\
1 Hunting a Panther.
By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.
9%“
m“
:- 'e
J in one of the border counties of
Texas..Hewas poorand started farming
in a humble way, but, being skillful and
industrious, he was getting ahead in
the world, when his life and property
wer both swept away by one of those
Mexican forays, even more common
then than now. By good luck his fam-
ily were absent, and thus escaped shar-
ing his fate. Two horses, a wagon and
an old hound, the charred shell of their
log cabin, a few odd tOols——thesc and
the land itself were all that the widow
and hegétwo sons, David and'Saul, eight
and ten years of age, had to keep the
wolf from the door.
The neighbors rebuilt the cabin and
gave the lone ones such aid as lay in
their power, but it was one weary,
never-ending struggle for life against
starvation. Yet they did live, and two
years later David and Saul had earned 1
by night work enough to buy them-
selves each a. rifle and ammunition.
They were too poor not to become
good shots, and the very nature of their
lives rendered them bold and self-reli-
ant.
old when the following incident oc-
curred:
The deep, mellow baying of a hound
came from the undergrowth that
fringed the slender creek, the bell
notes coming at regular intervals.
“He's jumped some critter,” cried
David, eagerly.
“It’s a fresh trail, but he ain’t sight-
ed what made it yet,” responded the
older brother. “Finish ungearin’. I
don’t' reckon it’s mor’n a rabbit, or
mebbe a wolf.” '
The sun had already set, and the boys
had put in a long and hard day’s work
behind the plow, only stopping to eat
a cold lunch for dinner. Any but- a
boy with the true spirit of a. hunter
would not have given the hound a sec—
ond thought. Home, food and rest
would have been their one desire. But
when the regular, measured bay
changed to a rapid, continuous clangor
the lads turned the horses free to find
their own way home, and, grasping
their never-absent rifles, started away
in the direction of the chase.
OHN TAYLOR, wife and family-lived E
Saul, the oldest, was just 13 years
From the extreme summit of this
curious elevation came the excited voice
of old Hector, and, without pausing for
breath or to calculate the danger they
might be running. the brothers scaled
the hill. A genuine surprise awaited
“1.131.“-
The apex was crowned by one huge,
bushy-topped tree, the gnarled trunk of
which was so bent that the limbs pro-
truded far over the rocky precipice.
.-Old Hector was standing with his fore-
feet resting against the trunk of this
tree, his blazing eyes riveted upon the
dense foliage above and beyond. The
game was treed, beyond a doubt, for as
they drew near the boys both heard a
scrambling sound as though the animal
was retreating" still farther into the
leafy covert.
“But wolves can’t climb ’a tree!” ex-
claimed David, sorely puzzled.
“This one kin, but mebbe ’tain’t a
wolf,” returned Saul, scratching his
head dubiously. “I don’t see how we’re
goin’ to git at him, though.”
“We kin build a fire,”
David.
“Ain’t. got no matches.” But David
produced two, and five minutes later a
suggested
bright blaze was leaping high above '
the pile of brush. '
From every possible point of view the
lads endeavored to catch a glimpse of
the strange animal, but in vain. Still
Saul would not give up.
“You go home an’ git somethin’ to
eat, Dave. Take old Hec along. Mother
- ’ll be skeered to stay all by herself.
She’ll do the chores for once. You come
back, an’ we’ll watch until day. We’ll
liev pay fer this long run, ef it takes a.
week.”
David willingly agreed, though Hec-
tor was very reluctant to abandon his
1 quarry. An hour later the lad returned,
bearing an ample supply of food for his
brother.
The two youngsters settled down be-
side the fire, eating, talking and watch-
: ing for some signs of‘the strange ani-
mal. For an hour or two all went well
enough,""but then their eyelids grew
heavy with sleep. They had been hard
at work since early dawn, and growing
lads must sleep at all hazards. What
followed was natural enough. Before
ten o’clock both boys were sound asleep. .
_nor did they awaken until broad day-
l
Experience told them that the old »
hound was after no plebeian game,
and theyr knew, too, that he was now
running by eye, rather than by scent
alone. '
Ere they had run 200 yards there
came a fierce yelping cry, a snarl, the
sounds of a sharp if short scuffle, then,
at brief intervals, the excited bark of
the old hound. 1
They knew that the game had turned
at bay, that old Hector had dashed in
and been beaten off, and thathe was
now calling for help to secure the
quarry which he had brought to a
standstill—a stag, a huge timber wolf,
THE LIGHT FELL UPON THE LEVELED
RIFLES.
or some yet nobler game; if anything
less awaited ;them the hound would
never have bé'en driven off once he had
closed with it.
