The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-06-17

The psngs and languor of liie's fttul way.
AN ANECDOTE FROM LIFE IN THE WOODS
Among the earliest settlers in the wllds
of Salmon River, was Nermontese, BY the
name Of Dobson-a large, resoiute, AMI alh.
letic man. Returning one evening from
fruitless hunt after his vagrant COWS, which,
according to custom in the new countries,
had been turned in the woods TO procure
their own subsistence from the rank herb
age OF the early summer Just before emery.
ing from the forest upon the clearing Of his
neighbor, the late worthy Joseph Sleeper,
he saw large bear descending from LOT.
" sycamore, where he had been in quest
probably, OF honey. A bear ascends tree
much more eSpertly than he descends Il being
obliged to come down stern foremost. My
friend Dobson did no, like very well 10 be
joined IN his evening walk BY such com.
panion and without rejecting what he
should do With the "vsrInint afterwards,
he ran up TO the tree on the opposite side
from the animals BODY, and Just before he
reached the ground, seized hun firmly BY
both of his f0repass. Brain grow!ed and
knashed his tusks I; but he soon ascertained
that his paws were in the grasp Of paws
equally iron. strung with his own. Nor
cou d he use his hinder paas to disembogel
his antagonist, as the manner Of the bear
Is, inasmuch as the trunk of the tree was
between them. But Dobson's predicament,
as he was endowed with rather the most
reason, vas worse vet. He could no more
assall the bear, than The hear could assaiI
bin. Nor could he venture TO let go him,
since the presumption was, that Bruin would
not make hun a very gracious return for
thus unceremoniously taking hun by the
hands. The twilight vas fast deepening in.
10 darkness, and has position vas far less
comfortable than il would have been al the
same hour, surrounded BY his wife and chill.
dren at the supper.table, 70 say nothing Of
the gloomy prospect for Abe night SILL,
as Joe SIeeper's house was moi far distant,
he hoped to be able 10 call him 10 hi. sssis-
lance. But his lungs, though none of the
weakest, were unequal TO the task and, al.
though he holoed and basIed the live long
night, making the woods and the selkln
ring again, he succeeded not better than
old Gleodower, Of old, 10 calling spirits from
the Vastly deep. II was a wearisome night
for Dobson: such game Of hold fast he
had never been engaged 10 before Bruin,
too, was probably somewhat worried, al
though he could not describe his sensations
10 English, albeit he took the regular John
Boil method Of making known his dissaiis.
faciion-ihat IS 10 say, he growled inces
sanity. But there was no lei.go IN the
case, and Dobson was therefore under the
necessity Of holding fast, until 1t seemed 10
his clenched and aching fingers as though
the bear paws and his had grown together.
As daylight returned, and the smoke
from Mr. >Ieeper's chimney began to curl
up gracefully, though rather dlmly in the
distance, Dobson again repeated his cries
for succour and his heart was soon glad.
dened by the appearance Of his worthy but
inactive nelghbor, bearing an axe upon his
shoulder. Dobson had never been so much
reJoiced at seeing Mr.. Sleeper before, al.
belt he vas very kind and estlmabie neigh.
Dor.
Why don't YOU make haste, Mr. Sleep.
er, and not be loungIng along at that rate,
when YOU see fellow. Christian in such a
kettle Of fish as this !"
/" run Is that you, Mr.. Dobson, up q
tree there And was it you | heard hal /,
lowing 50 last night! | guess you ought (
TO have your lodging for nothing if you've !
stood up again that there all night"
Its no joke, though, can tell you,
Mr.. Joe Sleeper; aud if you'd had bold of
the paws Of black varmint all night, it /
strikes me you'd think you'd paid dear
enough for il. But il YOU heard me call. I
ing for help in the night, why didn't you
come and see what was the trouble 7"
"Oh, | WIS going tired TO bed after Law.
ing up log fence all day, and thought ID .
wait TIL morning, and come out bright and .
dirty. But, ifl'd known twas you--"
"Known twas me !" replied Dobson bit .
t-fly, " you knew twas somebody who had .
flesh and blood too good for these plaguy |
black varmInts and you know there's been |
3 smart spriukln Of bears about the settle.
;neat all the spring !"
Well, don't be in huff, Tommy. It's +
never too late to do good. So hold tight
low, and doo't let the 'larnal cri.ter get
oose, while | split his head open"