Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-09-01
A Fearful Night
(Original.1

that he had just brought from the
stream below. He was much excited.
A woman came out Of the tent, and
the little fellow said to her:
Mother, there are panther tracks on
the trail to the river"
"Sure?" said the woman, paling.
"Sure?
Two little girls came out with fright
ened faces. They had heard the news
and, young as they were, understood
1t. The Maxcy family were pioneers
who had come to the country to settle,
but had not yet built their cabin. The
father had gone to the nearest county
seat to enter the land and would not
be back till the following day. The
mother and son consulted what they
should do. The panther would likely
be back again, and there was no GER
tain defense. True, little Tom Maxcy
had his rife and for boy was fair
shot, but supposing the panther should
come upon them suddenly or that Tom
should miss him? In that case the
family would be at the brute's mercy.
The little girls watched their mothers
face and. seeing the anxiety depicted
there, chung to her skirts.
Since there We're no neighbOrs to
help, there was nothing to do but make
the only preparation possible-that is,
gather wood for the purpose Of build
ing fire. Tom got his rifle in good
shape, but it was Of small size, and
his mother feared to have him use it
lest its tiny ball would only enrage the
panther. Tom worked all the morning
gathering wood and spent the after
noon seeing that the pens containing
the cattle were secure.
The sun went down, and darkness
stole over the land. An awful dread
came upon the family as night drew
on. Would the panther find another
meal and let them alone? They hoped
for the best. Tom lighted the fire,
which he had laid directly before the
tent, and he had driven forked
branch into the ground on which to
rest his rifle. The little girls We're put
to bed. and Tom and his mother kept
watch.
There was stiffness except the occa-
sional swapping Of the fire OF the cry
of distant loon. Hour after hour the
mother and son sat waiting for the
night to pass, and soon after midnight
the boy fell asleep. He was awakened
by thud upon the earth a short dis
lance away, as Of some heavy animal
jumping from tree. Opening his eyes,
he saw terror in his mothers face. She
grip Of wise.
''Look!' she cried.
Tom, on following the direction of her
eyes, saw two glazing balls out In the
darkness. Tearing himself away from
her. he kicked the burning logs, sending
up sparks and flame that illumined the
dark figure. He hoped that this would
drive it away, but he was disappointed.
The panther was doubtless hungry and
loath to give up his prey. Tom went to
his rifle.
Mother" he said, throw a frebrand
at him."
But Mrs. Maxcy was not equal to
such an act, and Tom, resting the butt
OF his rifle on the ground, seized
brand and, first waving it over his
head, threw it straight at the beast,
who shrank away for a time, but it
was not long before Tom saw those
two glazing eyes again fixed upon him.
Again he tried the expedient of tossing
brand, but this time the panther paid
but little attention to it.
The realization Of the horror threat
ening them was what paralyzed the
mother. One of the blessings of youth
Is the absence Of such realization,
which accounts for the absence Of fear,
and Tom Maxcy was at an age when
one doesn't picture dreadful things to
come. His faculties We're all bent on
his work, which was to drive the pan
Their off or kill him. But the beast de
clined to be driven off. Indeed, Tom
noticed certain undulatory movement
Of his body, which was stretched fiat
on the ground, that indicated he was
crawling gradually nearer for a spring.
Tom seized last brand-a big one
and threw 1t with so true an aim that
had not the panther lodged it would
have struck him, then the boy without
waiting to see the result sprang for
his rife. i, Mrs. Maxcy rushed frantic
ally into the tent and Rugged her little
girls to her. Their cries seemed to
whet the panthers appetite, and Tom
saw him rising on his fore paws ready
for spring. The boys eye was look
ing down the barrel Of his rife, bring
ing the two sights in line with the
center Of the bruts's eye. The distance
was not great, not more than a dozen
yards. He had rest, and his young
heart was beating scarcely more rapid
~ than usual. He was sure II he fred
before the panther sprang he could
hit his head and believed he could hit
the eye he aimed for. At a moment
when the beast was perfectly still and
the bead at the muzzIe Of the rife In
line with the breech sight and the
panther's eye Tom pulled the trigger.