You can imagine the emotions which
swelled the bosoms of these lads as
they rushed forward at top speed.
‘iThey were too eager. The game
heard their hasty footsteps and turned
to seek safety in renewed flight, old
Hector close upon its heels. \ Saul
caught one glimpse of the long gray
body as it glided across the open
ground, and, throwing forward his
rifle, made a snap-shot, fearing he
migh not get another chance. 5
At the sharp report the animal leaped
far ahead, as though sharply stung, and
Saul saw by the fresh blood upon the
dry grass that his lead had not been en-
tirely wasted, and the boys pressed on
' with renewed energy, guided by the ex-
cited yelping of the old hound.
“ch’ll get him yet!” panted Saul.
“He’s takin’ to Split hill, I’m ’most sar-
tin."
“What was it? I couldn’t see.”
“A gray wolf, I reckon. Whalin’ big
one, though.”
No more was said. A steady run of
a mile, carrying a heavy rifle, is no easy
task even for a man. Fortunately the
end of the run was near at hand. Once
more old Hector set up a series of rap-
id, excited yelpings. The game was
brought to bay, driven to earth, or else.
treed. '
Split hill was a natural curiosity, and
doubly remarkable from being situated
in the midst of a low. flat region, where
a mole-hill is almost a mountain. Im-
agine a perfect cone, 100 feet high, split
directly in half from apex to base, and
one portion of it‘entirely obliterated,
leaving the other portion a solitary
monument upon the level, sandy plain.
The cliff thus formed was of barren al-
most solid rock, not even a vine clinging
to its face. The rounded side was tol-
erabl y well covered with stunted trees,
bushes and vines.
w-..” ._ - ._.._. ._ _ _—_--
‘
light.
And then—their game was gone.
They could see where it had leaped from
the trunk to the ground, its long claws
deeply scoring the earth not a dozen
feet from where they had been sleep-
ing. Why had it not attacked them?
That was a question they could not
answer.
They longed to follow the trail, but
that was out of the question. Their
day’s Work must be done. They set
about without a murmur. ,
For nearly a week nothing more was
seen or »heard of the strange animal.
One of the neighbors, a mighty hunter
in his younger days, to whom the boys
told the story of their adventure, and
who took the trouble to visit Spit hill
to examine the'tracks, declared that
the creature was none other than a
panther of the largest size. He could
> not understand how the boys had es-
caped so easily, especially as the ani-
mal was wounded. Their escape was
one in a thousand.
The wiélow and her sons had gone to
bed early after a hard day’s work, but
early in the night they were awakened
from sleep by a hideous clamor. Old
Hector wasyelping furiously. The fat-
tening hog was squealing fit to split
its throat. The horses were snorting
and kicking as though they meant to
demolish their rude stable.
Saul and David, half asleep, crawled
‘ down from the loft where they slept,
and, grasping their rifles, opened the
door and rushed forth. As they ran
around the corner of the house, shout-
ing encouragement to the hound, they
‘ caught a glimpse of something just
I panther shot through
leaping out of the pig pen, but before
they could fairly lift a weapon the
prime cause of all this nocturnal dis-
turbance ran nimbly up the old live oak
tree which formed one corner of the
stable. It crouched in the lowest fork,
glaring at them with fiery eyes.
“It’s that old panther,” and as he
spoke Saul endeavored to draw a bead
upon the animal.
It was too darkfor him to see the
double sights, and now that he knew
how dangerous the creature was he
dare not risk an uncertain shot.
“Tell mother to fetch the lantern,"
he muttered to David.
This was the scene I beheld, as, be---'
lated, I neared the cabin. A tall, hand-
some woman in a night dress and bare-
footed, holding a lantern so that the
light fell upon the leveled rifles of her
two sons. -
As one report the weapons spoke, and
with a screech of mortal painlthe huge
the air and
: hurled that little group aside. But that
leap was only spasmodic; both bullets
were buried in the brain of the beast
, and no person was hurt.
I helped to skin'the creature, which
measured nine feet seven inches from
tip to tip and weighed 250 pounds. I
spent a week at the farm and I learned
to love the boys as my own kindred. I
am happy to add that, at this writing,
they are fairly comfortable in ' this'
world’s goods, all of which they have
earned like true heroes, by the sweat of
their brows—Chicago Record.
