The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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A PANTHER’S ATTACK ON A LITTLE GIRL WAS FRUSTRATED
By S. C. Turnbo
While we are writing accounts of the panther, I am reminded of one attacking
Allin Trimble’s daughter, Malissa. She furnished the writer an account
of it herself, which occurred in 1867 while her father lived on his farm
on the south bank of White River in Franklin Township in Marion County,
Ark.
"One evening just before sundown," said she, "father and
my stepmother sent me to Sarah Lantz’s to borrow some coffee. Mrs.
Lantz was a widowed sister of mine and lived at the mouth of Becca’s
Branch. I was 11 years old and quite small to my age, but as I went tripping
along I did not feel the least afraid. We owned a big brindle cur dog named
Trusty which I took along with me. I did not delay time at my sister’s
house but hurried on my return home. It was growing a little dusky when
I got back to the mouth of Trimble’s Creek. The public road crossed
the creek then at the mouth and lead up the bank into the river bottom.
Since that time the bed of the creek here has washed out and the road was
changed. I had run up the bank and was just passing a thicket of hazle brush
with the dog trotting along by my side when without the least warning a
panther sprang at me from the edge of the thicket. I saw the animal the
moment it made the leap and with a quick movement I contrived to dodge it
and the fearful looking beast just brushed my face. The dog sprang up at
it before it struck the ground. When it lit on the ground it sprang into
the thicket and the dog darted off in pursuit of it. The faithful dog pressed
the beast so hard that it went up a bending tree which stood in 15 feet
of the road and lay down on the tree trunk and crossed its paws and glared
at me. I stood and looked at the ferocious creature a few seconds and turned
and fled in terror toward home."
The writer will add that Miss Malissa Trimble is now the wife of Reed Keesee, son of Elias Keesee. They have lived in Keesee Township, Marion County, Ark., many years and raised a large family of children.
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