The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-06-23
From the Home Journal ]
THE RUN FOR LIFE.
BY A SOUTHERN MAN.

tened them for autumn. The pen wa
built at the base of a high hill whicl
hidit from the house, aud just on tb
edge of an upland jungle or thicket 0
undergrowth, which extended along t.
the nearest spur of some neigh borin,
hills, which swellei upward to beigh
almost emitting them to be called
mountain range. Surprised at the los
of his hogs, Mr.. Rodney determined t,
keep strict watch, aud, if possible, de
tsct the depredator upon his property.
One morning, just at dawn of day, h'
heard the squeal of a hog in the direc
tion If his pen. Spriuging out of bed
and putting on his garments, he hurried
to the rescue of his squealiug porker.-
AS soon as he came in sight of the per
he saw a huge bear, with a hog in his
mouth and fore paws, leisurely retreat
ing to the thicket. Returning to the
house fer his gun, trusty rifle, of large
bore he soon came back to the pen
The bear and hog had both disappeared
Mr. Rodney, who was bold, adven
turous man, OF high courage and great
physical strength, at once determined
upon pursuit The blood of the mutil
ated hog making distinct mark upon
the ground, made it an easy matter to
follow the track of it's captor Entering
the thicket and going forward a short
distance, Mr.. Rodney saw the bear, some
forty or fifty steps in advance of him,
deliberately muuching the hog for his
morning meal. To raise his rifle, aim
and fire, were the work of but moment.
The bear fell, apparently lifeless, in his
tracks, at the crack of the gun.
Fceling certain, from the range of his
aim ana the plamp iall of the bear, that
he was killed outright, Mr. Rodney ap
prouched with view of taking a nearer
look at his bulky proportions, when
within few yards of where he lay, the
bear to the great surprise of the planter,
rose slowly up, looked fisreely back, gave
deep cultural growl, and started for
ward in the direction of the neighboring
hills
Mr.. Rodney, seeing the copious dis
charge Of blood from the wound made by
his ball, and observing that the bear
staggered in his gait followed on after
him, expcc,iug soon to see him fall. The
bear moved slowly, but steadily on, nevet
once looking back at his pursuer, but
keeping up low moan or growl in
dicative of pain or anger, or both com
bined Having reached the base of the
stecpest and highest hill in the group, he
began the ascent with still slower pace
and deeper gro3ls. Mr.. Rodney, was
only few PAGES in the rear aud gaining
upou him evecy moment. At last, when
near the summit of the hill, he came
qui up with the b.ar, whose steps,
and slow, seemed falteripg
with fatigue and loss of blood. Think
ing that only slight push was needed
to bring him to the ground, Mr.. Rodney
gave the bear severe punch with the
butt end of his rife.
The blow end to recall both
strength and spirit to the now enraged
and desperate beast. Turning quickly
and sharply round, he stood within few
f-et of his pursuer, upon whom he man
festly purposed to make an immediate
attack. 81
Mr. Rodney cornprehended the peril
IF his position in a moment. He had
10 weapon but his gun, which he had not
.eloaded after the first discharge. To
defend himself with it by blows was ut.
erly impossible, considering the size
md massive weight of the bear. The
,nly hope of escape was retreat down |
he hill, which he began at once with
'apid strides. -.
The bear accelerated in his speed by
he momentum of the descent, and per-
,aps also by pain and anger, rushed
leadlong after him. From crag to rock,
md from rock to erag, the planter leaped
With al agility and. speed incredible al
most to himself Well he knew that
,nce within those terrible jaws gaping
o rend and devour him, his wife would |
De a widow aud his children fatherless, |
before be could commend himself and |
hem to the mercy of Heaven: in prayer.
Every moment seemed TO Increase the |
peed aud terceness of the bear. When
be. chase began he was only few feet
n the rear of tho planter. At the bot
ON of the hill, which they had now
cached, the distance between them was
pssened by nearly half.
Mr.. Rodney, although hard pressed
nd with no time to lose, ventured to
asst one backward glance at his pursuer.
he sight was enough to strike even his
,out heart with terror. The tongue
f the bear, red and swollen, protruded
rom his lips; the teeth, sharp and shi-
ing, were visible in the jaws open al
eady for the seizure of his victim; the
ars were thrown back clos8to the head
Ike these of an angry horse, and stream
fire seemed to i>sue from the sockets
the glaring eyeballs. Escape, longer
ban for few moments seemed now +
tterly impossible. A distance of more
ban a mile lay between the planter and
is home. Thick bushes and bramb bles
Il peded every foot of the way as far as
le hog pen, near which he must pass to
merge from the jungle in the direction
f the house. To deviate from the path
e had come, which was partially trod-
eudown blythe transit of himself andthe
ear over it, and by the occasional Wis
8 of the latter from the hills to the pen,
ould be to eDtapgle himself in th un
ergrowth and fail an immediate victim
, the rapacity of his pursuer, whose
eavy bulk enabled him to force swift
r passage through the thicket. Along
his path, therefore, Mr.. Rodney 6arted
ith the speed of man CONSCIOUS that
is life depended upon the feetness of
is foot. II Half the distance between
ne hill and the pen had been passed =
)nly a hand breadth ofspace intervened
etween the planter and the muzzle of
ha haar ont stretched and omen to seize