Lute Preparation for Wedded Life.
A rural schoolmaster had‘ among his
scholars, three whose ages were,, re-
spectively, 72, 64 and 55 years.
“You don’t mean to say,” said an as- '
tonished visitor, “that those old men
are going to school for the first time in 1'
their lives?”
“That’s right,” replied the school—
master.
nowl An’ they wouldn’t be at it now
only they’ve made up their minds to get
married; an’, as the gals they air to
marry air all good readers and writers,
they don’t want to ’pear ignorant when
they settles down for lifel”-—Atlanta
(Ga) Constitution.
1
.r
“They hain’t had time till .
m:
, CYCLE RACING RULES
League of American Wheelmen Has
Made Decided Changes. 1
Mlsundcrstaudings W’hlch in the
Past Have Interfere-d with the
Success of Many Meets Are
No Longer Possible.
Cycle racing rules, as interpreted by
the League of American Wheelmen,
have received some radioal treatment
at the hands of the racing board and
‘ are considerably improved in conse-
quence, so say experts on the subject.
To give a clearer idea of the purpose
of the L. A. W. in centrolling racing
the newflrules have been amended in
one section so as to read: “The L. A.
W. acts as a. governing body, establish-
ing rules for the conduct and govern-
ment of track races, exercises its pow-
ers to prevent fraud or imposition
upon the public and to enforce the mu-
tual obligations of promoters and rac-
ing men.”
The next change is in the paragraph
concerning entries and gives the handi-
cappers the right to throw out en-
tries in which the best two perform-
ances of the rider in handicap events
are not given. In settling the value of
prizes the retail value of the goods
in. the city or town in which the race
is contested will govern the settlement
according to the new rule. Another
change is the rule regarding the sus—
pension of men who do not ride at
meets at which they are entered, the
change being that the rider “may” be
suspended, instead of “shall.”
By rule 13 the color line is wiped out
and negroes may ride if they wish, the
new rule reading that if a man is 10-
gally entered he can ride “regardless
of the nationality or color of the rider,
provided entry is acceptable to the pro-
moter of the meet.” The clause com-
' pelling the promoter to insert the name
of wheels and tires of professional
riders on the programme is wiped out.
TI—IOlVIAS KEENAN, JR.
(President League of American VVheel-
men.)
The extra charge of five dollars for ex-
ceeding the professional prize limit is
also eradicated. .
Concerning sanctions a new
vides that “sanctions may be refused
for the holding of races on tracks where
unsanctioned events have been held, or
when the owner, manager or lessee has
failed to deliver prizes won, or violated
the rules in any manner.”
In the rule regarding oilicial ref-
erees an official referee is required only
at open meets. An official referee may
be reimbursed for railway fares and ho‘
tel expenses. Meet promoters will have
to forward handicappers' fees with the
entries.
The scheme for deciding the profes-
sional championship by the points sys-
tem has been changed. It has been
deemed; unfair to give 60 points for
championships at the national meet,
and hereafter all of the championships
will not count more than ten points for
the winner._
Division championships will be open
only to members of the L. A. W., and
do not have to be promoted by a league
club as in‘the past. In case of failure
to appoint or elect a division racing
board by a division, the national racing
board may appoint a board to act in
lieu thereof, with power to perform the
duties of a division board. A competi-
tion record, to be accepted, must be
made in an open race. '
Important changes are made in the
registration clause and the new rules
,provide for payment as follows: Pro—
fessionals, two dollars per annum; am-
ateurs, members of the L. A. W.,
50 cents; non—members, $1.50; novices,
nothing; riders between the ages of 16
and 18, 50 cents.
One of the rules has heretofore pro-
vided that no oneshall be allowed in a
final because of a foul or an accident
in a trial heat. The new rule gives the
referee the power to allow the man
fouled to take the place of the man
committing the foul, in the final heat.
For not riding to win, the referee may
, call any contestant from the track and
l disqualify him for the race or for the
day. ‘No flying push-oflis will be al-
, lowed. Numbers must be worn on the
l lower part of the back instead of the
. upper part or the shoulder.
l Sacred Fires of India.
‘ ' The sacred fires of India have not all
been extinguished. The most ancient
which still exists was consecrated 12
centuries ago in commemoration of the
pvoyage made by the Parsees when
I they emigrated from Persia to 1 India.
