Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-03-31


door. And when the latch broke and
the door flew in, went through like
rock out of sling.
Inside 1 stubbled my toe and tum-
bled sprawling on the floor. The mid
ding flew over my head Uncle Jimmy
afterward told everybody that the
whole side of bacon 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 few moments that the tiger
had broken in on them. They were
just getting ready for him. Uncle
Jimmy was loading his rifle as fast
as he could, and Aunt Polly, his wife,
was trying to light pine knot at
the fire.
While was scrambling to my feet,
Uncle Jimmy sprang forward,
slammed the door shut and propped
it with stick of wood, but not be.
fore that dog of his had sneaked in
aSAA StdNlCu lHc Deu,
Scarcely was the door shut when
the tiger let out another scream,
close by. Uncle Jimmy was running
about the room, dragging his rifle
by the muzzle. He had bullet
rammed down, and was searching
every shelf in the cabin for box
of caps. Pretty soon the panther
screamed again, behind the cabin
now. Afterward we heard another
scream, farther off.
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 cautiously, cooked his rife and
stepped out. l offered to carry the
torch, but wasn't very sorry when
Aunt Polly insisted that she knew
better how to hold it.
Uncle Jimmy tramped about the
yard, with his wits at his heels, hold
ing the pine-knot above her head. If
the tiger was near, the torch would
make his eyes shine, and Uncle Jimmy
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 before he could take aim
they disappeared. 1t wasn't long be-
fore we heard scream down in the
woods. The beast was going away.
/ stayed in the cabin while; then
Uncle Jimmy took his rifle and es-
corted me and my bacon home. ]
was afraid to go by myself.
That was the first time the SWAMP
tiger had been seen or heard on
Chinkapin Ridge; but it wasn't the
last time by any means. Even we
boys were afraid to go far to gather
nuts, and the women and children
hardly dared poke their heads out
| of-doors. The men carried guns, es.
pecially at night. The tiger didn't
show himself in broad daylight, al
though he was seen occasionally at
dusk.
Meanwhile he was living on the fat
of the land. He had feasted on oul
hogs and calves, and he even dragged
down and killed two full-grown COWS
He was giant of his kind, and hi.
size made him fearless.
| We didn't know what became Of the
tiger during the daytime, but we sup
posed 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. Tin
had his rifle, but instead of blazing
away, he stole off and went for help
When he got back with several mer
and dogs, they caught glimpse OF
the tiger as he jumped off the log
and disappeared. The dogs growlec
and turned their hair the wrong way;
but they wouldn't follow the trail
Trust dog to know what not tc
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
| ouSHCd up 10 MdSOn COW-pen
grabbed a roofing pig, and carried
the squealing thing off under its
owners eyes. Three different mer
tried to kill the big brute when he
came prowling around their houses
ut night, but their shots didn't take
effect; and the belief got abroad that
the panther's skin was too thick and
tough for an ordinary rife-bullet tc
penetrate. That made him more
dreadful than ever. Several times
parties gathered to hunt him down;
but the dogs either wouldn't o,
couldn't follow cold trail.
Along in December the first light
snow fell. That was the signal fol
u general gathering. All the men OF
Chinkapin Ridge, and all the boys big
enough to use guns, came together
for rousing hunt. My uncle was il
the party, and so was I. Every fel
low had tried to get the gun with the
biggest bore. And / remember tina,
we were all Dragging about what ter
rife loads we had put in. Some hac
rammed down two or three big balls
or slugs, and others enormous
charges of buckshot. was carrying
musket loaded with nails.
It wasn't long after noon when we
started out, and an hour or two later
cfrr,p1r tho froil 10 IL, ,~o~