Year: 1877

blood-rod dart upon the reptiles
tail as it sought to transfx it's active
antagonist. It was panorama of
desperate battle volume Of sound,
OF fierce encounter. Tho tide of
battle shifted insensibly to the Vi
clnity of a huge oak stump which
was noar the centre of the field.
Then the boy saw tho tail Of the
strange monster suddenly whip


OUTWARD AND UPWARD


and dart the great barb downward
with the speed of u thunderbolt.
There was crack like tho report of
q cannon. The barb had again
missed the bull, and this time had
encountered harder substance.
The boy pecring through tho fenco
gave wild yell of satisfaction.


The barb had buried itself in tho
stump!


The monster was at disadvant-
age. 1t was fastened at ono end
to the stump, and had remaining
only its claws and teeth, terrible
lnde od, but less SO since the move.
ment of the creature was necessarily
restricted by it's remarkable posi-
ton. The bull had wonderfully
escaped all fatal injury, and it's
horns now clashed upon the sides of
its adversary like q forge hammer
upon an anvil. Tho fight swung
around the stump as pivot, and the
pandemonium of sounds and clouds
OF dust continued. Closer andscloser
to tho stump the combatants drew
continually, for, with each revolution
another turn of the monsters tail
was taken about the object, and it's
freedom of action became moro md
moro impaired. The struggle was
terminating oddly.


The bull was getting the advant-
age


The rattle Of the horns upon the
scaly sides became moro continuous,
and the believing of the bull louder,
but the roar Of the monster reptile
became less fcar-inspiring A gust
OF wind swept across the field and
lifted the cloud of dust. Then the
boy saw tho fight end strangely
The unknown animal, in it's last
great strait, made one last fierce ef-
fort, tore it's barbed tail from the
wood and unwound it's sinuous folds
about the stump with the celerity of
lightning. Then suddenly rearing
it's head again it unfolded for the
first time the -.
GREAT MEMBRANoUs WINGS


Folded along its sides, and rose in
tho mir like gigantic bat. With
a wild, hoarse cry it dartcd upward
to the height of hundreds of feet.
and tooka southwesterly direction
toward tho Mississippi. A few mo.
ments later, from the direction of
the distant river, camo the sound of
tremendous splash and swash of
waters, rs though some heavy body
had fallen into the river from grest
height. The batlicl monster had
reached again his native element.


Cautiously tho boy in the fence
corner emerged from his retreat and
approached the scene of tho late
encounter. The bull, nearly skinned,
with but ono ear and one horn re-
naming, stood there, weak, but fear
less still, stamping, lashing it's sides
with what little remained of it's tail.
and gazing in the direction. where
his antagonist had disappeared over
the wood. There was hair enough
on the ground to stuff a MATTRESS
with, and fragments of great scales
were scattered about over an area
of half an acre, while the oak stump
was absolutely riven in twain in the
effort Of tho monster to release it's
forked tail from tho tough wood.
The boy fourished the stick, and the
bull started home quietly. It had
been engaging in two grand strug-
gle to fool with boys any more, and
besides it did't seem to be feeling
quite we'll. Twenty minutes later
the father, ''Truth Jabez," knew all.
about the remarkable occurrence.