The first is fed“ five times every 24
hoursywith sandalwood and other fra-
grant materials, combined with very
dry fuel. This fire in the village of God-
’- wada, near Bulsar, is visited by Parsees
in large numbers during the months al-
lotted to the presiding genius of fire.
Growth of Finger Nails.
The nails of two fingers never grow
with the same degree of rapidity. The
nail of the middle finger grows with the
greatest. rapidity, and, that of the
thumb with the least.
rule pro?
1111 E E V1111 11,1
l
' the end of your thumb, only do not re-
G othTrn‘
.1 WEW
NOVEL CORN PLANTER.
This Machine Is Described as a Great
Labor Saver in Planting a
r .
Silo Crop.
Make a frame (a) like a wheelbarrow
frame three inches larger than the pan
used. Take a tinopan and put on the
axle of the wheelbarrow against the
wheel (b). The hols in the bottom of
the pan must be in the center and must
fit the axle. Cut into the flaring side
of the pan inch openings, the shape of
move the piece of tin. Leave one side
hanging so that you can spring this
tin open or push it shut, to regulate the
dropping of the corn. Make these open~
ings three or four inches apart, then
THE PLANTER IN DETAIL.
'open and shut them according as you
wish the corn dropped. By wheeling
this barrow along in your marked field
it can be easily adjusted to drop the
corn just as you may wish it.
For filling the pan, bore a two-inch
hole (c) in the board wheel and have a
cork, or, better, have a swing slide (d),
held on by a screw, as seen in illus‘
tration.
The corn may be covered with a har-
row across the rows, but it is better to
use 3. Planet junior cultivator having
the roller attachment and follow the
rows. Take the two oblong teeth and
turn them to throw the dirt inward, and
the roller coming along behind flattens
the earth down upon the corn.
A mistake is sometimes made in al—
lowing the machine to drop too much
corn. To avoid this, count the number
of kernels dropped the first three or
four feet when beginning a new field.
This machine is a great labor saver in
planting for silo or other use, and is a
good working machine—Orange Judd
Farmer.
IMPORTANT CANAL.
‘ ___—___. ,
Its Completion \‘Viil Prove. of Consid-
erable Benefit to the \Vheat
Growers of Our Country.
Canada has begun the construction
of a canal which is likely to have an im—
portant effect on American commerce
and the interests of American wheat
growers. The canal is to be a short
waterway from the St. Lawrence to the
upper lakes, avoiding lakes Erie and
Ontario. The canal already built be—
tween I\lontreal and Ottawa is to be
extended along the line of the Ottawa
river to Lake Nipissing. Thence the
route will. follow French river to
Georgian bay and Lake Huron.
When this canal, which is to be twice
the depth of the Erie canal, is built,
grain laden barges and steamers will
be able to pass directly from Duluth,
I-‘ort Arthur and other points on ‘the
upper lakes to tide—water. Later it is
intended to deepen the canal so as to
allow the passage of ocean steamers.
When this is done, steamers may be
loaded with grain at Duluth and pro-
ceed to Liverpool without breaking
bulk.
From Chicago to Liverpool by the
new route will be 700'miles shorter than
by way of the Erie canal. The saving in
time will be even more than this com-
parison of distances indicates; for the
artificial waterway by the Ottawa
route will be only 30 miles asvcom-
pared with 360 miles by the Erie canal.
When allowance is made for the delay
in transshipment,~it is probable that
grain will reach Liverpool from Chi-
cago by the new route a. week sooner
than by the Erie canal. The new water-
way will somewhat disturb American
commerce. On the other hand, it will'
be of great value to American farmers
in the increasing competition with
other wheat growing countries.—
Youth’s Companion. ~
Timothy Grass and Clover.
Timothy and clover have been seeded
on the same land. as a rule, ever since
they became known, but as they do not
mature at the same time, is a mistake
to grow them together if some other
grass'can be substituted for the tim-
othy to sow with the clover. Orchard
grass blossoms at the same time as
clover, and, as it is a grass that seldom
fails, gro‘ws rapidly and is relished by
stock, it should receive more consider-
ation than is given it. It grows in tus-
socks, but that should be no objection,
as it yields well and is adapted to near-
ly all soils. '
When Clover Grows Slowly.
Should clover make slow growth it is
usually an indication that the soil lacks
potash or lime. An application of a.
ton of unleached wood ashes per acre
will be found serviceable, as ashes con-
tain both lime and potash. In procur-
ing ashes, however, care must be exer-
cised, as they vary in potash according
to the wood from which they are pro--,
duced, and there are many inferior
grades on the market, the leached ashes
beingused to adulterate the unleached.
