The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-08-31
CoAly Asp rHE lios


tspt fium cur aew eiAim
I His ialen,ion s1s tbs. should 10 ait
tao n.lgtbos sho bad ,guitted sotn
) mis-, fr. N our place, but they started ear
litt thtn cii. ard / could not drive N
orcn fast enough 10 uvcrtsse them TIA
dss. Ley, ny nsh OK, sss big nd 80
white i,llow, With enormous horne, shicl
be aGs 100 xOod- 10 use, CaAly, a.
bls,s a u. was Of a an rent icm2si.
He sAs taller thsn Up, much qalcs r
an had Shorter, sharper horns. He ~oul'
kiek ~ well as "hook lie ep.rticalsrly hat
cd dos,. shd vas altogether so yiclou
when unyoEed that nottiog bat his aocC
cotduct when yoke saved him from th'
butcher
Sunset found me near the sot OF long
III tha, lad led me down into gorg,
about i've niles from what was then 'b,
hamlet Of PAluxy The rosi, seldom tray
elltd In those fsrly days, WAS too vague Ia
De follos,d by hight without danger Of
upsetilns th0 wsg0n. s. | reluctantly
turned aside into small open spsce among
the cedars aud hslttd. Tue mouth was
Ja1uaty, but the weather was mild for the
season.
The steep. rocky sides OF the Wild gorge
we're owe grown with twisted cedars, and
rose TO what thoushts great height. In
the gloom and Loneliness made my pre-.
psrstions Tor camping With much trspids-
,ioo, although really hsd no reason for
tear than that wolves, wildcats and noun
tsiu-lions had been occasionally encounter
ed in this great ravlne.
Aiter uuyukIng the oxen and tying them
10 trees, | c,l,c.,d dry C dar wood, Of
| which there was abundance. and piled II
ne,r the wagon. When fire had been
Minded, ! warmed myself and felt more
cheerful. The flrelight bsnished the dark.
ness In the Immediate vicinity. but scented
to increase II every where else.
Az soon as | was warm fed the oxen,
and then prepared my own supper. Mother
mad provided me ~iths good supply OF
cooked provisions. After broiing some
slices Of pork on a stick, and warming some
bread In the same way, | made hearty
meal
Then | eat for while before tn fire, en-
pyirg the warmth, aid soon grew sleepy
10 spite OF my surroundings. Knowing that
would have to get An early start the next
morning 10 order to overtske nv friends,
thought II well to 20 to bed early. had
determined to sleep on the ground by the
fire.
After spreading layer OF unbound sheai
oats on the ground, | put down several
quilts for a bed, and then Others for cover
ingp. Then piled more wood on the fire,
gave the oxen good supply Of oats and
fodder, and crawled into my not uncomfor-
table bed,
While listening to the wind sbriekiDg
drearily across the hilltops, and to the
more cheeriu sounds Of the cracking fire
and chsmplng oxen, Il fell asleep.
Several hours must have passed before
awoke, and found myself looking up at "a
sky covered with thin heecv clouds, ,thr ough
which the waning moon shone dimly. Rails.
ing my head, looked round. The fire had
burned out, for cedar wood does not last
long. Only few Goals were vlsabe where
the cracking blaze had been.
Being warm and comfortable, / did not
trouble myself about the fire. knowing that
could rekindle it when morning came,
had relied npon 1t to keep the wild anil
mails away; but now that the moon had
risen, was not much afraid Of wild ami
mails.
By the light OF the moon | could see
Cosly and Lep lying q few yards away,
both chewing their cuds contentedly. A
was bowling in the distance, and a
title screech-owl wac uttering its peculiar
,ry some where up the side Of the gorge.
WAS on The point Ct falling asleep when
,lixht noise near caused me to raise nv
read. As did 30 low growl frozi my {
,lood
A yard or two from my feet on the other
ide OF where the fire had been, stood an
Inimsl larger than any dog. He WAS look /,
z Straight at me. evidently preparing 10 ,
.ttsck. L
never had teen mountain.lion I'll then.
,ut the instant my eyes rested npon the
nimsl knew whst 1t was. A chill OF d
Iorror ran over me az | sat there, half
d by fear. Is
Ore saying that bad heard from child. c
ood was ihs. u mouniai lion will not
trscs you IS long as you look 1t su sdily In i
be eye. Nov baiug utterly at the lions q
leic, had presence Of mind enough, in |
pite OF my terror. to make the attempt. II '
vas all could d.. /
do not think there WAS anything 10 my b
'averiDg gszs very terrifying to that lion.
& least he did not show any symptoms Of v
FAR.
As | sat whtehir < him with terrified, e
,tcinsted gar, he ctoucbed as II for 4
ping, and uttered another growl, deep a
I'd fi-rce. | seemed to see his hair stand 4
D end | was tes much dtz ID to move, ard b
ven II | could have done 81, ! vas at the v
DiDals mercy
But instead Of sptinging, be strsiabtened Al
D and begsn to circle slowly round me, a.
repifg 81 sbout tie same distance. Per y
ape be WAS trying u get behind me. d
As be no ID h. k,pl bIs Eyes fred " CD p'
e. and I returned hls stzs IS steadily n ! !
,gls. ; sersl iiu.s h. stopped sod sofm o
! TO DC ssttlug r.sdy Tor a,prina bu 3. d
'len moved va sasla 10 elrci', ut,e,ios II
/, Qutnt srovb, Vile rorItd 10 t.o ,sno
sser oBee took my elos :iom -. eI. q
ca d every moment 10 80 nm coming u
rough the air toward M, sud doubtless ct
) wculd have spru bsiuie long bad not ~
IN, thing occurred : lich neither be nor