Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-09-05

bridegroom takes up before him the good moth
er, and the good-father the bride, ard thus they
gallop away to Church. The priest in his rich.
est robes, receives them at the altar, where they
kneel, partake of the sacrament, and are marri-
ed. This over, they start on their return-but
now the gentlemen change partners. The
bridegroom, still on the pillion, takes up before
him his bride. With his right arm he steadios
her on the saddle, and in his left hand holds the
reins. They return to the house of the parents
of the bride, where they are generally received
with discharge of musketry. Two persons,
stationed at some convenient place, now rush
out and selze him by his legs, and, before he
has time to dismUunt, deprive him of his spurs,
which he is obliged to redeem with a bottle of
brandy.
The married couple then enter the house,
where the near relatives are all waiting in tears
to receive them. They kneel down before the
parents of the lady, and crave blessing, which
is bestowed with patriarchal solemnity. On ris-
ing, the bridegroom makes a signal for the
guests to come in, and another for the guitar
and harp to strike up. Then commence the
dancing, which continues often for three days,
with only brief intervals of rcfreshment, but
none for slunber the welded pair must be on
their feet their dilemma furnishes food fir good
humo'ed gibes and meFriment. Thus com
mences married life in California. The stream,
it is to be hoped, is much smoother than its
fount
THE GRIZZLY REAR.
/ The grizzly bear is the most formidable and
feroclous animal in California and yet, with all
this feroclty of disposition, rarely attact man
unes surpl ised or molested. The fellow never
lies in wait for his victim. If the hunter in
vades his retreat or disputes his path he will
fight, but otherwise contents himself with the
impunity which he finds in the wildness of his
home and the savage grandeur of his nature
1t is never safe to attact him with one rifle for
if you fail to hit him in vital part, he is on you
in the twinkling of an eye Your only posi-
blllty OF escape is up near tree, too slender
for his giant grasp: and then there is something
extremely awkward IN being on the top of a
tree with such savage monster at its root
How long he will remain there you cannot tell
it may be day, and it may be week. Your
antagonist is too shrude to hand you up your
rifle, or let you come down to get it. You are
his prisoner more safely lodged than in dun
geon, and he will set you at liberty when it suits
him. He sleeps not himself at his post; day
and night his great flashing eyes are fastened
upon you. The Tyre of Orpheus may have lull-
ed to sleep the sentinel of Hades, but its magic
tones have never charmed to slumber the senti-
mel of the California forest
/ The full grown California bear measures from
eight to ten feet in length, and four or five IL
girth His strength is tremendous bis EN-
| brace is death. Had the priest Of Apollo taller
| into his folds, he would have perishcl without
any of those protracted agones which the sym.
pathetic muse has walled round the world
Nature has thrown over him coat OF mail
row of the Indian. The fur, which is of Q
dark brown color, is nearly a span LONG, anC
when the animal Is enraged each particular hail
stands Oh end. His food in the Summer is
chiefly berries but he will now and then, OIL
some Of his feast days, slaughter bullock. 1t
/ Winter he lives on acorns, which abound il
these forests. He is an excellent climber, ant
will ascend large oak with the rapidity of G
tar up the shrouds of his ship In procuring
his acorns, when on the tree, he does not mani
Test his usual cunning. Instead of threshins
them down like the Indian, he selects a we'll
stock limb, throws himself upon its extremity
and there hangs swinginging and jerking til
the limb gives way, and down they come
branch acorns and bear together. On thes,
acosns he becomes extremely fat. yielding ter
or fifteen gallons of OIL which is said to be s.f
hclently pungent and nutritive as tonic tc
tutt statutes marble head
The she bear has one pecuiarity that mus
puzzle even the philosophical inquirer. A,
soon as she discovers herself with young sbt
ceases to roam the forest, and modestly retre
from the presence of others, to some secude,
grotto there she remains, while her male cor
panlon with consideration that does honor {,
his sex, brings her food She reappears at lenpu
with her twin cubs, and wo to the luckless wioh
who should attempt to injure or molest them
They are guarded by affection and ferocitv will
which 1t would be madness TO triAe. For then
she hunts the berries, and dslodges the acorps
Her maternal care is a beautiful trait in he
savage nature, and
"Shines like good deed in naughty world"
THE ALCALDE AND HIS MAN BOB.
My man Bob, who Is of Irish extraction, an,
who had been in the mines about two months
returned to Monterey four weeks since, bring
ing with him over two thousand dollars. rs tn,
proceeds of his labor. Bob while in nv EN-
ploy, required me to pay him every SATURDAY
night, in gold, which he put into little Leather
bag and sewed into the lining of his coat afte
taking out 1919 cents, his weekly allowance
for tobacco. But now he itook rooms and be
gan to branch out he had the best horses, the
richest viands, and the choicest wines in the
place. He never drank HIMSELF but it filled
him with delight to brim the sparkling goblet fol
others. | met Bob to-day, and asked him how
he got on. "Oh, very WELL" he replied; but
am off again for the Mines" "IIow is that
\ II
Bob' you brought down with you over two
thousand dollars; hope you have not spent all
that you used to be very saving; 1919 cents
week for tobacco, and the rest you sewed into
the lining of your coat" "Oh, yes" replied