The Florida agriculturist., 1907-12-18

growth and strength of both.
ct was a year almost to a day
from the time of his capture that the
episode occurred which now is marked
by the memorial that excited your
curiosity. Vote had attained his full
growth. [ think he was the hand
soonest dog, in physical proportions,
that I ever saw. The average coyote
would readily be mistaken for a do
mestic dog of the pointer class, being
similar in size and build, though diff
fering in color. Vote was larger and
stronger than most Of his kind and
good treatment was evidenced in his
glossy coat.
Late one afternoon, when [ was
just finishing my days work at irri
eating, down there in the orange
grove, [ was startled suddenly by an
extraordinary series of yelps from
Vote, followed by piercing screams
from my WIFE, As the grove is to-
ward the rear side of the house, I
could not see the cause of the COM
fast as my legs could carry me.
1T was a frightful scene indeed that
I beheld as I came within view Of
the front YARD, as you see it now.
In the doorway leading into the house
from the porch stood my wife, with
one hand upon the latch and with
the door just far enough ajar for her
to look out With the other hand
and arm she was holding the baby.
Her face was picture of terror and
she was screaming at the highest pitch
Of her voice.
"At the same instant the cause Of
it all was revealed. An enormous
mountain lion, close by the porch,
was raising it's head, with blood drip
ping from it's mouth, eyes flashing
and tail swishing in anger. 1t had just
dropped the limp form of poor Vote.
At sight of me it began to crouch,
it's ears went back and it's great teeth
appeared just as you may have seen
angered tigers in captivity
81 thought my time had come as
[ stared in horror at the terrible brute,
in the very act of preparing for
spring. But the mountain lion is nor
mal1y' coward, as I knew. [ bulged
my eyes to the limit in staring at his,
but standing still as a statute. Pres
emily he raised his body slowly,
changed his gaze from myself to my
wife and the baby, looked down at
the form Of his victim, cast another
glance at me, then turned quickly and
bounded away toward the canyon.
"With the assured disappearance of
the lion in the distance, my wife
quickly joined me over the form of
our pet, whose life was ebbing fast
from his torn throat and other fright
full wounds. AS we'll as her terrorized
condition would admit she told me the
story Of the tragedy.
"She had been preparing the even
ing meal, leaving the baby on the
porch with the faithful Vote The
door was open Suddenly she was
startled by the piercing yelps that I
had heard down in the grove. She
rushed to the door and was horror
stricken at the sight, The lion had
it's great paws on the board at the
porch entrance that safeguarded the
baby from going overheard. The ami
NAL was in the very act of springing
upon the baby. At the same instant
Vote was Jumping at the terrible
brute, unmindful Of the sacrifice he
was surely making for his little
charge.
THE noble but hopeless fight put
I'D by poor Vote was short, ending,
as I have said, just as I reached the
scene
"Tears coursed down my wife's
cheeks as we bent over Our dying