The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-04-18

He landed fairly in the opening.
There was a scratching and furry, and
then he slipped down to the floor be-
low.
With whoop of triumph Jack and !
rushed TO the chute. He was our cap
tive now, beyond peradventure, as the
chute, mere box of wood, about four
feet square, that led from the top
floor of the mill to the stamp floor be-
meath us, was closed at its lower end
by a hopper-shaped spout with an
opening too small for anything larger
than house cat to crawl through.
The upper part of the chute, that
portion above the door, was filled with
partially crushed ore, which had jam
med instead of sliding down, as 1t
should have done. We were ready at
the doorway, in case the brute man
aged to crawl up the nearly perpen-
dicular sides. Thus his escape was
cut off in every direction.
We bent eagerly over the doorway,
and peered own through the dark
ness at our victim. There he was, his
eyes shining green in the candle-light,
growing and sputtering.
AS, rifle in hand, leaned to get a
better view, | lost my balance, and
nearly pitched head first down to that
incarnation of fury below. | struck
out vigorously to recover myself, and
in the furry managed to discharge the
rife The bullet smashed into the ore
in the top of the chute. In an instant
the whole mass, released by the shock
of the bullet, slid down the chute with
a dull roar Clouds of dust puffed out
into our faces, covering us with a
coat of CRIME. There came squawk
from beneath us.
"Hooray!" said Jack. Now we have
got him."
AS there was about five tons Of dirt
pressing down on the beast, | accept
ed the conclusion.
After the jubliation of victory came
a council Of war. Should we leave our
victim to die a prolonged death from
suffocation, or pull a board off and
give him more merciful end by bull
let? While we were arguing bril-
liant thought came to me.
why not take him alive?" said |.
"Old Bronson, up at Deadwood, would
give twenty dollars for such an addi-
tion to his menagerie."
That caught Jack Immediately. We
needed the money, for one thing, and
then there was something novel in
capturing a living puma
We rushed down stairs and started
to hunt up material for a cage. For
tune favored us. We soon found a
strong crate, in which machinery had
been shipped, that with a little chang
ing served the purpose well. We put
the open end Of this over the mouth
of the hopper; then, working with a
crowbar between the Stats, we pried
the top board off the hopper
A little round patch of yellow head
showed above the smooth surface of
the dirt. We dug round it with sticks
Until ut luot We tilt MhOlt utdu
uncovered. At first we thought the
brute was dead, but soon he opened
his eyes and ga2ed about him.
His expression was meek and hum
BILE. Indeed his experiences were
enough to break the proudest spirit.
1t was impossible for him to move in
the closely packed earth.
Then we fell to work, and completed
the excavation. When at last the
puma was free, he shook himself vi
gorously, walked into the cage and lay
down. He paid no attention while we
moved the cage out and nailed the
front on
Willie and Jack went out to bring
Mrs. Stevens in. We had completely
forgotten that the coating of dirt al
tered our appearance remarkably.
Therefore Jack didn't know what to
make of it when his wife, after cast
ing a glace upon him, gave one pierre
ing shrek and shut herself up in the
closet. 1t took some time for Jack to
convince her that he was of a verify
her husband, and not some strange,
new kind of Indian. Then she and
Jack and Willie and Sally marched in
TO the mill.
Now | had watched the beast and
can testify that he never moved a
muscle. We all stood round the cage,
wondering and admiring. The puma
certainly, was a fine animal. His body
must have measured four feet.
He's been as quiet as a COW ever
since we Gagged him." said Jack.
Dear me, isn't that strange!" said
Mrs. Stevens. 81 should have thought
that he would have raised ructions."
At that moment, as if the words had
convinced the animal that he was not
acting proper part, he sprang to his
feet with yell that stopped our cir
culation
Jack, the hitherto unterri6ed. grab
bed his wife and Jumped backward.
Willie and Sally ran behind their pa.
rents. l was too astonished to move
and watched open -mouthed.
The puma went ramping, tearing
mad, He bit and tore at the cage
with such speed and fury that he roll