WEAK cmfoiisu.
,l’latcll Your Boy and Girl When They
Are Growing. '
1'. Vinol Invaluable m, Overgrown or
Debilitatecl—Boys and Girls.
There is an age when many boys and eirls
seem .to lack energy and ambition. They
are Without strength. do not eat and sleeo as
they should. .
No need of asking a doctor the trouble.
Every parent knows they have grown too
fast. Every parent also should know the
proper tonic to give boy or girl at such a
tune. Ifis Vinol, wine of cod liver ,oil, the
modern rebuilder. '
Vinol does good by its beneficial action upon
the stomach, whereby it enables this organ to
obtarn the maximum amount of nourishment
from a minimum amount of food. With plenty
of material at, hand, nature will proceed to
create for herself the flesh tissue and the bone
structure which is needed for a growing child.
We guarantee the action of Vinol, and refund
to any one not satisfied with the way it acts,
the money which he has paid for it.
PLAISTED’S drug score. 43 Washing
on 813., So. Norwalk .
\yawvoaxnnwhaveu a HARTFORD.
L bAILB AU " .
- gm {on vamror.
DECEMBER 4, 1898.
'1 wins leave South Norwalk as follows.
FOR NEW YORK —,Accomm0da.tion
trains at"9.36, 11:40 a. m., 1.11, 3.04, £07, -
5.33,6.41;8.11,10.20 p. In. Express trains
at 4:55, 5.45, 6.15, (local), 6.55, (local) -
7.13, (local), 7.54, (local), 8.16, 9.03(10ca1$ '
9.58, 10-35, 11.35.. (local) a.._ m. 12.47
2. 25, 5.10 5.55, 7.55 p. m. For Washing: ,
5011 via. Harlem River 12.53 a. to (daily) .
SUNDAYS—Accommodation 9.05 a. m.
5.35, (local), 7.20, (local)10. 10 p. m. Ex
press 4.55, 5.45 a. m. .. .
FOR NEW HAVEN AND THE EAST—
Accommodation. trains at 6.28, 7.42,
3.46 and 11.42 a. m., 1.12, 2.42, (to Bp’t )
4.13, 5.27, 6.27, 7.23 (to B’p’t), 915
and 11.15 p. 211. Express trains at 1.11
1.20 9.11,10.05, 11.08 a. m., 12,02,305
5.04 (Naugatuck Express) 7.05, 9:05
o. m.
SUNDAYS—Accommodation 7.42, 9.12
a. m. and 7.15 p. m. Express 1 11 and
1.20 a. m.
C. T. HEMPSTEAD. Gen. Pass. Agent.
WE SEGOVIE SOLE SURI‘Y ON ALL BONDS __
If You want a Bond
As ExeCutor, Trustee, Administrator, Guardian, Re
ceiver, Assignce or in Replevin, Attachment Cases,
etc., As a Letter Carrier, As a Contractor, As a
United States Official,
City Official,
As State, County, Town or
As an Officer of a Fraternal Society
As an. employee of a Bank,Corporation-or Mercantile
establishment, -
Depdsll Compll
The Fidelity 81
Ill .
0F MARYLAND, WILL FURNISH IT.
16" Don’t Give or Accept Personal Surety.
WILLIAM H. BYINGTON, Agent,
Gazette Building, ' .-
N orwalk, Conn
GET YOUR ‘
0B PRINTING
AT THE
GAZETTE OFFICE.
'GOOD'W‘Ong. PRICEsflRIGH’l‘
CDT 2:
The sudden Epidemic of Grip has startled the coun
try. The doctors confess they lave no sure Cure
for it, and this is seen to be l1 uc in the sudden death
of Garcia and Eli-Senator Brice and the alarming in-
crease In the death rate.
Brazilian Balm.
)
,No fatal disease of Grip was ever known where
BRAZILIAN BALI was promptly used.
It kills the germs, arrests the progress of the diseaSe at
once, and takes all the evil effects out of the system.
Colds. Gripdnfluenza,
m.,
Old Coughs, Asthma
Catarrh, Pleurisv, Bronchitis
lTIS A, PERFECT REMEDY
\
"\r\r\1'\r\r\ r\ AN
For Sale by’
, E0WARD11P.§WEED,§W.11 Street.
Norwalk Chronicler