The Bear and Panther.

We left Walter Wallace asleep on the banks of the Callicoon. How long he would have slept, we cannot say, had it not been for an unlooked-for event. The day was just dawning. The silver streak of morning had lit up the eastern sky, when Walter, in a half-waking, and half-dozing condition, thought he felt Rolla by his side. He placed his paw on him and partially turned him over. Then he run his nose along and smelled his body. Then came a fierce growl. This brought Walter to his feet. A sight met his eye calculated to strike terror to the heart of an old hunter.

At his feet stood two young cubs, while at a distance of about twenty feet, perched on the limb of a large tree, was a large sized panther, and at the root of the tree, stood a large black bear, the mother of the cubs at his feet, looking intently at the panther. As Walter raised, the bear turned one quick glance at him, but instantly turned her eye on the panther. Walter did not know what to do. It was the panther that he was afraid of. He had been told that a bear would not molest a person unless they attempted to injure her cubs. It was evident that the bear was watching the actions of the panther, and caring but little for him. He therefore concluded to make friends with the bear by patting her cubs. Gently stooping down, he fondled the cubs. They seemed to have no fear of him, and played about him like two kittens. Now and then, the bear would cast a wistful eye at him, as much as to say “protect my young.” Just then the panther gave a spring and landed on the limb of the tree under which Walter and the cubs lay. The bear instantly jumped to the spot, but paid little or no attention to him.

It now occurred to Walter that he had his father’s gun with him.

Casting his eye to the ground he saw it. He immediately raised it to his shoulder, and taking steady aim across a small sapling, aiming directly between the panther’s eyes, fired. The panther fell. No sooner had it touched the ground, than the bear grasped it, and in an instant, its bowels were torn from its body.

During the encounter between the panther and the bear, the bear kept up a continual growl. But as soon as the panther was dead, the bear was as cool as if nothing had happened. Walking quietly up to her cubs, she took one of them in her mouth, and carried it to the panther, then she returned and got the other. Young as the cubs were, they seemed to understand what their mother meant, and immediately commenced to lap the panther’s blood. The old bear then approached Walter, and smelled him all over, and then returned to her cubs, and in a few minutes walked off, and was seen no more by Walter. Still, he was at a loss what to do or where to go, and for the first time realized that he was hungry.

The sun was now far up in the eastern sky, and he concluded that he would take that direction as that would take him to Peenpack. Reloading his gun, he threw it across his shoulder and started for higher ground in an easterly direction.

He had proceeded but a short distance, when he heard a voice say in plain English:

“North! North! A little further north!”

This both pleased and frightened him, and jumping upon a large log, and looking in the direction from which the sounds proceeded, to his astonishment, he saw a man standing behind something that had three legs, waving his hands. Looking in the direction that the hand indicated, he saw another man holding a flag. On the top of these legs was something that glittered in the sun like gold. The man that stood behind it would look down at it, and then at the flag. In looking a little further back, he saw ten or twelve men, some of them on horses, some with axes and some drawing a long, light chain. He was amazed at the sight, not knowing whether to hide or run. He heard a slight noise behind him, and turning around, stood face to face to some kind of a being. He knew not what it was. It looked just like a man, only it was jet black, curly hair and pearly-white teeth. He thought it must be the devil that his mother had told him about, but he failed to see the forked tail. In his fright he sprang from the log and ran towards the white man.

Indian! Indian! cried the devil behind him.

Instantly the whole party was in commotion, and the men on the horses raised their guns.

Who? Where? What is it? cried the man at the three legged object.

Here, Massa, here! cried the black, at the same time seizing Walter by the coat.

This soon brought the whole party to the spot where the negro held Walter. Webb saw at once that his supposed enemy was but the stripling of a boy, and a white boy at that.

Who is it with you? pleasantly asked Webb.

No one; Walter replied in a mild and mannerly way.

No one? said Webb, that can’t be, boy, you are fifty miles from any habitation, you are a stool pigeon for the Indians!

Stool pigeon, sir? I don’t know what stool pigeon is, I have not seen any Indians.

Are you alone?

Yes.

