St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-10-08
VOLUME 39---NUMBER 1898.

of water a~ she drew out the thcrs of
flax. and dcXtcrouSly shaped the strong
symmetrical thread. in Il manner that
would aStoniSh modern housewives.
All the long forenoon her musical
wheel kept humming its pleasant tune,
stopping only now and then aS its mis-
treSS either crowcd to the baby in the
cradle. or looked ont To see that no
Wild animals were prowlin% about.
Noon came and went. and nothing dis
/ turhed them. The baby in the cradle
went of 10 sleep, and she kept on with
her work. After Il time she rose and
looked out again. This time she SAW
an astounding sight Coming down the
muuntain-Sidc hom The woods. she he
/ held Il full-groWn bear. not Il hundred
wards distant. He WAS on his WAY t"
the yard where the sheep were in fold.
and She knew he WAS after the sheep.
She had Il gun, but that would not avail
anything. for she had never learned I"
Use it. She had an axe. but she knew
an axe to lee Il poor weapon to fight Il
bear with The next thing she Thought
of was Il pitchfork. Their few sheep
were Il treasure to the family. All their
winter clothing WAS to come from the
sheep. and now that they were III peril.
she WAS aroused M instant action. The
one absorbing Thought of saving the
sheep haniSlIcd all SENSE of personal
danger. Instead of shutting herself up
in the house she dartcd out and closed
the door after her lest anything should
modest the baby. Then running into
the log barn. she >lIalchcd up the pitch
fork. ran around the barn. and planted
herself directly in the bears path.
Br ndiShng her pitchtolk and scream
ing at him. she attempted t" scare him
back To the woods. BUT the bear WAS
Iavcmnus with hunger. and he came
straight down the hill at her. show in"
his teeth and growling ticrcrlN. ~ he
approached and sprang toward her.
Mrs. Pope lodged and dealt hrm Il blow &.
the iron ring of the fork striking him
exactly on the end of the nose. The
shock stunned the bear for an instant.
and during that one instant. with al
most SlIpcrhumam strength. Mrs. Pope
plunged both tines of the fork into the
bears side. where she supposed the
heart To he Either good fortune. or
the hand of Providence. directed the
weapon. for one OF the tines passed
l..
fell over dead. leaving her not only
victorious. but unharmcd. AttcI the
excitement of the contest was over.
Mrs. Pope went back L" the house.
ShuddrIiu" at the extremity ot peril She
. had been IN. But after Il time her
NERVOUSNESS passed Oft. and she went on
with her work again. and So the after
noon wore away.
. At length. when the sun was ahnnt
. an hour high. She SIM her husband
, emerge from the woods neal the house
She left her spinning " heel. aud. with
. the baby in her arms. met him at tn,
. door H. if nothing unusual had occurred
| A. he came mp to the door leading
| the horse with one hamd. and holding
! on the la" of flour with the other. Ii,
= spoke ont:
+ "Wcll. wife. | am thankful nothing
. has happened to you while was gone
. | suppose it WAS foolish. hut | couldnt
: help worrying all the time.
u Il don't know a> il WAS foolish. huS
e band. But hitch the horse. and hrin.
y the bag in. | want to talk with you."
When the bag Wa> dcpoSitcd in th,
house. Mrs. Pope said. $50 you were
nervous about lis then -
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