The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-11-26

general gathering. AN the men OF
ChinlSapin Rldge and all the boys
big enough to use guns, came together
for a rousing hunt. MY uncle was III
the party, and so was I. Every fel'
low had tried to, get the gun with. the
ltbisgest bore. Aid I remember that
we were all Dragging about what ter
rife loads we had put in. Some had
rammed down two or three big balls
or sings. and others enormous charges
of buckshot was carrying n musket
ioadedswith, nails.-l = NENACl-
1t wasn't long after noon when we
started out, and an hour or two later
we struck the trail, made in the snow
the night before. He printed the big
gest panther tracks ever laid eyes OH.
4 Our party followed the trail round
and round over the country, By and
by we came to where the tiger had
killed a hog. From there the tracks
led down into the woods, and through
the woods into a ravine, and up the
ravine to its head, where they disap.
peared into hole under some rocks,
Besides the tracks leading in, there
were others leading out. But we felt
pretty sure that the tiger was in his
lair. The dogs wouldn't 60 near the
hole, and they didn't bark. But they
kept their backs bristled and watched
the hole and growled. Somebody got
n long stick and poked it IN to the
hole but he jumped back suddenly, for
a warning growl came from under the
rocks.
Now we knew that the tiger was at
home, and every man and boy Of us
there were twelve or fifteen in all
cooked his gun and pointed at the hole,
We expected the tiger to come out,
and stood ready to make short work OF
him, but he didn't show himself; and
before we could devise any way to
stir him out, night came on.
Lets smoke him, boys" somebody
proposed. And while some Of us stood
guard around the tigers den, the others
went to piling dead brush against the
hole, When there was a good sized
pile we set fire to II.
The snowy brush burned slowly and
smoked a great deal, AS the fire be-
gan to crackle the tiger began to
growl and when the smoke worked
into the hole he growled louder. My
uncle called out:
"Bc ready, boys! It's either come
through that brush pile or suffocate;
and he'll come through the brush pile"
We backed OF several yards, ard
every gun was aimed at the point
where the tiger was expected to APP
pear. 1t was dark by this tlme--pltch
lark everywhere except around the
ire. For time we could hear the
Tiger growing under the rocks.
We waited and waited, but still he
lidn't show himself. The fire climbed
lmong the loosely piled brush until
he whole pile was nbiaze. Finally
'omebody-Simpson, 1 believe 1t was
poke up;
"He's smothered to death. boys.
That's why we don't hear him any
more. No animal could live in that
iole with that fire in the mouth Of
{. He was so afraid OF the fire that
lie would rather suffocate than come
through t."
After standing guard a while longer.
we all agreed that the tiger must be
lead. None of us knew that there
was little cave under those rocks.
Now we closed up around the fire
and stood with our gunstocks on the
ground, warming ourselves. We felt
Jolly over getting rid of our trouble
some, dangerous enemy, and were 60
ing TO pull straws for the skin. In
fact, Simpson was arranging the
straws, when suddenly something hap
pened to the fire. As nearly as can
describe it, that blazing brush heap
exploded!
There was roar behind It, and the
next moment the brush was flying, aud
the panthers frightful form came
through, AS the big. savage
brute burst out Of the fire, be knocked
one man down, and two or three more
fell over one another trying to get
,ut Of the way. l jumped back to
lodge the flying fire, and stumbled
over a dog.
The dog howied. and as I tumbled
backward the hammer OF my musket
struck something. and the old mus
iet exploded with a roar. The load
If nails went off through the woods,
out I thought l was killed.
The second leap carried the tiger
lway from the fire, and another car.
led him into the darkness. About
his time the men recovered from the
,anic and began to shoot; and they
Iept banging away down the ravine.