Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-09-28

valley on the south side, when the
English settler, an "old timer" who
was riding the range with me, advised
me to beware of the birds. They had
brought him into n strange pre-
dicament once. AS he and l looked
up at the preciplce Of the south side
of Cone Mount he began the story.
1t was during the summer Of 1886,
Just three years after l came out here.
I was very young and rather reckless
Only few settlers We're In this part
then, and as l had only small bunch
Of cattle l was alone. l had been rid
Ing the range one day. and was return
Ing In the afternoon. when saw those
eagles lowering over Its crest, as
had seen them hundred times before
the very same pair we see now,
believe.
| Well, wanted to find their nest 1t
would not be dark for three or four
hours, and ms | was on the north side
| of the hill | could ride some distance
| coward the summit. So up l went.
About half way from bottom to top
tied my horse to tree and finished the
climb on foot.
lay face down, looking over the
edge Of the cliff for several minutes,
closely scanning Its steep side. with
out seeing anything Of the eagles nest.
Then heard something very different
from any noise an eagle ever makes.
1t was a queer little wall muffled and
catllke. which seemed to come from
somewhere near me.
glanced along the halfway ledge
below, and then down among the
rocks and bushes ut the bottom, but
could see nothing. But soon the cry
was repeated, this time much clearer,
and Mt once | caught sight Of small
yellOwish object protruding from the
face Of the rock wall itself. not thirty
feet below me. had no trouble In
making out a pair Of pointed black
tipped ears on the head of what l
knew must be a lynx cub. The little
creature was standing in the mouth of
that dark place You see up there. about
thirty feet above the ledge. That dark
place is a shallow cave.
Naturally l thought no more about
the eagles. The cub would make n
far Odder pet. But how was | to get
It?
At the present time there Is no way
Of reaching the cave except by a rope
from the top Of the cliff. or a ladder
from the ledge, but at that time dead
pine, which had grown on the ledge,
leaned against the cliff. Its knotty
trunk formed perfect natural ladder
between the cave and the ledge below.
| saw ut a glance that the old lynXes
must reach their den by way of the
tree. Why couldn't do the same
thing?
A more experienced man would not
have tried such n thing in such a
place, alone and unarmed-I had shot
away all the cartridges in my pistol at
a coyote. But the spice Of danger did
not stop me. although my only weap
vi WIS Jdck-knlIe.
l knew how to reach the ledge-any
strong young man can easily get down
to 1t where 1t passes around the east
ern side Of the hill. After reaching
the ledge. began to wonder whether
the old lynxes We're not about.
That ledge is a singularly wild and
lonely place, with fifty feet of cliff
below 1t and as much towering above
| looked up the winding shelf, very
narrow in places, and could not help
wondering whether l or lynx or
lynxes would 20 over IL one or more
Of the brutes should meet or Overtake
me midway. After I had gone nearly
all the way l saw some distinct claw
marks on various bushes, and big foot
prints on some sand, but as there We're
no other signs of the old lynxes l went
on to the dead pine. There the den
was more than twenty feet overhead.
The climb up that dead tree was not
difficult, but it was alarming; for, al
though the roots seemed deeply en-
bedded In assures, there was such an
unsound shaking about 1t that was
glad to reach the top In safety.
The cave proved to be merely n
washed.out clay pocket. some five feet
high by about seven wide at the
mouth. and from ten to fifteen feet
from front to back. At the far end
vas the lynx kitten, crouching among
a lot Of small bones and leaves, spit
ting and snarling. Its eyes shining like
two great balls Of topaz. 1t was no
larger than house cat. but its paws
looked as II they were wrapped up In
fur mitten three sizes too big
Before left the ledge l had cut and
trimmed small sapling. so that l had
a stick like short, stiff tishpole. To
one end OF this now tied six or eight
feet Of the stout cord that I always
carried in my "shaps" pocket for
emergency repairs and so on. On the
lower end Of this cord made run
ming moose. l hoped. to get at the
young wildcat. But too late! For
exactly what had been dreading oc-
CURED. An alarming scratching sound
from below made me face around
With a jump. and there. already half
way up the tree, was full grown
lynx!
TO reach down, grasp the end of
the pine trunk and push with all my
might was about the only chance left
me, and did so instinctively. For
az instant 1t did not move. The brute
was almost upon me. pushed again
frantlcally. The trunk started a lit
tie, then snapped short off at Its roots,
sid along the side Of the cliff and fell
crashing to the narrow ledge, shat.
tered mass of rotten wood.
1t was all over SO quickly that l
had had no time to consider anything
except present danger. but when l
looked down at the ledge l saw that
my trouble was not yet ended. The
brute stood directly underneath me,
quiverlng with rage and quite un-
hurt from his fall. or course he could