Just read Lynn's post asking for me to share a story so here goes - one in the collection: BACK IN THE 1960'S, WHILE LIVING ON OUR FAMILY FARM IN MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, MY FAMILY AND I ENCOUNTERED SOME VERY STRANGE SOUNDS THAT WOULD MAKE THE HAIR STAND STRAIGHT UP ON YOUR ARMS - KIND OF LIKE IT WOULD FEEL WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STORM NEARBY. MY MOM, MARY CATHERINE, TELLS ONE ABOUT THE TIME SHE HEARD THE BOBCAT SCREAM ALL NIGHT LONG. IT GOES LIKE THIS: THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED OUT, AND EVERYBODY WAS IN BED, TUCKED UNDER THEIR COVERS, ALL READY FOR A NIGHT OF QUIET, RESTFUL SLEEP...BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE THAT NIGHT. THAT NIGHT WAS DESTINED TO BE ONE THAT WOULD LONG BE REMEMBERED AS A NIGHT FULL OF UNREST WITH NERVES SET ON EDGE LIKE WHEN YOU'VE HEARD ONE SHOE DROP, AND YOU ARE WAITING, AND WAITING, AND WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO JOIN ITS MATE WE WERE STARTING TO DRIFT OFF TO THE LAND OF GREAT ADVENTURES, WHERE MY MOM HAD EAGLERLYJOINED US. WE WERE SWINGING ON MOONBEAMS WHEN SHE WAS ABRUPTLY JOLTED APART FROM US. SHE LEFT ADVENTURE LAND AND RETURNED TO THE REALITY OF HER BED WHERE SHE SAT STRAIGHT UP LIKE THE LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT FIRST SHE DID NOT KNOW WHY SHE HAD BEEN SO STARTLED, WHY SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE WONDERFUL, IMAGINARY WORLD WHERE SHE WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO THE GREAT DEPTHS OF SPACE TO GATHER SUNSHINE FOR OUR APPROACHING DAY. THEN IT BECAME CLEAR WHAT HAD WAKENED HER FROM THAT PEACEFUL SLEEP....IT WAS THE LOUD, HOWLING , CRYING SOUND OF A BOBCAT OFF IN THE DISTANCE. SHE WOKE MY DAD FROM HIS SLEEP, AND SAID, "WAKE UP BILL. I HEAR A TERRIBLE, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!" HE LISTENED AND THEN HEARD THE SAME LOUD, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND THAT SHE WAS HEARING.....BUT, HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS FOR HE HAD SPENT MANY OTHER YEARS ON THE FAMILY FARM WHERE HE GREW UP IN WOLF CREEK, MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. YES INDEED, HE HAD HEARD THAT SOUND BEFORE, AND HE KNEW THAT IT WAS THE SOUND OF A BOBCAT CALLING ITS MATE TO COME AND JOIN IT. HE SAID THAT THE SOUND WAS CALLED A "CATERWALT" SOUND THAT THEY MAKE WHEN THEY WANT THEIR MATE TO JOIN THEM. MY MOM THEN UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WAS HOWLING AND CRYING SOOOOOOOOO LOUD. IT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ITS MATE WOULD HEAR ITS CALL. MY MOM DID NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT SOUND AGAIN, SO SHE CALLED A RELATIVE NAMED JACKIE ARBAUGH TO COME OUT AND HUNT FOR IT. SO JACKIE CAME WITH HIS GUN AND SET OUT BACK IN THE HILLS ON THE FARM IN SEARCH FOR THE BOBCAT THAT HAD MADE THE HOWLING SOUND THAT HAD WAKENED MY MOM FROM HER SLEEP, AND HAD MADE US LOSE OUR SUNSHINE FOR THAT DAY. HE TRACKED IT, AND SOON FOUND EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS STILL THERE. HE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR IT TO COME, AND THEN HE TOOK AIM AND FIRED A SHOT FROM HIS GUN. THE BOBCAT FELL DEAD. JACKIE THEN PICKED UP THE DEAD BOBCAT AND HEADED BACK TO THE FARM HOUSE, ANXIOUS TO TELL MY MOM THAT HE HAD KILLED IT, AND THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE WAKENED FROM HER SLEEP ANYMORE BY THE SOUNDS OF THIS HUGE BEAST." HE WALKED UP THE LANE FROM BACK IN THE HILLS WITH HIS TREASURE IN TOW...AND RETURNED TO THE FARM HOUSE WHERE HE PUT THE BIG CAT THAT WEIGHED OVER 30 POUNDS DOWN IN FRONT OF THEM. MY MOM SAID THAT IT WAS SO BIG, AND SMELLED SO BAD THAT SHE WAS TRULY GLAD THAT IT HAD BEEN KILLED AND WOULD NOT BE A DANGER TO THEM, OR TO THE CHICKENS AND SHEEP ON THE FARM. THAT NIGHT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, AND MOM STILL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT THAT NIGHT WHEN SHE HEARD THE SOUND OF THAT BOBCAT. A SOUND THAT WILL NOT SOON FORGET. AND IN THESE PARTS, PEOPLE SAY THAT SOME NIGHTS YOU CAN HEAR A HOWL OFF IN THE DISTANCE, AND THAT IT IS THE SOUND OF ITS MATE, CALLING AND WAITING, AND CALLING AND WAITING FOR ANOTHER INVITATION. NOW LISTEN, CAN YOU HEAR IT HOWL? OWWWWWWWWWWW! SHEILA IN WEST VIRGINIA --------------------------------- Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more.

