The Sierra citizen., 1854-03-18

a wound which he feared would be the
cause of his death. In due time the wound
was revealed to the public eye, and the
young women turned away with shudder;
and then the vagabond bachelor was con-
veyed to his lodge, and the medicine-man
sent for to administer relief.
A day or two elapsed, and the poor hun
ter was evidently in bad way. They
asked him what individual in the village he
would have to attend him. He expressed
preference for the father of Muck-o-wiss,
who came and faithfully attended to his
duties as nurse; but the sick was not yet
satisfied. 'Whom will you have now p
asked the old man, and the name of Muck
o-wiss trembled On the lips Of the sick lover.
His chief desire was granted, and for three
DAYS did the maiden attend to the little
wants Of her unfortunate lover. Another
day, and he was rapidly mending. He was
now so nearly restored that the maiden be-
gan to talk OF returning to her mother
wigwam. This intelligence reused the hun
ter from his bed of furs, and he once more
avowed his undying attachment to the
charming maiden. She repulsed him with
frown and retired from the lodge; so the
hunter was again sadly disappointed. The
maiden fastened to tell the news to all the
women in the Of the village, and after they
had enjoyed themselves for upwards of an
hour, Muck-o-wiss returned to the wigwam
of her lover, and told him that she would
become his wife ON one condition, which
was, that on the day he should succeed in
killing FIVE bears, on that day would she
enter his lodge and make it her permanent
home For an Indian to kill five bears on
one day was considered a remarkable feat,
and the roguish Muck-o-wiss thought her
self secure.
Days passed On, and the vagabond bache-
lor was again restored to sound health and
devoting himself to the chase. 1t was just
the season when the black bear takes up its
annual journey for the south, and the hunter
had discovered narrow place in the lake
where the animals were in the habit of
coming. 1t was the last day of autumn,
and early in the morning he had stationed
himself in a good ambush. BY the time the
sun cast a short shadow he had killed three
fine specimens, and placed them before the
lodge of bis intended wife. The middle of
the afternoon arrived. and he had deposited
the fourth animal at the same place. The
sunset hour was nigh at hand, and the
hunter had killed and placed in his canoe
the fifth and largest bear that he had ever
seen. The happiest hour of the poor mans
life was now surely nigh at hand. Impa-
tiently did he paddle his way home. The
villagers saw that the vagabond bachelor
had been successful, and Muck-O-wiss and
all her female companions were filled with
CONSERVATION. But the truly heroic war
riors, who had striven in vain to win the
love of the village beauty, were not only
astonished but indignant, for they could
not bear the idea of losing, in such a man.
ner, the prize which had urged them on in
the more noble deeds of war. But now has
the canoe once more reached the shore
Upon his back has the hunter lifted his
prize, and up the bank is he toiling and
staggering along with the immense load;
and now has he fixed his eyes upon the
lodge where he is hoping to receive his
promised bride. His heart hutters with
tumultuous joy, his knees tremble from
fatigue-a strange faintness passes over his
brain-he reels from his upright position
the bear falls to the ground, and the vaga-
bond bachelor is-dead.