Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1871 — A Boy’s Sanguinary Encounter with a Wildcat. [ARTICLE]

A Boy’s Sanguinary Encounter with a Wildcat.

At ten o’clock on Friday morning a dog belonging to one John Ft-lter, a wood chopper, was heat'd barkiDg in the mountains some distance from the houso. Mr. 'Felter’s little sou, twelve years old, know ing by the bark of the dog that some important game was on foot, set out for the mountains. His mother felt a little anxious alter the boy had gone, and for seme time listened to the barking of the dog. - After half an hour the barking censed ; and, as hour after hour passed away and the bov did not make his appearance, the mother set out to go t<t one of the neighbors to secure their help in search for the boy. On the road.she met the husband returning from the village, where he had that morning been attending to some business. He listened to bis wife’s story, and, trying to calm her tears, went buck with her to tho house, and taking his gunstarted toward the place indicated by his wife. Mr. Feltcr traveled about through the mountains until 1 ;te in the afternoon, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and wa3 about to return home when he almost stumbled over the dead carcass of a wildcat It was a very large male. Everything indicated a terrible conflict. The spectacle gave Mr. Feltcr an apprehension that some terrible thing had happened to his boy. Examining the leaves and underbrush, he had little difficulty in finding a trail of blood, and this he followed nearly a hundred yards. Then he came upon the dog, standing over the body of his son, who was prostrate on the ground. The dog was earnestly looking at the boy, and occasionally licking his face and hands. On Mr. Felter’s approach, he gave a loud bark and pranced about with joy. The father knelt by tho side of his son and place his hand over the heart. With joy unspeakable he fovind the little fellow alive, but terribly wounded, as it appeared, by the claws of the wildcat. The little fellow’s clothes were almost torn to shreds, and his flesh was terribly lacerated from head to foot. He was suffering from loss of blood, but his wounds had been handsomely dressed by the faithful dog, which had for hours been standing by him, licking them. Taking his boy in his arms, the lather made his way to his home, followed by the ever faithful dog. After reaching the house, restoratives being administered, the boy was able to tell his story. He came upon the wildcat, and seeing that his catship held the dog at bay, having an advantageous position, he attempted to dislodge him, first with stones; but these the beast did not seem to mind. Then he got a pole aDd attempted to poke him out. At this the wildcat became tnraged, and, springing upon the boy, scratched and tore his flesh as above related. At this the-dog dashed at tho cat and soon dispatched it. The boy attempted to go home, but sank to the ground exhausted. The little fellow is doing well. The good nursing of the dog has done much toward nllaying the inflammation: tho licking of his wounds by the faithful animal has undoubtedly saved tho boy’s life. —Pine UM, N. Y., Cor. N. Y. Sun.