HI Sheila: Thanks so much for the "bedtime" story. It kept me interested all the way through. Will you read one to us tomorrow night? Please!!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sheila Kline" <sheilakline47@yahoo.com> To: <PaDutch-Life@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 8:02 PM Subject: [PD-LIFE] THE NIGHT OF THE BIG BOBCAT > Just read Lynn's post asking for me to share a story so here goes - one in > the collection: > > BACK IN THE 1960'S, WHILE LIVING ON OUR FAMILY FARM IN MONROE COUNTY, > WEST VIRGINIA, MY FAMILY AND I ENCOUNTERED SOME VERY STRANGE SOUNDS THAT > WOULD MAKE THE HAIR STAND STRAIGHT UP ON YOUR ARMS - KIND OF LIKE IT WOULD > FEEL WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STORM NEARBY. > > MY MOM, MARY CATHERINE, TELLS ONE ABOUT THE TIME SHE HEARD THE BOBCAT > SCREAM ALL NIGHT LONG. IT GOES LIKE THIS: > > THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED OUT, AND EVERYBODY WAS IN BED, TUCKED UNDER > THEIR COVERS, ALL READY FOR A NIGHT OF QUIET, RESTFUL SLEEP...BUT IT WAS > NOT TO BE THAT NIGHT. THAT NIGHT WAS DESTINED TO BE ONE THAT WOULD LONG > BE REMEMBERED AS A NIGHT FULL OF UNREST WITH NERVES SET ON EDGE LIKE WHEN > YOU'VE HEARD ONE SHOE DROP, AND YOU ARE WAITING, AND WAITING, AND WAITING > FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO JOIN ITS MATE > > WE WERE STARTING TO DRIFT OFF TO THE LAND OF GREAT ADVENTURES, WHERE MY > MOM HAD EAGLERLYJOINED US. WE WERE SWINGING ON MOONBEAMS WHEN SHE > WAS ABRUPTLY JOLTED APART FROM US. SHE LEFT ADVENTURE LAND AND RETURNED > TO THE REALITY OF HER BED WHERE SHE SAT STRAIGHT UP LIKE THE LINE DOWN THE > MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT FIRST SHE DID NOT KNOW WHY SHE HAD BEEN SO > STARTLED, WHY SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE WONDERFUL, IMAGINARY WORLD WHERE SHE > WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO THE GREAT DEPTHS OF SPACE TO GATHER SUNSHINE FOR > OUR APPROACHING DAY. > > THEN IT BECAME CLEAR WHAT HAD WAKENED HER FROM THAT PEACEFUL SLEEP....IT > WAS THE LOUD, HOWLING , CRYING SOUND OF A BOBCAT OFF IN THE DISTANCE. > > SHE WOKE MY DAD FROM HIS SLEEP, AND SAID, "WAKE UP BILL. I HEAR A > TERRIBLE, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!" > > HE LISTENED AND THEN HEARD THE SAME LOUD, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND THAT SHE > WAS HEARING.....BUT, HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS FOR HE HAD SPENT MANY OTHER > YEARS ON THE FAMILY FARM WHERE HE GREW UP IN WOLF CREEK, MONROE COUNTY, > WEST VIRGINIA. > > YES INDEED, HE HAD HEARD THAT SOUND BEFORE, AND HE KNEW THAT IT WAS THE > SOUND OF A BOBCAT CALLING ITS MATE TO COME AND JOIN IT. HE SAID THAT THE > SOUND WAS CALLED A "CATERWALT" SOUND THAT THEY MAKE WHEN THEY WANT THEIR > MATE TO JOIN THEM. MY MOM THEN UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WAS HOWLING AND CRYING > SOOOOOOOOO LOUD. IT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ITS MATE WOULD HEAR ITS > CALL. > > MY MOM DID NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT SOUND AGAIN, SO SHE CALLED A RELATIVE > NAMED JACKIE ARBAUGH TO COME OUT AND HUNT FOR IT. > > SO JACKIE CAME WITH HIS GUN AND SET OUT BACK IN THE HILLS ON THE FARM IN > SEARCH FOR THE BOBCAT THAT HAD MADE THE HOWLING SOUND THAT HAD WAKENED MY > MOM FROM HER SLEEP, AND HAD MADE US LOSE OUR SUNSHINE FOR THAT DAY. HE > TRACKED IT, AND SOON FOUND EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS STILL THERE. HE WAITED > PATIENTLY FOR IT TO COME, AND THEN HE TOOK AIM AND FIRED A SHOT FROM HIS > GUN. THE BOBCAT FELL DEAD. > > JACKIE THEN PICKED UP THE DEAD BOBCAT AND HEADED BACK TO THE FARM