Where is your father?

I haven’t got any; he was drowned yesterday in the Callicoon.

Webb at once became interested in the boy, and said:

Sit down, and tell us all about your father and mother, and how they came to get drowned.

Walter began where his recollections commenced, and gave a history of his family; where they came from; their living on the Callicoon; the water-spout; the breaking of the beaver dam; his parents being hurled into the mad, wild Callicoon, and closed his narrative with the description of his encounter with the bear and panther.

Webb, though of a rough exterior, had a kind and sympathizing heart.

I believe you, boy, I believe every word you say, and promise you a protector until a better one is provided. When did you have anything to eat last?

Nothing, sir, since yesterday morning.

Here Sambo, (addressing the black,) said Webb, get this boy something to eat.

That I will, in right quick time, too, replied the black. If dat dere little kid eat as fast as he run, he git on de outside of a bear in no time. Golly, Massa, he jump twenty—thirty—forty feet in no time. He took me for de debble. O golly! golly! I wonder if I look like his satanic majesty? I suppose so; ha! ha! ha! Well, come dis way, buck; I’ll stuff dat skin of yours so full dat it bust; Golly, no dinner, no supper, no breakfast. I kinder guess dat his belly feels kinder lank.

Stop that jargon, said Webb. The boy can’t live on nigger talk. Take him to the kitchen.

Yes, Massa, I’ll take him to the kitchen, in right quick time, and show him to de cook. Come along buck.

That ain’t his name, said Webb. Call him Walter.

Come along den Water dis way. Dis darkey stuff your skin like a Christmas turkey. Come den, quick, quick come.

Sambo lead the way, and Walter followed. After going about a mile, they came to a small flat in a hollow, near which was a spring of cool water.

Near the spring was a large log house. Sambo conducted Walter into the house, and spread before him venison and corn bread, which he devoured with an appetite. Then they returned to the surveying party.

Now, said Webb, can you find the way back to where you shot the panther?

Oh yes, replied the boy. It is just down the hill there, can’t you hear the water roar?

The whole party now started, and in a few minutes was at the scene of the encounter. There laid the panther, the largest of his species.

Webb set the men at work to take off his hide, while he and Walter went to see the destruction caused by the water-spout the day before. Not a vestige of either house was to be seen. The beaver dam was dry, the cleared land was washed and gone down the stream. A cat, and a cat only, was left to tell the tale.

On a tree, standing on a small island formed by the washout of the day before, lay a large white cat. The sight of this cat brought to Walter recollections of the great loss he had sustained, and the tears rolled down his cheeks.

Was that your cat? remarked Webb.

Yes, sobbingly replied Walter. That is my Amy. Kit! kit! kit! Come here.

The cat heard and recognized the voice, and a moment later, was in Walter’s arms. He fondled her and talked to her in such a way that Webb was convinced that there was something besides the cat that affected him.

Never mind, my boy, you may take the cat with you to the camp and keep it for a playmate. I suppose that this was the only thing you had to love in your wilderness home?

No, replied Walter. I had another playmate that I loved, and the cat is named after her. Yes, Amy Powers was just as pretty, good and kind as this kitten.

And then he sobbed as if his heart was broke.

I think, said Webb, that as young as you are, that Cupid has shot an arrow that has lodged where you will never get rid of it.

Cupid? said Walter, I don’t know what Cupid is.

I mean, remarked Webb, that you have fallen in love with the namesake of your cat; and if she was as loving, gentle and confiding as the kitten you hold in your arms, you are not to be blamed.

It is a great deal to have the kitten, she will always keep my memory fresh for Amy.

Never mind, boy; you will grow older, and will find some other girl that you will love, and forget Amy.

Forget Amy? he replied; No, Mr.——, I don’t know your name. You don’t know me. No, I never will, I never can forget my Amy. And I here and now swear, in the presence of my God and my desolate home, never to forget her! I further swear never to love another!

Good, bold and generous boy, exclaimed Webb. You know nothing of the world, and but little of yourself.

I know myself well enough to know that I shall never forget my first and only love.

(See Note A in Appendix)