Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-04-06

walls of the child were heard, but
they became fainter and fainter, until
the sound could no longer be .distin-
guished.
At length it disappeared from view
behind jutting ledge.
When the intention of the animal
was first made apparent, a kind of
terror seized upon every heart, and a
cry of agony burst from every lip.
And well they might have shudder-
ed; for they now knew full we'll that
the animal was she bear, and that
she was conveying the child to her
den as food for her cubs.
For a time the father stood with
face blanched with despair, and with
form trembling like the Drowned
leaves which still clung to the trees
around him. But that weakness was
only momentary; for he became again
the invincible father; and with the
speed of an antelope he rushed for
the cliffs, his eyes fixed upon the point
where the bear disappeared with his
loved darling.
To any but the father-and to him
under circumstances h e journey
would not have only been a weary,
but almost impossible one. But the
anxious parent paused not an instant.
Indeed, he seemed to gain new strength
and courage every step.
Now a fearful ledge would obstruct
his way, but he would mount upward,
making a ladder OF the frail twig8
which hung to their sides. Onward
and upward, until the giddy height
upon which he stood was terrible to
contemplate.
But he did not look back. His child
was further on.
And now the point was reached
where the bear was last seen.
At this instant a strange sound fell
upon the ears of the father. Then
mingling with it, came the fierce growl
of the she bear, and following this,
the yelping of cubs.
O, what agony filled the fathers
bosom at that moment Could it be
possible that the ravenous beasts were
already in the act of devouring his
child?
Dick sank upon the solid rock,
while t h perspiration rolled n
streams from his face and body. A
blindness came over him and he felt
himself unable to move.
Then a voice came from below. 1t
exclaimed:
Courage, Dick. I'll be with you
soon, and we'll save the child"
| " Child, child :! muGtered Dick, as
he started up. Yes, must not give
way to this weakness as long as my
child yet lives, and l can hear her
voice even now"
The poor father became strong
again. He moved forward few steps,
and paced around a point of rock,
from behind which came the sounds.
A terrible sight met his gaze.
The little girl was laying upon her
back upon the rock. The monster
was near her, and holding her down
with one OF its huge paws, which was
resting upon her breast.
The little one had ceased her strug
glings, evidently in despair, and was
now sobbing as if its heart would
break.
The bear was bleeding profusely
and had evidently fallen from eXhaus
ton. The bullets which had been sent
into her body had given her no doubt
a mortal wound, aud she was tena
cious of life, and could accomplish
much after that wound was received
before her life wa yielded.
Like the parent who now sought
, his daughter, the first thought of the
bear was of her young, and even IL
her dying agony she clung to the fooc
she had brought them.
Only a few feet higher up were the
/ cubs. They saw the mother, and ap
, peared to anticipate feast, for the,
/ were struggling to reach it, while the.
: lifted their young voices in choru
e with that of their parent.
Dick knew that he must save hi
child soon. or it would be too late
d So he resolved to creep as near a
/ possible to the monster and the'
e spring upon her with his knife, for il
J. his haste and excitement he had drop
ped his rifle. Just as he moved tOI
r ward the bear turned, and their eye
} met. The dying beast uttered a hol
d rible howl and looked down upon hc
victim.
e And then she glanced at her cub'
and then toward Dick. Her EXPIRE;
n sion seemed to say:
r. You will have no mercy upon m
a young-why should [ have upo
q yours p
t 1t was terrible suspense for Dicl
J. He was satisfied that the bear coul
only live few moments. But whs
= might not occur in those moments
e A single blow with her huge paw an
his darling would be torn to fra.
d ments. A movement On his part migf
g cause the blow to fall.
The hunter becomes so accustome
i, to the various animals with which h
ID comes in contact, that he can almo
I'd read their very thoughts. So it ws
n. with Dick, now. He saw the intel
u tions of the bear, and he knew tn;
K his own action must be prompt an
ne powerful or it would be too late.
d, He clenched his knife, and with
te arm nerved with desperation, hol
ne and fatherly love, he sprang direct
ar at the throat of the monster, who r
1g ceiyed him with terrific howl, an
with mouth wide open.
o. Had the beast been uninjured, tt
lie struggle would have been of short d
III ration. for the odds between q m.