn't Agree as to
Whether or Not Twas a Panther or
"Tom" Cat.
"Dorie" Burdick. of Greenfield. came
to town yesterday. and besides his ac-
customed volubility, his Rough Rid
! er's' hat and his ancient suit of over
ais, he had with him an equally con-
spicuous object, the skin OF an animal.
which was killed near his place on
Sunday last.
"Doric' didn't know the name of the
animal. nor did any person near his
home. but he believed it was Il pam
ther. black panther at that. What
induced him to this belief. he did not
explain, but he significantly suggest
ed that there was bounty of twenty
five dollars on panthers.
"Dorio" first visited the office of Al.
derman Bunnell He did this through
courtesy to the alderman. who is the
oldest magistrate in point of service,
he said, in the city. Alderman Bun
nell acknowledged that he was
"stumped' and shrunk from even a
guess at the nondescript. "Dore."
however, was more ready and well,
alderman. don't know what you'd
name it, but I'd call it a panther, a
black panther"
"Dorc,' after leaving Alderman
Bunnelrs office, walked down Main
street attracting a good deal of atton-
tion as he proudly sauntered along. the
skin of the animal trailing the side
A ri nne'
office, and after greeting the magis-
trate. he shouted, as he proudly ex-
hibited the skin to the alderman,
Name it if you can. Now, 1 don't
know what you'd call it. but I'd call it
"A panther-l black panther. Just look
at tho size of i'm. What do you think
of it? eh.'
why. that's an otter" suggested
the alderman with a sly wink to The
Tribune representative, who also had
his guess at DOre'S trophy
mo, Stree" strung out "Dorie." mo,
Stree. offers nor mnkS don't kill lambs
nor don't make off with three pound
ducks. and that's what this critters
been adoin'"
'Dorie" Familiarity to the alderman as
hide and pulled its legs to bring it to
it's natural size as he put it.
"Do you know that Walter Burdck,
YOU know Waltcr-hes the one who did
the shootin'-has lost about fifteen
dollars worth of lambs and ducks Yes,
he did; and this is the Teller that's
got the blame for it. Three lambs dis
appeared from Walters place since the
n law Of lnS
EN-, and mighty mysteriously, too"
with Il significant wink and shake of
the head. land twas the ducks that
he was after sunday. Yes, twas. Now
YOU just look up Webster's unabridged
dictionary, and turn tn the right place,
and you'll find that this is a panther
Il black panther. mind you. have Il
Il Webster's unabridged, up
get no other, but the una bridged for
'twon't do" said Dorie, in a caution
ing way, as Alderman Jones sought
the aid of the dictionary.
The dictionary failed to shed much
light on the identity of "Dorie's"
trophy, and then some one suggested
that 1t was Il goodsizcd wild cat, or
even - Tom cat.
'''h '''' VII, HSIldN, uIdWlcu
Dorie in Il way that indicated how
much he deplored the ignorance that
the suggestion indicated. "Why Tom
cats nor wild cats don't go after no
ducks. aud then there's the lambs. How
q ye 'Sposc a cats agoin' to carry off
lambs. full grown ones at that. Now
You can name that what you please"
said "Dorie," for the twentieth time
,hll sI,,t I ,,.,1I "a
black panther
Say, alderman, you'd oughter see
me- agoin' after it," "Dorie" broke out
anew, after the animals skin had been
examined again and again, and it's legs
were pulled and twisted until they did
seem to come to nearly their natural
size.
Yes, sir: you oughtor. see me. I
was down in the fallow watchn' the
sheep for Walter when | heard the |
old gun crack. 'Hullo.' says |, some
ones shot IA hawk / was barefoot
nd, enjoyin' myself and when I come |
up to the house. there was Pat Nc |
.iowan. ilullo,' says |, who shot the
lowk,' You know, Walter gives me 30 |
cents for every hawk | shoot, Who
shot the hawk | says but Pat he had
l.
shoot on Sunday-fined S25 and costs il
m caught Pat says | didn't do no
'hootn'; twas Walter, and he's gone
ioWn to Leander Lees.
What did he shoot SAYS l. Shot
! cat, | s'pose,' said McGowan.
"'Wcll. where's the cat? said |,
Let's look at it, see what it's like
You see the thing was over in the
sweet flag patch. The sweet flags
Lrty high, and | could hardly see the
hing. Well, sir: there il lay Just "A
,layn' possum. But gets up behind
| and grabs it by the hind leg, first
me, then the othern', and before !
ineW what Was acomin', the old thing,
fonl claws were kickin' and maxim
ny way | tell YOU slammed the old
h'ne down hard across a stump of an
I'm that Walter cut down aIcnssiue OF
he brook.
Gee, whz, you'd ouGhter see the
I'D Thing jump, 1t come down boun-
ety-bounce, hut | didn't slam it for
lorhin' asin' the old stump and twas
aid out for dead, l can tell you'"
This wound up "Dories" Interesting
'WlatiHe, and after pulling the ami
nails skin until the inner part WAS
rlcsed so as TO show the "nltural'
izc of the front feet, "Dorie settled
~ Rough Rider's' hat on his load,
r"hbed broDmStick that served as a
ane, and with his black panther's"
kin trailing after him, he left the al
erman's office, declaring his intention
II going to Scranton to see ii he could
,et the SO bounty that the state pays
or black panther's skins.