The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-09
EBENSBURG PA, FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1878

upon the trail, when |, who was in adj
vance, heard a sharp crunching noise
in the bushes directly in front of me.
L advanced a few more steps, and dis
cerned the faint outline of the bear
through the thick brush, crunching in
his huge jaws the remains Of some ami
NAL. | raised up my hand to Shell and
the Yankee, as a sign for them to stop,
as | had discovered something Then
| raised my rife, in which | put an ex-
ira bullet, to my shoulder, took careful
aim at his heart and fired. 4 fearful
roar followed the shot, and the bear
rushed from the bushes into the clear
ing where we were standing, and on
catching sight of us he tossed his un-
gainly head and made straight for us
The old maxim that | had oten heard
in the settlements, every pedlar for
himself" was never more completely
followed out than now. Drop your
pack and run :" shouted Shell to the
pedlar, who stood in the middle Of the
clearing, undecided, with his revolver
in his hand, while Shell himself was
going for the nearest sapling at a rate
rarely equaled; and was making for
one of the steep bluffs ON the bank of
the river. The Yankee, instead of
throwing off his pack, started for a
small tree about three rods from where
he stood, with the pack still on his
shoulders, and the consequence was
that before he had got halfway, the
bearhad nearly reached him. The Yam
kee himself, looking over his shoulder
as well as he could with that huge pack
bundled on to him, saw that he could
not reach the tree before the bear. So
he resolutely turned around, facing
the now furious beast, revolver in hand,
and before the bear could reach him,
he had emptied his seven-shoOter in
the carcass, and throwing away his re-
volver, drew his hunting knife.
On seeing the pedlar thus hard be
set, both Shell and | turned to the
rescue, but too late, for ere we could
reach the spot the bear had raised upon
his hind legs and delivered a fearful
blow at the poor man, which struck
him on the shoulder, knocking him
fat on the ground, and then pouncing
upon him, began literally to tear him
to pieces. We soon reached the fear
full scene, and Shell called out to me
saving: "Stay where you are Joe, and
let me fix him" He then advanced
within ten yards of the roaring beast,
which was so busily engaged in its
bloody work that it did not notice him;
theE raising his rifle to his shoulder,
he uttered a low cry to attract the at
tention of the bear; the beast heard
the noise, ceased clawing at its victim
and raised its head then a sharp whip
like report rang through the forest, and
the bear dropped on its side, dead.
We rushed up to the pedlar, expect
ing to see life extinct; but no, he was
still alive and breathing.
What can we do for you"
asked him He shook his head and
said, Nothing" My time has come,
boys, and / must die; | feel it. Oh,
why didn't [ 90 to the States when l
was in Denver The almighty dollar"
that spirit of gain which has impelled
me since l was a boy, has at length
proved my ruin. l was not satisfied
with my fortune; I wanted more, more.
''In this pack is the wealth of years
hard toll and labor Every trip made
| through these mountains in search of
more gold | determined should be my
last, and that on reaching my starting
point I would 90 East and enjoy my
wealth but was never satisfied. and
now | have reached this miserable end.
/ have no need for the gold now it is
YOURS divide it between YOU when |
am dead; | have no other friends"
He closed his ewes for a few moments,
and then raising his hand and placing
! it on his brow, he cried: rs this death?
! Must | die now? Oh God, save, save!n
| His arm fell on his breast guTgling
sound was heard in his throat, few
| gasps, and our Yankee companion was
! dead.
That's too bad" said Shell, draw
| ing his coat sleeve across his eyes.
, ~ believe the man was made out of
the real stuff; he died game anyhow"
| 1t is no use to describe to you the
wounds that caused his death. | hope
! YOU will never see the like as long as
| YOU live Suffice it to say that we
! buried him beneath the spreading
! branches of juniper tree, within the
| precincts of tract of land that would
remind one Of the Garden of Eden.
The pack contained about ten thous-
and dollars worth of gold dust and
nuggets No wonder the poor fellow
! groaned beneath his heavy load. We
/ divided the sum between us and went
back to Denver, where l left Shell and
returned home.