I have read a very serious story of an American panther. The lady, who
is the heroine of the story, and her husband, were among the first
settlers in the wilderness of one of our western states. They at first
lived in a log cabin. The luxury of glass was unknown in that wild place
among the forests, and consequently light and air were admitted through
holes which were always open. Both husband and wife had been away from
home for a day or two; and on their return, they found some deer's
flesh, which had been hanging up inside, partly eaten, and the tracks of
an animal, which the gentleman supposed were those of a large dog. He
was again obliged to leave home for a night, and this time the lady
remained in the house alone. She went to bed; and soon after, she heard
an animal climbing up the outside of the hut, and jump down through one
of the openings into the adjoining room, with which her sleeping
apartment was connected by a doorway without a door. Peeping out, she
saw a huge panther, apparently seeking for prey, and of course very
hungry and fierce. She beat against the partition between the rooms, and
screamed as loudly as she could, which so frightened the panther that he
jumped out. He was, however, soon in again, and a second time she
frightened him away in the same manner, when she sprang out of bed, and
went to the fire-place, in the hope of making a sufficient blaze to keep
the panther from entering again. But the embers were too much burned,
and would send out but a slight flame. What could the poor woman do? She
thought of getting under the bed; but then she reflected that the animal
would find no difficulty in getting at her in that situation, in which
case he would tear her in pieces before she could make any resistance.

The only plan which then occurred to her mind for perfect security, was
to get into a large sea-chest of her husband's, which was nearly empty.
Into that she accordingly crept. But there was danger of her being
smothered in this retreat; so she put her hand between the edge of the