National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-08-16
A Bear Story.

BTouhu SEEMS 700 stcep iOf II man StoI
to tread ?" asked II fellow passenger
coantryman-wh stood by my side II,
the "Lady of the Lake" was ploughinl
her path through the blue waters.
with the large beech tree upon the
summit ?"
"Yes, And do You notice that rock
! that spreads itself, fifty feet or more
above the water, like table, one leaf II
which only has been drawn ont ?n
eyes.
General Moulton has made that rock
famous by his encounter upon it with a
bear. Any boy IN Carroll county can
tell yoI the story"
''As the boy is not here, sir, to tell
the story" ! replied perhaps You will
he good enough to supply his place"
Certainly" answered the gentleman,
who proved, as is not seldom the case,
to be well up in folk lore. and other lore
as well, in spite of his rural speech and
provincial garb, and the rather because
traditional narratives exhibit one of the
motives that brought about the settlement
of this rugged coast. at was bcyond
doubt the love of adventure, the craving
'of an excitement which the staid down
country settlements lacked, more than
broad acres, that brought our early set
tiers here. They knew well enough
what the soil was and what its clearing
would pay but they could moi resist
that element Of savaolsm. existing more
or less in human nature everywhere,
which after all that may he said about
rights Of conscience, played no small
part in the settlement of New England.
But to my story
The General, for such is the title he
has always held among MS, had been ont
all day fishing for pickerel aud salmon
trout. As the evening came on, he drew
in his lines and made for the shore.
Midway between Bear Island and the
main land ne discovered bear swim
ming IN the same direction. for whom
he made at once. Bruin DO sooner dis
covered the boat than he turned around
toward the island Moulton did the
same. 1t was race between the boat
and the bear. The latter won by few
seconds and climbed instantly up the de-
clivity. The hunter, however, was after
hlm, forgetting the want of weapons.
save an axe which he seized as he sprang
from the boat forgetting in the excite
meut to secure his boat also : Moulton !
grasping at the roots and branches. |
made his way up the precipice in rapid
pursuit. Ordinarily, owing to his short |
fore-legs bear will outrun man in
an uphill chase while, downhill, he is
apt to stumble and lose ground But |
IN this instance the footing was bad for
Brllin, and before he had reached the
his pursuer had seized him by
the hind leg, and with Hercuean strength
hurled him down the hill. 1t was an act
without Thought, done in the excitement
of the moment. The bear, brought to
close quarters. having no way of escape,
enraged at his fall now became the as
sallant. Turning upon his foe, he made
up the activity apparently intent upon a
close VT, stle As has been said the
General had an axe, but he knew very
well that no blow aimed at the head of
bear. when either of his fore-legs is at
liberty, ever reaches it. 1t is parried as
quickly as lightning. Moulton's re !
curse, therefore, was some standing
place separated from bis foe by a chasm
This table rock was at hand He sprang
or and reached it. The animal, blinded |
~ rage, followed but, as he attempted /
o span the fissure, both fore-legs being c
occupied in the leap, Moulton's axe |
unk into his skull, and he rolled life t
ess carcass to the foot of the precipice " !
'And what became of the boat ?" L
sked a bystander, who had been atten- q
ively listening to the countryman's b
tory 9
THAT is part of the narrative" re- II
lied the latter, (which has no moral t
don't mind telling you, however, that a
hough boat, fish and lines had gone /
float, and the hunter was left alone for
he night on the island, he came safely
ONE the next day, bringing his spoils -
18th him. u
SENTENCED To MATRIMoNY. An Eng 2,
Sh magistrate sentenced couple to t.
under circumstances which o
aem legally just, although legally cur ii
'us. a young man and a young woman p
ere cOnteSting possession of piece Cf IL
roperty, the one claiming under an old I,
'ase. the other under an old will cit ]
list strikes me, said the Justice, that N
lere is pleasant and easy way to ter AT
innate the old lawsuit The plaintiff b'
ppears to he a respectable young man. p'
nd this is a very nice Young woman cl
Iaughter.) They can both get married Il
nd live happily on the farm. If they d'
0 on with law proceedings 1t viii be all Sc
Uttered away between the lawyers. who. 81
am sure are not ungaliant enough TO \
ish the marriage not to come off " sit
he lady blushed, and the young man pa
they " liked each other n tn
tile bit so n verdict was entered for fo
e plaintiff on condition of his promise ga
marry the defendant within two
onths. stay of execution being put 60
the verdict till the marriage ceremony aa
ould be completed. to
Doors OF THE HEART. - Every per- -.
ms feelings have a front and side he
'or bv which they may be entered. an
ne front door is on the street Some 90,
ep it always open. somc keep it latch m,
|, some locked, some bolted, with a n
ain that will let you peep in, and not On
t in. and some nail it up SO that 10th f.,
g can pass its threshold The front a.
or leads into passage which opens hn d.,
to an ante-room, and this into the in a,,,
nor apartments The side door opens h',
once into the sacred chambers. There o.,
almost always, one key to this side lay I,,
or. This is carried for years hidden ON,
a mothers bosom. Fathers, brothers ,,r;
ters and friends, often, by no means 90, gov
iversally, have duplicates of it. The
dding-ring conveys right one alas,
none is given with it.-Autocrat o,' he r,
eakfdst Table Ia ia
CURIOUS PoND. Another Vermont idl,
rIosity: just below the summit of the ent
Nc..I Z