The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-11-26
BY LEWIS 3. MILLER.

III us ntio3 no uhQ tn0 uercebI uOg
IN, the neighborhood-7n dog that would
try to drag a man of bis horse. But
this time that dog didn't even growl;
he was covering against the wall,
shivering and whining like a fright.
ened puppy.
AS | cleared the fence I saw light
shining through the cracks. l made
a straight dash for the clapboard door.
And when the latch broke and the door
flew in, went through like rock out
of a sling.
Inside stubbed my toe and tumbled
sprawling on the floor. The middling
few over my head. Uncle Jimmy af-
terward told everybody that that whole
side Of bacow hit the farther wall so
hard that it left a greasy picture Of
itself on the logs. Uncle Jimmy was
great Joker.
The old man and his wife were
frightened out Of their wits. They had
heard the screams, and thought for a
few moments that the tiger had broken
in on them. They were Just getting
ready for him. Uncle Jimmy was load
ing his rife as fast as he could, and
Aunt Polly. his wife, was trying to
light a pine knot at the fire.
While was scrambling to my feet,
Uncle Jimmy sprang forward, slammed
the door shut and propped 1t with
stick Of wood, but not before that dog
Of his had sneaked In and crawled
under the bed.
Scarcely was the door shut when
the tiger let out another scream, close
by. Uncle Jimmy was running about
the room, dragging his rife by the
mu2zle. He had bullet rammed down.
and was searching every shelf in the
cabin for box Of caps. Pretty sooD.
the panther screamed again, behind
the cabin now. Afterward we heard
another scream, farther of.
BY this time Uncle Jimmy had found
his caps, and Aunt Polly had her pine.
knot blazing. When they were both
ready Uncle Jimmy threw open the
door, and after looking about cautious.
~, cooked his rife and stepped out. |
offered to carry the torch but l wasn't |
very sorry when Aunt Polly insisted |
that she knew better how to hold it. |
Uncle Jimmy tramped about the
yard, with his wife at his heels, hold
ing the pine knot about her head. If
the tiger was near the torch would
make his eyes shine, and Uncle Jim
my would put a bullet right between
them. He was dead shot.
stood in the door, rubbing my back.
The man with his gun and the woman
with her torch moved slowly round the
cabin. Once Uncle Jimmy thought |
he discovered the tigers eyes, but be.
fore he could take aim they disap.
peared, II wasn't long before we
heard a scream down in the woods. |
The beast was going away.
stayed in the cabin n while, then |
Uncle Jimmy took his rife and es-
corted NE and my bacon home.
was afraid to go by myself.
That was the first time the swamp
tiger had been seen or heard on Chink-
apin Ridge; but it wasn't the last
time, by any means. Even we boys
were afraid to 90 far to gather nuts,
and the women and children hardly
dared poke their heads out Of doors
The men carried guns, especially at
night. The flyer didn't show himself
in broad daylight, although he was
seen occasionally at dusk.
Meanwhile he was living on the fat
of the laud, He Toasted on our hogs
and calves, and he even dragged down |
and killed two full grown cows. He
was a giant Of his kind, and his size
made him fearless.
We didn't know what became of |
the tiger during the daytime, but we
supposed he must retreat into the
swamp. One day Tim Watson saw
him lying on top OF big log in the |
woods, asleep in the sunshine. Tim |
had his rife. but instead Of blazing |
away, he stole of and went for help. |
When he got back with several men
and dogs, they caught glimpse Of the
tiger as he Jumped Off the log and dis
appeared. The dogs growled and turned |
their hair the wrong way; but they
wouldn't follow the trail. Trust a
dog to know what not to attack
Things went on from bad to worse
along Chinkapin Ridge Every morn
ing some animal was missing, and the
half-devoured remains were generally
found. One evening at dusk the tiger
dashed up to Mason's cow pen, grabbed
roofing pig, and carried the squeal-
ing thing of under its owners eyes.
Three different men tried to kill the
big brute when he came prowling
around their houses Mt night, but their