HOUSE, > ANXIOUS TO TELL MY MOM THAT HE HAD KILLED IT, AND THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE > TO BE WAKENED FROM HER SLEEP ANYMORE BY THE SOUNDS OF THIS HUGE BEAST." > > HE WALKED UP THE LANE FROM BACK IN THE HILLS WITH HIS TREASURE IN > TOW...AND RETURNED TO THE FARM HOUSE WHERE HE PUT THE BIG CAT THAT WEIGHED > OVER 30 POUNDS DOWN IN FRONT OF THEM. > > MY MOM SAID THAT IT WAS SO BIG, AND SMELLED SO BAD THAT SHE WAS TRULY > GLAD THAT IT HAD BEEN KILLED AND WOULD NOT BE A DANGER TO THEM, OR TO THE > CHICKENS AND SHEEP ON THE FARM. > > THAT NIGHT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, AND MOM STILL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT > THAT NIGHT WHEN SHE HEARD THE SOUND OF THAT BOBCAT. A SOUND THAT WILL NOT > SOON FORGET. > > AND IN THESE PARTS, PEOPLE SAY THAT SOME NIGHTS YOU CAN HEAR A HOWL OFF > IN THE DISTANCE, AND THAT IT IS THE SOUND OF ITS MATE, CALLING AND > WAITING, AND CALLING AND WAITING FOR ANOTHER INVITATION. > > NOW LISTEN, CAN YOU HEAR IT HOWL? OWWWWWWWWWWW! > > SHEILA IN WEST VIRGINIA > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, > news, photos & more. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Oh, Man! did you bring back memories. I remember that sound, too, sort of like a baby that is screaming a high-pitched scream. It goes through you like a knife through butter and gets into your head and your bones. It is a sound that you will never, ever forget once you have heard it. We had one come to our farm. The first thing that happened was that the horses started running around and yelling. The next thing I heard was that scream, followed by my father coming into my room with his .22 Hornet, trying to catch a glimpse of eye-shine so he could kill it. I laid in my bed and shook for an hour after it was all over. My skin is prickling up as I type this...... and that had to have happened about 45 years ago. Good writing. Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: Sheila Kline To: PaDutch-Life@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 8:02 PM Subject: [PD-LIFE] THE NIGHT OF THE BIG BOBCAT Just read Lynn's post asking for me to share a story so here goes - one in the collection: BACK IN THE 1960'S, WHILE LIVING ON OUR FAMILY FARM IN MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, MY FAMILY AND I ENCOUNTERED SOME VERY STRANGE SOUNDS THAT WOULD MAKE THE HAIR STAND STRAIGHT UP ON YOUR ARMS - KIND OF LIKE IT WOULD FEEL WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STORM NEARBY. MY MOM, MARY CATHERINE, TELLS ONE ABOUT THE TIME SHE HEARD THE BOBCAT SCREAM ALL NIGHT LONG. IT GOES LIKE THIS: THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED OUT, AND EVERYBODY WAS IN BED, TUCKED UNDER THEIR COVERS, ALL READY FOR A NIGHT OF QUIET, RESTFUL SLEEP...BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE THAT NIGHT. THAT NIGHT WAS DESTINED TO BE ONE THAT WOULD LONG BE REMEMBERED AS A NIGHT FULL OF UNREST WITH NERVES SET ON EDGE LIKE WHEN YOU'VE HEARD ONE SHOE DROP, AND YOU ARE WAITING, AND WAITING, AND WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO JOIN ITS MATE WE WERE STARTING TO DRIFT OFF TO THE LAND OF GREAT ADVENTURES, WHERE MY MOM HAD EAGLERLYJOINED US. WE WERE SWINGING ON MOONBEAMS WHEN SHE WAS ABRUPTLY JOLTED APART FROM US. SHE LEFT ADVENTURE LAND AND RETURNED TO THE REALITY OF HER BED WHERE SHE SAT STRAIGHT UP LIKE THE LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT FIRST SHE DID NOT KNOW WHY SHE HAD BEEN SO STARTLED, WHY SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE WONDERFUL, IMAGINARY WORLD WHERE SHE WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO THE GREAT DEPTHS OF SPACE