The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-02-20
/, ch.roea Of huckshot. I was carrying

charges Of buckshot. I was carrying
a musEet loaded with nails.
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
biggest panther tracks l ever lalo
eyes on.
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 a hole under som rocks.
Besides the tracks leading in there
were others leading out. But we felt
pretty SURF that. the tiger was in his
lair. The dogs wouldn't go near the
hole and they didn't bark. But they
kept their backs bristled and watched
the hole and growled. Somebody got
a long stick and poked it into the
hole, but he jumped back suddenly,
TOT a warning grow ca'ae iio'n 'A
der the rocks. 4
Now we knew that the tiger was
at nome, ana every mar ano poy .,
us-there were u or 10 IN ali,eocheo
his gun and pointed it at the hole.
We expected the tiger to come out,
and stood ready to make short work
OF MN, put ne dlant sho" hlniseli,
ana oelofe we couio uesise ans way
70 sur hin out nisn' came on
Lets smoke nm, Doys' SOMEBODY
proposed. AND wnlie some OF us
stood guard around the tlgers den
the others Went 10 ping dead orush
against h hole. When There was a
good-sized pile we set lire to 1t.
The snowy brush burned slowly
and smoked a great deal. AS the flre
began TO crackle the Tiger began TO
growl. and when the smoke worked
INTO the nole ne gro"leo louoer. MY
uncle cameo OUT:
"be ready boys! us either come
stnrough that pllesor SURROGATE,
ana nell come lrou the brush
pile
we backed on yards, and
every gun was aimed at the point
where the tiger was expected to ap-
pear. 1t was dark by this time
pitch dark everywhere except around
the ire. For time we could hear
the tiger growing under the rocks.
We waited and waited, but still he
didn't show himself. The fire climbed
among the loosely piled brush until
the whole pile was ablaze. Finally
somebody, Simpson, I believe it was,
spoke up:
he, smothered to death, boys.
Ihat's why we don't hear him any
: No animal could live in that
hole with that fire in the mouth of
u. He was SO afraid of the fire that
ne would.rather suffocate than come
through it"
After standing guard a while long,
er, we all agreed that the tiger must
be dead. None of us knew that there
was a little cav under those rocks.
Now we closed up around the fire
n stood with u gun stocks on the
ground, warming ourselves. We felt
jolly over getting rid of Il trouble
some, dangerous enemy, and were go
ing to pull straws for the skin. In
fact, Simpson was arranging the
straws, when suddenly something
happened to the fire. As nearly as
! can describe it that blazing brush
heap exploded!
There was a roar behind it. and
the next moment the brush was fly
ing, n the panther's frightful form
came crashing through. As the big,
savage brute burst out Of the fire he
knocked one man down, and two or
three more fell over one another try
ing toiget out of the way. 1 jumped
back to dodge the flying fire and
stumbled over a dog.
Inc dog owle and as l tumbled
sDaelsward me manner OF my musket
sorucx somethlng and the old musket
EXPLODED with q roar. The load Of
mans Went on the woods,
Dut ! thought ! was killed.