The national forum., 1910-05-28
THE PANTHER AND THE DoGN


parentage, removed from Berk
County (of which he was natiye)
to Bradford County, Pa, when q wa
q "howling Wilderness" In whicl
roamed panthers, bears, wolves, wilC
cats and deers. Like all the othe
early settlers, he lived in a small Iot
house, until able to build d bette
residence. Like the others, he ant
his family endured great hardshipl
and privations, which are unavoidable
in settling in a wooded country with
out roads, churches, mills, or stores
or mail facilities. often the whole
neighborhood 60 short time before
harvests) would be entirely out oi
grain of any kind, and would have
starved bad mot greens been plenti
Sul, and droves of deer in the woods
which supplied them with meat.
| Wild animals at that time weN
numerous in the woods, and destruc
tive to sheep, swine and poultry. TX
protect his farm stock Mr.. Ingham
raised two dogs. When quite young
though brothers of the same age ant
size, they differed wonderfully in dis
position and conduct. Onc..of then
was bright, vigilant. active, display.
ing great intelligence, and giving
promise Of making useful watch
dog g. The other acted stupid, dull
lazy, sleeping most of the time. MOI
much was expected of him. When
full grown, an amazing change had
taken place in their characters and
conduct. The bright, vigilant pup,
became lazy cowardly cur, and
could not be induced to take a pig BY
the ear. The stupid, sleepy pup det
veloped into one of the most intelli.
gent, courageous and watchful dogs
in the county. He was known to
seize bull by the nose on the full
run, and throw him fiat on the ground
by jerking his head to one side. He
seemed to he always awake, and Oh
guard, day and night, The one was
a valuable dog. the other good for
nothing.
zone night" said my father. 81
was awakened by the rowling of the
eowardly dog, When I got up in the
morning he led me upon the orchard
hill above the house The other doa
was missing. A tracking snow had
fallen the evening before, and I found
the tracks of a wild beast and the
dogs tracks. The wild beast had
come from the woods and started fol
the sheepbarn. He had been inter
cepted by the dogs and turned on his
back tracks, evidently having given
up his intentions Of feasting on NUT
ton and not feeling sure he could
whip two dogs that appeared warhke
and furious. When about fifteen rods
from the house, the courageous doc
had attacked him. If he had expected
any assistance from his cowardly
brother he did not get it. The cow
ardly brother believed that "discre.
tion was the better part of valor, "
and had kept himself at safe dis.
taqce from the combat. There were
evidences of desperate fight between
the dog and wild beast. The snow
fof rods around was trampled, and
bl0pdy where the combatants had
foIght, standing on their hind legs
anh fought on the ground, rolling and
tImbling. The wild beast was
pfD'71er, larger and with sharper
3seth and claws than the dog, who
died on the battle field in the unequal
contest, and when found was partly
eaten up by the panther, the remains
having been dragged about a dozen
rods and buried under the roots of a
tree that had lately BEEN blown down
by the wind. Evidently the panther
intended to come back in the night
and make supper out of the re-
mains. There's many slip between
the cup and tie lip" The panther
never ate any more of the dog. MY
father and Life Marsha noted
hunter--started in pursuit of the pam
tier with dogs and guns. He had
gone about mile into the woods,
paved together some leaves from
under the snow to make bed and
had lain down to rest after his ex-
haustion from tattling with the dog
Started up from his slumber by the
dogs, he sprang into a tree, which
was Just what the hunters wanted.
but bad management Of himself He
was soon dispatched by the rifles OF
his pursuers, and when he fell 70 the
ground dead, the cowardly dog be.
came very brave and bit and shook
the lifeless panther as long as he was
allowed to do SOL. w. Ingham. ir
the Indiana Farmer,