The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-01-23
4 week passed without q new alarm,

had broken into their camp and killed
q woman and one of their dogs.
When my husband heard the story,
| he judged that it was the same ami
NAL that had attacked our bull for the
Indians described it as creature of
singular color. far lighter than any
they had seen about there, so that they
named 1t THE 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. My husband turned around
just as he entered tile wood and kissed
his hand to me. Then he and his COM
panions vanished in the forest.
When | found myself with Lolita
alone in the house and thought Of what
might happen If 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
lap and tried to tell her story
Suddenly heard scratching along
the roof, and then a dull thud, as IL
something heavy had fallen.
Anxious and nervous as | was,
started up with a cry, although | had
no presentiment what it was.
The next moment | heard just over
me Il sound which l could not mistake
"a long. passionate roar-a cry that |
had often heard from the woods at
night and never without feeling as il
my heart stood still. The thought rush.
ed through my mind. "Oh. heaven. the
| jaguarr
shall never forget that moment!
For a second | was quite rigid and
helpless, as if life had departed, and
then a thought flashed upon me. The
| jaguar was not to be kept off If he
penetrated here from the roof, for most
| of the inner doorways had only draper
| les. In my dining room was great
wooden meal chest. nearly empty and
largt. enough to hold six or seven per-
there. thought l. we are saved.
seized the child. ran with her into
| the dining room and crept into the
chest. Unfortunately it had spring
| lock, so that was forced to hold the
lid open with my left hand TO guard
against its locking and Immediately
sitting us. But it had more than an
inch of outer rim. which completely
| hid my fingers.
| 1t was not Il moment too soon. We
were scarcely hidden when heard the
great claws scratching along the floor,
and the hungry smiling of the jaguar
showed me that he was in search of
| food.
i He came straight to the chest aud
| paused moment. as if he feared a
trap. Then he put his head close to
the small opening, so that | could feel
his hot breath. He shifted awhile and
then tried to raise the lid with his
paw.
How l trembled! But, thank heaven,
the great paw would not go in the mar
row crevice. and held the cover fast
by clingilig to the inner part of the
lock with all the strength of despera-
ton All he could do was to stretch
out his tongue and lick my fingers un-
til they bled as if they had been
scratched by saw. And then, as he
tasted blood and heard Lolita cry-for
my poor darling was just as frightened
as l was-his eagerness increased, and
he began to utter piercing yells, which
sent icy chills over me.
wonder why the fright did not kill
around my neck seemed to keep up my
| courage.
Still the worst was yet to come.
When the jaguar found that he could
not reach me from below. he sprang
upon the chest. His huge weight
crushed my fingers between the two
parts of the lock. Then | thought all
was over and shrieked so that my cries
rang through the whole house.
But my cries were presently answer
ed b! sound which made my heart
| throb with joy-answered by the bark
ing of our bloodhound. The jaguar
| stood for n moment listening, then ran
l " lue uOOT IL ~ ice.
Again came the sound of the dogs
bark = this time nearer and at the
same time the voices of men calling to
each other. Contrary to expectation,
they We're already coming back
| Meanwhile the jaguar seemed to be
bewildered and ran wildly to and fro.
Suddenly loud cry came from one of
the windows, followed by two shots
and fearful howl; then my husbands
voice anxiously called:
"Cachita. where are your
| I had just strength enough left to
get out of the chest, drag myself to
the door and let my husband in. Then
| swooned away.
They told me afterward that our
bloodhound found the jaguar's trail
leading straight back to the house, and
they all hurried home at full speed
fearing harm would come to me.
My husband and Jose came in front
of the rest and shot the jaguar through
the window. but my husband told me
that when he saw the animal in the
house he felt as if stified
l could not move joint of that hand
for many weeks afterward. The Indi
ans gave me medicine to heal it. and
they say that after awhile shall be
able to use 1t again. did not need
this injury to make me remember that
day. If were to live thousand years
i could not forget the few terrible mo-
ments that spent in the chest-mo-
ments that seemed to comprise an eter.