TO GATHER SUNSHINE FOR OUR APPROACHING DAY. THEN IT BECAME CLEAR WHAT HAD WAKENED HER FROM THAT PEACEFUL SLEEP....IT WAS THE LOUD, HOWLING , CRYING SOUND OF A BOBCAT OFF IN THE DISTANCE. SHE WOKE MY DAD FROM HIS SLEEP, AND SAID, "WAKE UP BILL. I HEAR A TERRIBLE, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!" HE LISTENED AND THEN HEARD THE SAME LOUD, HOWLING, CRYING SOUND THAT SHE WAS HEARING.....BUT, HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS FOR HE HAD SPENT MANY OTHER YEARS ON THE FAMILY FARM WHERE HE GREW UP IN WOLF CREEK, MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. YES INDEED, HE HAD HEARD THAT SOUND BEFORE, AND HE KNEW THAT IT WAS THE SOUND OF A BOBCAT CALLING ITS MATE TO COME AND JOIN IT. HE SAID THAT THE SOUND WAS CALLED A "CATERWALT" SOUND THAT THEY MAKE WHEN THEY WANT THEIR MATE TO JOIN THEM. MY MOM THEN UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WAS HOWLING AND CRYING SOOOOOOOOO LOUD. IT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ITS MATE WOULD HEAR ITS CALL. MY MOM DID NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT SOUND AGAIN, SO SHE CALLED A RELATIVE NAMED JACKIE ARBAUGH TO COME OUT AND HUNT FOR IT. SO JACKIE CAME WITH HIS GUN AND SET OUT BACK IN THE HILLS ON THE FARM IN SEARCH FOR THE BOBCAT THAT HAD MADE THE HOWLING SOUND THAT HAD WAKENED MY MOM FROM HER SLEEP, AND HAD MADE US LOSE OUR SUNSHINE FOR THAT DAY. HE TRACKED IT, AND SOON FOUND EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS STILL THERE. HE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR IT TO COME, AND THEN HE TOOK AIM AND FIRED A SHOT FROM HIS GUN. THE BOBCAT FELL DEAD. JACKIE THEN PICKED UP THE DEAD BOBCAT AND HEADED BACK TO THE FARM HOUSE, ANXIOUS TO TELL MY MOM THAT HE HAD KILLED IT, AND THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE WAKENED FROM HER SLEEP ANYMORE BY THE SOUNDS OF THIS HUGE BEAST." HE WALKED UP THE LANE FROM BACK IN THE HILLS WITH HIS TREASURE IN TOW...AND RETURNED TO THE FARM HOUSE WHERE HE PUT THE BIG CAT THAT WEIGHED OVER 30 POUNDS DOWN IN FRONT OF THEM. MY MOM SAID THAT IT WAS SO BIG, AND SMELLED SO BAD THAT SHE WAS TRULY GLAD THAT IT HAD BEEN KILLED AND WOULD NOT BE A DANGER TO THEM, OR TO THE CHICKENS AND SHEEP ON THE FARM. THAT NIGHT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, AND MOM STILL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT THAT NIGHT WHEN SHE HEARD THE SOUND OF THAT BOBCAT. A SOUND THAT WILL NOT SOON FORGET. AND IN THESE PARTS, PEOPLE SAY THAT SOME NIGHTS YOU CAN HEAR A HOWL OFF IN THE DISTANCE, AND THAT IT IS THE SOUND OF ITS MATE, CALLING AND WAITING, AND CALLING AND WAITING FOR ANOTHER INVITATION. NOW LISTEN, CAN YOU HEAR IT HOWL? OWWWWWWWWWWW! SHEILA IN WEST VIRGINIA --------------------------------- Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

GREAT story, Sheila! Thanks!!! You all must have been really scared about that thing being around your property!! That reminds me of a story I told the list a while back, about camping with "Grammom and Grampop" Rothenberger. I'll have to look for it. It was pretty funny :o) I'll have to write up my wild animal stories someday and post them to the list :o) I vaguely remember one, and hope I typed it up when it happened, because I wouldn't want to tell any TALL tales :o) More stories, everyone!!! :o) I'm enjoying these!!! It's like reading a book, a chapter a day :o) Oh, I printed out the story for Lindsey, and her friend, and sent it in their cards last week. As I finish them, that's what I am going to do, so she can enjoy them now, and I'll keep a copy in the notebook I have here, just for that purpose, for her later. Lynn Sheila wrote the Big Bobcat story!!