Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-05-10
A Wild Cat Tail
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The trail sloped abruptly downward
toward a brawling brook that rushed
Historically between the wooded hills
Footsore and weary from the long
tramp. paused to gaze where a vista
of pine clad hills with here and there
a maple blushing crimson at Indian
summers too ardent wooing. walled in
the narrow valley
Down the valley, along the brook
cross over the bridge, five miles OF
forest trail and then the wagon road
to the village. Eight miles to the
hotel, supper and a bed"
l looked at my watch
Five c'clockl No wonder l am hun
cry Fifteen miles to-day and only
one rabbit"
Down on the bank covered with pine
needles and wintergreen l flung poor
Bunny's body and cast myself down
on the same fragrant cushion a yard
from the trail.
drew a small luncheon from a
game pocket, laid my repeating shot
gun at my side and ate while reveling
In the beautiful panorama of forest
green outlined against swiftly on
coming sunset of mellow autumn haze.
A great WEAKNESS fell on body and
mind as the giant pines sighed their
vesper service.
"Just a moment of rest" l thought,
land then two hours of hustle to the
hotel''
A Inconsistencies for the comforts aud
luxuries of city life at the evening
hour came to me, deep yearning-
do they miss me at home; do they
miss ne?
'Twould, be an assurance most dear
To know that this moment some loved
one
Were saying, I wish he were here"
The little owl nicknamed Saw
whet" broke the silence with his rasp-
ing cry a few rods back on the trail
had just passed over. l wondered
what he saw, or heard. clasped my
gunstock and listened.
Voiceless silence! A deep melan.
choly gripped me suddenly, feeling
OF impending evil-to the home folks,
felt sure. My eyes closed so l might
the better see the wife and bonnie
Bess, our baby.
am sure l couldn't have slept so
very long. Still, the shadows were
gathering when l became conscious OF
a crunching noise as of breaking
bones. 1 tried vainly to open my eyes.
My whole body seemed hypnotized to
silences The dream images so mingled
with the real that / could only listen
I felt tickly sensation on my hand
which lay cross my gunstoek with
finger ne ,he trigger.
Some jJker tickling me with hair
Wonder who it Is" thought /. .
Then there came mufied sound
which soon grew into a giant purr, as
OF some huge cat. Warily | struggled
TO see who was there.
AT last my eyes opened in narrow
slit through which | saw her face g
few inches above my hand. her long
lean sinewy body crouching low.
She sat upright on her launches in
an instant, her purring stopped as she
glowered down at ny face with eyes
of liquid green fire.
The Panther Cat!
1 saw the rhythmic motion OF hel
muscular arms as she slid her crue
claws out and in their velvet scab
bards. The tswny coat on her shout
ders rose and fell as again she purred
her satisfaction.
The Bunny had disappeared.
A sense of supreme indifference stole
over me as l listened to her. l an
not specially courageous. lite to tht
contrary. Yet l felt no r.
/ noticed. as by some occult sense
that her yard OF tail lay careiessl.
across the gun muzzle. funn,
thought came TO me.
Suppose / fire the gun and set he
tail afirel Wouldn't she jump"
I nearly laughed aloud. My shadow,
smile seemed to meet quick respons'
In the face of my tawny jailer. He
ears fiattened backward. her lips part
ed In a derisive smile through whicl
her teeth cleaned hungrily- ! jus
couldn't help wondering II she neede'
gold crowns or bridge work
more likely they need fiiing.
thought / with, silent soul chuckis
I'm q dentist in town
I WIS still obsessed with the ide