Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-11-25

to leave that opening unbarred!
{ In the agony of self-condemnation
she did not stop to consider that
all On the house had slept with wide.
open windows month after month.
While Ounce stood. uncertain
whether or not to go for her fathers
gun and arouse Aunt Silver and Old
Guy. a third smothered wall appealed
TO her. She hesitated no longer, but
threw the door open and stepped in
to the room.
She held her lamp above her head,
and the sight, no longer unexpected,
which met her eyes was certainly ,hor-
r1fying. Near the center OF the room
stood great, notified beast, its head
raised. its big eyes rejecting her
light, its fangs barred in hiss OF
surprise. which deepened immediate
iy to thunderous chest growl-un.
mistakably a deep mutter OF warn.
ing against the intruder.
Then, even more terrifying sight,
upon the children's bed another crea.
ture OF the same sort upreared It.
self. Half-roused and reclining upon
It's launches. this one gave vent to
series of gruff outcries which re-
sembled the coughing grunts Of q
sea-lion.
Greatly to the relief of Eunice, Es-
sic, who occupied the front of the
bed. now leaped out and scudded
from the room. But little Pearl, un-
der her quilts, was held by one fore
paw OF the beast upon her bed, and
the poor innocent walled in piteous
Albright
In the instant that she stood, trans
liked with terror and irresolute, Eu.
nice recognized that these big. mot.
tied cats were Mexican tigers, or
,aguars The beasts had without
doubt had their winter lair in the
long-yacant and easily accessible
storage-room, and the chill nights had
driven them back to 1t. Their nat.
ural prey was abundant in the noun
tains. and there had been no incen.
tive to attack the sleeping children.
But now they had been angered,
and Eunice dared not for an instant
ieave the crying child to their mercy.
She knew that most wild animals
are fearful of fire, and she trusted
much to the lamp in her hand to
keep the jaguars at bay.
Stop crying. Pearl" she command.
ed, sterniy. "and sister will drive that
old deg away!"
Holding her lamp to the front and
with whip drawn to strike, she ap-
preached the beast upon the bed. Her
caution might have been greater had
she known what Mexicans could have
told her. that the jaguar is frequent
ly fascinated by moving light, and
Will as often follow one as retreat
from 1t.
The animal did not indeed change
Its position as she drew nearer, but
rather increased the violence OF its
grunting roars. Its great red NAV
and formidable fangs would certain.
ly have frightened away a less reso.
lutte girl.
AS she came up to the bed, Eunice
set her teeth and struck the jaguar
vicious cut upon its jaws. The ami.
NAL, roaring with pain and anger.
shrank against the wall, but retreat
ed no farther. and It's fore paw still
held the little girl. All wild beasts
OF the fiercer sort are tenacious Of
foothold in their lairs,
Eunice now leaned forward and
Piled her whip with the practised
hand OF a horsewoman. Her singing
cuts were aimed at the animals eyes.
Flesh and blood could not long en-
dure such punishment, and presently,
with a horse whine, the jaguar leap
ed OF the foot OF the bed.
Eunice snatched the crying child
from under its quilts and backed
away to the door. bidding Pearl to
run out behind her.
Despite her retreat, the jaEuars
would now have leaped outside, but
a new attack seemed to threaten
them. Their increasing uproar had
aroused Aunt Silver and the old
hound. The negress had fed from
the house and climbed upon noun
tain cart. where she now stood.
shrieking incoherently. Just az En-.
nice reached the door G,,v thrnst
his muzzle in at the opposite omen.
ing. The hound stood with hfs hind
feet upon the nocks outside. and see.
ing the jaguars. gave tongue In a
deafening clamor
The jaguars, beset on all sides with
strange creatures and stranger noises
apparently became as thoronehlv
frightened as before they had heen
angry and formidable. such instances
of their terror at a really sl,ght
cause are not infreouent in hunters,
annals.
Eunice paused fascinated IN the
doorway to watch the strange antics
Of these Jungle beasts. The tax,,ars
had thrown themselves upon the floor
in the center Of the room where
bewildered by the bedlam q, noises
and the light. thew rolled and writn..
ed and bounced. splitting and snarline