Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-11-06
From the Continental
TOM JoHnsoN's BEAR.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

Tom Johnson he lived on the Western border,
Where he went to escape from law and ORDER
For Tom a terrible fellow, was he,
lie drunk, and he swore. and he tout like the
Old Harry-and Ton, he had wife: - q -.
Fitpsrtner she was Of his backwoods life.
T m lived on the border for divers years,
Where he f6a't the redskins, and he fou't the
bears.
And there wasn'ta thing that could bite or scratch
For which Tom Johnson wasn't match, !.
Excepting his wife. and she was the better isF
Half by all odds-he'd often get her
In tight place, and give her strapping.
But somehow or other 'twould always happen.
In every tussle and every bout,
In every sscrimmage' and every rout.
Shed come out ahead of the crossgrained old wiz
zard, --- =
And BY hook or crook manage TO give him biz
zard."
Sometimes from brawl of which Tom was the
hero, ~ 431If ian ~
Returning at midnight, the weather a zero,
His wife snug in bed. end the door safely barred
Long time would elapse- ere his shouts could be
heard;
And sometimes she'd catch him dead drunk or
~ asleep,
When he'd find himself suddenly 'all of heap
And open his eyes on his bellicose bride.
Hot mush in his mouth and his under-pins tel:
So she managed to keep just inside of the law.
While he ever would fine himself 'kors du combat.
AS Johnson one day exploring the wood.
To rerlenish the meat-tub--t,len empty--with
food,
While a tree-top near by he was leisurly viewin'
He spied the short and sharp eyes ofod Bruin,
Peer;ng out mid the branches--a sight worth dol
lar 1850 t4
When the rifle is charged and the stomach is hol
low; atE r0xHax
So he drew bead on him, and sert him missile,
Which Bruin perceived. by omnous Whistle,
Was very near taking iIim plump ia theeye,A
But he lodged just in time. and the bullet went by.
Now bears are pugnacious--as much 50 as wives,
And whenever assaulted will fight for their lives;
SO seeing that Toms ammunition spent,
He determined at once on hasty descent;
For knowing that he Or Tom Johnson Eould EAT,
The question arose which should furnish Che meat;
For although the bullet had wrought some confu-
sion,
A moments reflection produced the conclusion,
That he at the foot of the tree with the gun,
Minus powder and bullet, must needs be the one;
So he slid down the tree. with much scratching and
e clawing, aa
Designing to give poor Tom 3 carcass a gnawing-
But Thomas, intent upon saving his life,
A. i'll L. IL 80
As Brun came down, his legs clasping the tree,
Caught paw in each hand and held tight as could
be-: ,..r f---
He put on grip unto Bruin quite new. 5s
Like vice when the blacksmith is turning the
screw.
But now what to do there arose great doubt.
For Bruin and Johnson had both just found out
What neither had thought Of until twas too late
That each was exposed to merciless fate
At the hands, or the teeth the claws Of the 9TH
Al. which neither could his as onishment smother.
And neither knew what il vas safest to do;
Twas hard to hold on. but twas worse toilet 60.
Now johnson still being not far from his house,
Bethought him in time of his excellent spouse,
So he hooted and hallooed and made such noise
She distinguished at last his Affect onate voice..
Calling loudly for help as it rose on the breeze.
Like the panther's wild scream in the tops Of the
trees
% juice, dear juice. come, help me this time,
And never again will-(oh. bother the rhyme.)
VIII bite you. scratch you. or Whip yeu. net l.
But love and protect you till you or ! de- p ~
Now good Mistress Johnson, dear soul. when she
heard
The piteous cries of her penitent lord,
Got herselfto the wood withbroom- stick In hand.
Il am. most respectfully, yours to command
Said the wife, a. she came and found Tom and the
Both hugging tree with the grip of despair
% juice, dear juice. How can you7--now come,
Do help me, or quickiy-confoaud it.--our home
Won't have any master.-dear juice, consider
The children no daddy, and you lone widow!
An unlucky hint for poor Tom. by the by.
For worse things might happen" thought she with
a sigh.
But good mistress Johnson. though 1--we was but
scanf,
Had heart never hcwn from the worst adamant;
1t sotened apace, so-with broon-stick in air
And FIRE in her eye she advanced on the bear,
Who seeing the enemy thus reinforced
Tried to get his fore paws from Toms clutches di
sorced.
. woman, poor woman. dear woman. sweet thing!
o light Of earth's darkness. treasure super
nal.
Thy fond heart, though crushed, viii increasingly
cling E##Wa
To loved one, though fallen, degraded, infer
nal. 2 etHir a
Thrice Bruins tough hide from the broomstick now
had a cut;
Quoth Johnson: my darling. that weapons made
quate--
Hold bit--let me see-now well fix him-here
Mother
Reach your mandrake this paw-hold it tight
now the other.
There. I will despatch him-ah. where is my gun
And bullets7 dear me.-ah.-why, what have
done7 .It
win run to the house, and be back in . trice-
Hold on, my 5elovec. be still ss nice.!''
Quick. quickr the wife shouted. BE of-ge