Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1901-12-27

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taries OF the rarana, on whose opposite
shore the rank grass grew ten and
twelve feet high.
The house itself had q tropical char.
acter; 1t was Spanlsh-American, with
a cool. shady veranda, long, low
front, painted walls and latticed win.
dows, spacious court and fat roof
provided with a parapet which gave
the whole structure the appearance OF
a fort Many acres Of cultivated land
showed long lines of sugar cane and
tall trees laden with bananas, In sur
prislng contrast to the dark, lmpene-
trable mass of wild husband which in
the distance surrounded the settlement.
Senora Diaz was one Of the tropical
beauties of whom Murillo dreamed.
Il am going TO test your gallantry,"
she said, coming out on the yeranda
where | sat, ''by asking you to help me
TO water my flowers, for with my lame
hand 1t is not easy for me TO lift the
heavy watering pot"
II am at your service, but allow me
am wrong?-to remind you that you
promised to tell me the story of how
your hand was lamcd."
Certainly. AS soon as the flowers
are watered we will have coffee on the
veranda. and you will hear all about
IT,"
Accordingly | was shortly afterward
slipping coffee with the little Lolita.
my hosts only daughter and my pet.
beside me. while her mother rolled a
cigarette, lighted it and began as fol-
lows:
When we came here this was IA very
wild place, and we had 10 endure n
number OF pests. For instance. when
Lolita was "A baby. my husband and
his men went off one morning 10 work
as usual. aud the child lay asleep on
a mat at the end of the room Sudden
ly saw on the floor the skin of a
mouse. from which the whole body
had been sucked. AS from an orange.
| knew at once that "a snake must be
near. for they feed on mice aud eat
them In this fashion, but, carefully as
| looked about me, | could see no
snake, till all at once 1t occurred 10
me that 1t might be under the baby's
mat. | snatched the child up and
placed her In safety. Then | lifted
softly part of the mat and there II
was-the long. Shiny green and gold
reptile coiled up and fast asleep. All.
how | jumped. | ran out into the
courtyard to call for help. Luckily
our man, Jose, was there, and he kill
ed the reptile. But as we cleared
more acres the snakes left us to hide
themselves In the forest. | began TO
hope our cares were ended. but they
were only Just begun. Wild beasts
now first appeared on the scene.
One morning while we were at
breakfast one of our herdsmen brought
the news that our cattle, which Craze
In the tall grass on the other side Of
the river. had been attacked by
jaguar that had killed one OF the bulls.
The man who told us this had escaped
with his life yet he would have scarce
ly done so II he had not misled the
beast or had there not been a fat OK
there.
A week passed without a new alarm,
and we had come TO think less about
1t, when suddenly three or four Indians
rushed In to tell us how great jaguar
had broken into their camp and killed
q woman and one OF their dogs.
When my husband heard the story,
he Judged that 1t was the same anil
nal that had attacked our bull. for the
Indians described 1t as II creature of
singular color, far lighter than any
they had seen about there. so that they
named II "rhe White Death"
We all thought It high time TO do
something, and my husband called his
people together to go out and hunt the
animal
remember that morning distinctly.
They went away cheerfully enough,
each man with his gun and hunting
knife, and Moro, our bloodhound, was
with them. Ny husband turned around
lust as he entered the wood and kissed
his hand to me. Then he and his COM
panons vanished in the forest.
When found myself with Lolita
alone in the house and thought of what
might happen II they met that terrible
wild animal, such anxiety seized me
although never thought could be In
danger) that could not be contented
till | had locked every door in the
house. and then | seated myself In the
great sitting room, took Lolita on my
Ian and tried to tell her story.
Suddenly heard scratching along
the roof, and then n dull thud, as II
something heavy had fallen.
Anxious aud nervous as | was, |
started up with n cry, although had
no prcsentiment what II was.
The next moment | heard just over
me sound which | could not mistake
"a long. passionate roar-a cry that
had often heard from the woods al
night and never without feeling as if
nv heart stood still. The thought rush.
ed through my mind. "oh, heaven, the
jaguar."
/ shall never forget that moment!
For second was quite rigid and
helpless. as II life had departed, and
A.. ma