Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-11
IN DEADLY EMBRACE.
Made a Marvellous Escape From a
PantherS Grasp.

Made Marvellous Escape From
Panther'S Grasp.
you would like to know now / came
by these marks, young man." said the
Did hunter in answer to a question as
to how he got so many scars On his
face. In order to tell you 1 will have
10 talk you with me some miles over
bong road, then along a narrow trail
that leads off from the road into dark
wood. These woods are on the side Of
one of the tallest and widest of the
Black Hills and are knowa to hunters
IN that vicinity as one of the most
dangerous places to hunt. This is on
account of the many cavities in the
rocks, which are huge bOulders scat
tered over the ground. These offer eX-
cellent hiding places for large game,
which is plentiful there. In these
cavities the panthers aid wildcats
make their lairs. They are undishIrb-
ed in this wild place except by the oc-
casional hunter who has pluck to ven
ture in these parts Well, L was che OF
these. 1 followed the trail all day and
Ey night had reached the shadow of the
the sky and by it's light L could but
Sky and by it's light could but family
distinguish my surroundings. All
around me lay great black objects Of
boulders.
1.-The silence was something awful,
and it seemed to me as stood there in
the deserted spot that there could not
be a sound in all the world. Not the
rustic of leaf stirred the air, not the
chirp of cricket, not the hum Of an
insect. It was awful. I stood there in
the midst of it, fearful to- awake an
echo. If the silence was grand the
awful wall that startled ms was terri
BILE. 1t went out OF the darkness some
where near me.
cit seemed to. have sounded in my
ear. 1t awoke an echo that went
sounding through the woods again and
again, then came. bac konce more to
me. There was no need for me to try
panther. Was it behind me, in front Of
me or at my side2 1 could do nothing
but wait for another wall or hear it
stir. See could not, the darkness was
SO intense. l stood ready to, fire at the
first chance Like. a thunderbolt some
thing leaped upon and overwhelmed
me. felt it's sharp claws sink into my
flesh. It's hot breath was upon my
cheek as it bore me to the ground. AL
ready its teeth were sinking into my
side and 1 felt the hot blood trickling
down. My arm got twisted under me
in the fall and 1 was powerless. The
great eyes, like Goals of fire., were star
ing me in the face.
my strength was going and could
feel myself growing more and more
helpless. 1 managed to wrench one
hand from under me and get my knife.
The beast was crouching over me and
made a wild pass at him. The. knife
missed it's mark and glidel harmlessly
over it's hide. 1 did not have the
strength to strike. 1 raised my arm to
make another pass, but found l had
hardly enough strength to hold the
knife. The beast, with open jaws. made
a lunge at my arm. 1t caught my hand
and the Jaws closed over the blade OF
the knife. With howl OF pain the
beast jumped high into the air and
rolled over and over on the ground
was free, and going over to my enemy
saw that the blade had entered the roof
of the mouth and pierced the brain
The beast was helpless and lay groan-
ing until morning. l lay down and
slept with my head on the soft skin. :
st. Paul Globe.