The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-02
A story OF n Grizzly Bear.

story OF Grizzly Bear.
"Now, uncle, we are all ready for a
story" said Benny Reede, rs he and his
brother Josey drew their chairs to his
side, before n nice blazing wood fire, on
a 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 q number of years in Califor-
MIA and Oregon, living the wild, rude
life of u 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
story as you know, and you won't
brighten me a bit, " said Benny.
"Well, let me see" said uncle !;
"shall it be grizzly bear story, or an
Indian story, or what ?"
go, a grizzly a grizzly !" they both
shouted.
"Well, grizzly let it be then. "Tis
q true story. remember but you may
not think it is as awful as the made-up
ones"
"When 1 first went to California,
Johnny Astor. 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 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 In
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 man or an animal they have
very large feet, and very long claws !;
their hair is coarse and they have a
name between their shoulders which
stands erect they are very difficult to
kill, and, when wounded, are very dan
gerous to the hunter.
One morning, the whole camp was
surprised by the arrival of Johnny, with
all his earthly possessions on his back
tent, frying-pan, pick and shovel.
What's the matterY Where are
you bound?' What's happened 2
were the ordinations heard on every
side
"I'm 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 l thought it was
time for me to pull up stakes and leave
that place.
Good for you, Johnny; have
been telling you to do so all along, said
one of the boys.
a" Well, what about the grizzy p"
asked.
"'Ill tell you Last night, after l
had finished my days work and eaten
my supper, 1 sat down before the fire to
smoke; everything was as still as q
mouse, and 1 was thinking over old
times, when all at once l heard a terri
BILE scratching and shutting behind me,
and turning around, as true as you live,
there was a grizzly poking his nose I'M
der my tent
sc knew what that meant, boys
and can tell you, my heart thumped as
it never did before. had neither gun
nor revolver, for i am not a fighting
man and if 1 had had any firearms it
would have been useless for me to have
attempted to kill him I; for unless you
are sure shot, tbs 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 L do but just stir up my
fire to a brisk blaze, and taking out my
tobacco, white it away lively on the
Goals. 1t was pretty tough for me, ]
can tell you; but it was for life, boys
and / kept whiting and whiting til
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 of
and left me but / watched for him til
daylight, and then I packed up my traps
and here L am. "
"What a good thing it was that he
knew how to smoke" said Benny, who
had been listening with open eyes ano
ears; "mother thinks It's such bao
habit, and is always talking against it
but now L mean to learn, for it may save
my life sometime.
eft certainly did good turn fol
, Johnny once; but let me tell you
Benny, that the use of it destroys more
, lives than it saves; and your mother II
quite right about it. remember hei
good advice to me, when / left hel
J years ago and the remembrance OF hel
; gentle face and encouraging tones saved
} me from many temptation. Be true
to your mothers counsel, and / am quite
sure that you will come out all right
Johnny's fright cured him of living
alone; and he was never seen afterwarC
without revolver in his belt; but WI
| were all doubtful about his knowing
how to use il.
go, that was first-rate story, uncle
the best one you have told yet-pleas'
tell us another"
l Not tonight, boys not tonight
but If you are very polite to me, vii