Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-01-24

brother Josey drew their chairs to his
side, before nice blazing wood fire, on
cold evening in November.
Uncle was great favorite, and very
important person in the eyes of all the
children in the family, for they had but
recently made his acquaintance, as he
had spent number of years in Califor-
MIA and Oregon, living the wild, rude
life of hunter and trapper; and his
endless budget of stories was an I'M
failing source of pleasure to them all.
"Now, you may tell us just as awful
a story as you know, and you won't
brighten me bit said Benny.
"Well, let me Sec" said uncle;
"shall it be grizzly bear story, or an
Indian story, or what q
90, a grizzly grizzly they both
shouted
"Well, grizzly let it be then. 'Tis
true story, remember; but you may
not think it is rs awful as the made-up
ones.
When ! first went to California, |
knew Il man there by the name of
Johnny Aston He lived alone in tent,
among the mountains, and the boys all
said that Johnny was piling up the
dust very fast He went shares with
no one. He occasionally gave us Il call,
on his way to town for provisions
but he said very little about his bust
ness.
eve often told him it was unsafe for
him to live alone, for some of the ln-
dams at that time were very hostile;
and the bears were even more to be
dreaded than the Indians, particularly
the grizzly, which had often been seen
in that vicinity. They are the most
powerful and ferocious of all the bear
tribe, and when hungry or enraged, will
attack a man or an animal they have
very large feet, and very long claws
their hair is coarse; and they have
name between their shoulders which
stands erect; they are very difficult to
kill, and, when wounded, are very dan
gerous to the hunter.
Zone morning, the whole camp was
surprised by the arrival of Johnny, with
all his earthly possessions on his back
"' What's the matter? Where are
you bound?' whats happened?'
were the ordinations heard on every
side.
"'Tm bound not to live alone any
longer; that's what's the matter A
grizzly came near making mince meat of
me, last night, and / thought it was
time for me to pull up stakes and leave
that place.
i" Good for you, Johnny; l have
been telling you to do so all along, said
one of the boys.
.' Well, what about the grizzy go 1
asked.
"'Ill tell you Last night, after 1
had finished my days work and eaten
my supper, | sat down before the fire to
smoke everything was as still as a
mouse, and ] was thinking over old
times, when all ut once | heard terri
bic scratching and shutting behind me,
and turning around, as true as you live,
there was grizzly poking his nose I'M
der my tent
"'I knew what that meant, boys
and can tell you, my heart thumped as
it never did before. 1 had neither gun
nor revolver, for | am not fighting
would have been useless for me to have
attempted to kill him /; for unless you
are sure shot, It's plaguey risky bust
ness to pull the trigger on grizzly.
But my wit served me well that time,
for it suddenly popped into my head
that it was tobacco smoke that made
him snuff and sneeze so ; for he would
tuck his nose under the canvas, and
then draw it back, with terrible snort;
so, what did 1 do but just stir up my
fire to brisk blaze, and taking out my
tobacco, white it away lively on the
GOALS 1t was pretty tough Tor me, L
can tell you but it was for life, boys;
and / kept whiting and whiting till
the old tent was blue with smoke. He
walked clear around it, putting in his
nose here and there, but it was too much
for him my tobacco held out longer
than he did {; and finally he marched off
and left me but / watched for him till
daylight, and then I packed up my traps
and here [ am
"What a good thing it was that he
knew how to smoke" said Benny, who
had been listening with open eyes and
cars; "mother thinks It's such bad
habit, and is always talking against it;
but now | mean to learn, for it may save
my life sometime
1T certainly did good turn for
JOnlDlN once buu lcl me tell you,
Benny, that the use of it destroys more
lives than it saves; and your mother is
quite right about it. | remember her
good advice to me, when l left her
years ago and the remembrance of her
gentle face and encouraging tones saved
me from many a temptation. Be true
to your mothers counsel, and l am quite
sure that You will come out all right.
Johnny's fright cured him of living
alone; and he was never seen afterward
without revolver in his belt but we
were all doubtful about his knowing
how to use it.
go, that was a tirst-rate story, uncle
the best one you have told yet-please
tell us another
"Not tonight, boys; not tonight
but if you are very polite to me, will
take you to the menagerle some day,
and show You a bear, though he may
not be grizzly
go, that will be splendid" they both
cried ; and bidding him good night,
they went to their bed, ON the best of
terms with their uncle and all the world
beside.
RovainasS DIa.n nf Cnuftnamnnt