THE MOUNTAIN LION 



2 33 



the proof of his marksmanship, but imme- 

 diately came rushing out, yelling and beat- 

 ing the atmosphere with his hat. 



"Wasps !" he said in answer to his pard's 

 interrogation. "Wasps, and plenty of 'em, 

 and it's their busy day, too, darn 'em !" 

 and he proceeded to apply mud to his physi- 

 ognomy. The crane had fallen almost on 

 the nest, which was hung on the under side 

 of a palmetto fan. 



"How in the deuce will we get the crane 

 out?" said U. S., with a resentful look at 

 Mose, whose hilarity seemed unseemly to 

 him at that moment. 



"Shucks," said Mose. "I'll bet I can go 

 in there and get it, and the wasps won't 

 bother me, at all. All you've got to do is 

 to go . careful. The way you charged in 

 there, no wonder you got bit." 



"Yes, and the way you'll charge out of 

 there when those wretches strike your trail, 

 will be worth seeing," said U. S., with a 

 chuckle of anticipation. 



Without deigning to notice the coarse 

 insinuation, Mose carefully approached the 

 unconscious sandhill. Its troubles were 

 over, but those of Mose were just about 

 to begin. The wasps had settled back on 

 the nest, and carefully making his way 

 through the palmetto, Mose had almost 

 reached the object of his effort, when his 

 toe caught under a root as he leaned for- 

 ward to pick up the crane, and he fell with 

 a crash. Instantly pandemonium reigned 

 in that once quiet and peaceful bunch of 

 palmetto. Shouts and imprecations, min- 

 gled with yells of encouragement from 

 U. S., who was dancing in ecstasy on the 



outside, and Mose came tearing out, minus 

 his hat. 



• "Where'd you get that mud?" he fever- 

 ishly inquired ; and U. S. though speech- 

 less for the time being, managed to point 

 out the spot where he had obtained Na- 

 ture's remedy. After their pains were 

 somewhat alleviated, tht; trappers held a 

 council of war. Mose was for setting fire 

 to the palmetto, and sending up wasps, 

 crane and all "in one red burial blent," but 

 U. S. had a thought. 



"Hold on a minute," said he, and wait- 

 ing until their enemies had all settled back 

 on the nest, doubtless discussing their great 

 victory over the 2 giants, he slipped a load 

 of 8's in the gun, and taking a careful aim 

 at a distance of 10 feet, pulled the trigger, 

 and the wasps were seen "Nevermo're." 



Then, gathering up their hard-earned 

 game, the trappers recrossed the river, and 

 that night they feasted on sandhill crane. 

 At least they tried to feast, but the crane 

 they cooked for supper was evidently the 

 Nestor of the whole tribe of whoopers. 



"Good gracious," said Uncle Snap, trying 

 in vain to masticate a piece of the meat, 

 "we have killed the grandfather of the 

 flock." 



They had to give it up, it was so tough. 

 However, a young sandhill crane, steamed 

 and baked with dressing, like a turkey, is 

 fine eating. 



"It is time we got another deer," said 

 Mose. "I am tired of living in this hand- 

 to-mouth way." U. S. gave a grunt 

 of assent, as with a pine splinter he en- 

 deavored to remove a shred of the leath- 

 ery bird from between his incisors. 



THE MOUNTAIN LION. 



S. N. M'ADOO. 



Beneath the awesome cover of the night, 

 With footsteps noiseless as an evil 



thought, 

 The fell marauder quits his mountain 

 grot, 

 And by some lonely tarn, on jutting height, 

 Takes up his couchant watch, concealed 

 from sight ; 

 Till, haply, wending toward the fatal spot, 

 His eager ken discerns the prize long 

 sought — 

 Some luckless deer no more to see the light. 



Behold the feline tremors through him play!' 

 His eyes are all ablaze with baleful fire; 

 Then swift the fearful bound, the onset 

 dire, 

 The ineffectual struggle of the prey ! 



Till life's red blood, warm-pulsing from 



the wound, 

 Has poured its last libation on the ground. 



