Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-09-08

Abe and Ulysses had no business to 20 up
the mountain that summer afternoon but
they seized the opportunity, while their
father and mother were in Manchester on a
visit, to do what they had long wanted to do
to 90 trout-iShing. The boys lived half
way up one of the Green Mountains, and
three miles from the village in the valley.
Their father, Mr.. Waite was farmer, and
lac had no children except Abe and Ulysses
who were twins.
Away up Oh top of the mountain was a
lake, out of which ran the brook that flowed
to Mr., Waite's house, and finally Joined with
several brooks from the mountain across the
valley to form otter Creek On this brook
stood saw-mill, whore, every autumn, Mr.
Waite sawed the logs he had cut on the
mountain the winter before.
Twenty or thirty years ago the mountain
was covered with large trees and the man
who built the saw-mill built, at the same
time out of great logs, gutter or shoot"
in which to send his timber down from the
top of the mountain to the mill. The shoot
was of the shape of wine butt, cut open
lengthwise: it was two miles long, aud so
steep that it didn't take a log more than
five minutes 20 60 down. Think Of that,
boys
Abe aud Ulysses, as | told YOU had no
business TO go up the mountain; bat near
the house the book had been pretty wen
fished, and they wanted to follow it up, to
stay all night at the log-house that had been
built for the wood-cutters, and in the morn
ing to fish around the edge of the pond
They told Patrick, the hired man, where
they We're going, and taking some OF moth-
er's" goodies " from the pantry, they started
up the brook. After they had gone little
way, Abe called out
"Lyss, suppose we should meet that bear
Ben Bennett saw up here last winter
llO,' said Lyss, | don't believe that he
saw any bear besides, if we sh0ud meet one
| know what I'd do
What " said Abe
Why, stand still and when he came near
and opened his mouth to bite, I'd push the
butt end of my fsh-pole down his throat
and that would kill him; and then if he
didn't die soon enough, I'd cut his throat
with my jack-knife."
81 should be scared " said Abe; 81 hope we
shan't see him. | should run if he came af-
ter me-"
The boys were now at the bottom of the
shoot, and since it was easier to fish stand
ing in it, they got in and began to walk up.
They carried their basket of food by turns /;
they lished in every little pool for few mo
ments, and they had caught two large strings
OF trout before they had reached the cabin.
After supper they put out their fire, and
climbed up the ladder into the loft whore
the wood-cutters slept IN winter. After
brushing clean place ON the floor, they car
ried up lot OF grass TO lie upon; then they
went down and shut the door and, put
chopping-block against it," to keep out the
bear" Abe said This done, they went up
stairs to bed, and, tired out with their walk,
were soon asleep.
Next morning the boys woke up early.
After eating their breakfast they took their
fish out of the brook and started for the
lake, which could not they knew, be far off
As they went, they began to think of what
Ben Bennett had told them-how, when
Ben was going up the brook alone the bear
suddenly came out of thicket upon him,
aud chased him so far that he ran all the
way down the mountain in great fright,
yowing never to go up again alone.
Shouldn't you really be afraid" said
Abe, :" if he should imp at us out of that
bush ?"
- oh no, said Lyas. IL never seemed
to me that David was SO very brave, because
he killed the lion and the bear"
Lyss, nevertheless, looked as he said this,
pretty hard at the bush; and jumped when,
moment later, partridge that they had
started up flew off, with q loud whirr. All
at once, Abe called out;
There he is
"Where said Lyss, quickly.
cover there
Sure enough, out of the bushes, something,
some ANIMAL was slowly coming towards
them. l.yss didn't wait to make a closer ac-
quaintance, but turned around and ran. as
fast he could, towards the shoot. tumbling
down and losing his fish on the way.
As Abe started to follow his brother, he
heard great cracking OF bushes behind
the animal was following him at a run.
The noise came nearer and nearer i'm spite
Of all Abe's efforts TO escape He looked
around and saw-Farmer Benson's calf,
which had strayed away and, glad to see a
human being again, was galloping down the
path.
Abe stopped, picked up Lyss' fish, and,
driving the calf before him, went through
the woods home, where he found his father
and Patrick just starting in search of him.
Lyss was heartily ashamed of his COW
ardice, and when he saw Mr., Benson pay
Abe half dollar for bringing the calf home,
he determined that he would try to be n lit
tie more courageous the next time he saw
bear Stories for Children.