Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-21

He the anger lal Uias,c
And when angel fingers light
Scaled his lips and closed his eyes,
Baby rlasl",l them with delight
Led Ivy them to Paradise!
The Bear that Stole Our vcnison-An
Adirondack Story.
We had Just returned from the
e." Winlfall,' as it is called, whore we
had been berrying. 1t was nearly sun
down, and bidding Charlie draw some
fresh water from the spring, I turned
nv attention to the fire, while Will
opened the camp-chcst, produced the
frying-pan, tin plates, cups, knives and
forks. and began to set tic table for
our evening meal.
"What's for supper, Fern " cried
Charlie rs ho ApprOached, carrying
pail Of water.
"Why, venison, coffee, and potatoes,
I suppose, - l answered; twill you be
good enough to cut the meat z"
"Certainly," he replied, taking the
frying pan from the ground and draw
ing his knife. "where is ;t2''
Sup ut the spring, l think, shouted
Will from the woods close ut hand,
whittier he had gone in search Of IL
table leg to supply the place of one
which had been broken the day before.
g 1t was put there to keep fresh, you
KNOW he added.
Charlie turned toward little path
that, running for few rods along the
river bank, led to the clear, cool spring
where we obtained our water. In a
moment his voice came sounding back:
"Whcre, Will? There's no meat here
Mt least can't find any,"
Will, who had succeeded in sultlng
himself as to a table leg and was now
attempting to put it in its place,
dropped his Ratchet and ran toward
the spring. I heard the voices of my
friends in earnest conversation for a
few moments, and then Will shouted
out: 'Fern, that venisOn must be
down there. Look about, will You?
! don't tllink-oh, I remember where
it isl" aud he came tumbling through
the bushes, and turned toward a tall
pine that stood like an ever watchful
sentinel just at the lower limit of our
camp. II hung it on this tree this
morning, aud-but it's gone! And
see here, boys, some animal has taken
it; look, here are the tracks! Oh,
what big ones! A bear, I do be-
lieve! Oh, look here!"
Charlie and myself hurried up.
True enough, the venison was gone,
taken by some four-footed thief too,
for there was the track plain enough in
the soft earth before W.. The venison
had been hung on stout peg driven
into the tree; this, with scrap OF
meat sticking to it, still remained, bent
downward by some strong pull, while
the bark of the pine was roughened
and broken by the marks of claws, fol
the meat had been hanging nearly siz
feet high, and the animal, whatever il
was, had to spring to get at it.
We stood gazing at the scene of on,
loss for few moments and specializing
upon its cause. "Probably," said
Charlie at length, ''some animal
either q bear or panther, wandered
down to the river to drink this after
noon, and, attracted by the smell o
the meat, came up here aud stole it i,
our absence. But come, the potatoe
are done, aren't they, Fern2 and tn
coffee boiled, too? Let's have supper
what there is of it: we can talk tn
matter over better after satisfying on
hunger"
Yes, the supper was ready; and II
turning to our table, still lacking til
fourth leg, we placed the eatables upo
upon it, and began our meal Ere
was finished, the light dip of a padd]
came sounding to us from around tn
bend of the river. and in few moment
Gray Tarcone, gentleman who wa
camping half mile or more above II.
gracefully shot his little canoe ashore
and sprineing out, babe us a heart
GOOD evening" as he approached tt
table.
Greeting him, we offered seat .
our board, which, however, he d,
clinea, having just eaten, and seatc
himself on Il log near the fire. After
few general remarks, Charlie related
our visitor the story of our loss. Ia
come listened attentively, and, havin
examined the tree, gave it as his opil
ion that bruin was the cause of O,
trouble. "And no w. said he, II wi
offer you piece of advice-set a ira
Tor the thief. That is, hang anoth
piece of meat up there, do without
fire tonight, and keep watch. Yo
may get shot"
"a capital idea," answered Will
''but we havn't got the venison.
''Easily remedied. We have tw
quarters up at camp, and nothing wi
please me better than to have one use
i'll this way: Will you favor me h
using one %
''.With PLEASURE" we all replied
and Charlie, moving toward our boa
added: IL will accompany you, NJ
Tarcome, on your return, and bring IL
meat back"
Let us away, then, at once" r
piled that gentleman good nigh
boys; / shall be over early to learn ,
the success OF our plan. Come, Charll
good night" and, utterly refusing
prolong his visit, with wave OF ii
hand he was off.
Will and I sat listening to the Quit
strokes of their paddles lying away {
the evening air, and then, lighting o,
pipes, silently enjoyed them until OF
comrades return. Upon that Il
meat was again hung against the tire
the double barrel heavily loaded wi,
buckshot, the fire extinguished, IN
having divided the night into watche
Will, whose turn came first, seate
himself on log few steps from IL
tree, while Charlie and I retired to O,
bed of hemlock branches and we
soon asleep; soon, notwithstandir
the unusual cause for excitement, +,
fresh air, long walks, and wholeson
food do wonders toward taking ava
ones natural nervousness.
1t was nine o'clock then. At mi,
night was awakened by the st
occasioned by q change of bed fellow
Charlie going on guard, while Wi
''turned IN" but it was not unit
three O'clock, when Charlie shook N
and whispered in my ear, "Fern! t!
be,r!" that fairly reused myself.
"The bcar?' queried, "wlere 2"
"Thai's for you to t-:ll," answere
he, rolling himself in his blanket, "a
has been quiet. on my watch. But va
may see something yet. Good night
'Prctty near morning for that sal
tation," thought I, as rubbing the sic,
from my cyelids, I took my position {
the log and looked about me. II
moon, which, had shone in the earli
part Of the night, was now hidden b
hind dense bank OF clouds whit
Obscnrcd all the western horizon. On
IL few stars shed IL twink]ing liell
Which fell wavcring tlr'ugh the silc1
t,cc. tops overhead, to flicker and ia,
on the still more silent earth be]o,