Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-11

they were in peril, she was aroused to
instant action. The one absorbing
thought of saving the sheep banished all
sense of personal danger. Instead of
shutting herself up in the house she
darted out and closed the door after her
lest anything should molest the baby.
Then running into the log barn, she
snatched up the pitchfork, ran round
the barn, and planted herself directly in
the bears path. "
Brandishing her pitchfork and scream
ing at him, she attempted to scare him
back to the woods. But the bear was
ravenous with hunger, and he came
straight down the hill at her, showing
his teeth and growing fiercely. As he
approached and sprang toward her, Mrs.
Pope lodged and dealt him 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 dur
ing that one instant, with almost super
human strength, Mrs, Pope plunged both
tines of the fork into the bear 'sside, where
she supposed the heart to be. Either
good fortune, or the hand of Providence,
directed the weapon, for one of the tines
passed clear through the bears heart,
and he fell over dead, leaving her not
only victorious, but unharmed. After
the excitement of the contest was over.
Mrs. Pope went back to the house,
shuddering at the extremity of peril she
had been in. But ai1er a time her
nervousness passed off, and she went
on with her work again, and so the
afternoon wore away. At length, when
the sun was about an hour high, she saw
her husband emerge from the woods
near the house. She left her spinning
wheel, and, with the baby in her arms,
net him at the door as if nothing un-
usual had occurred.
AS he came up to the door leading the
horse with one hand, and holding on the
bag of -four with the other, he spoke
out :
"Well, wife, I am thankful nothing
has happened to you while I was gone.
1 suppose it was foolish, but I couldn' t
help worrying all the time"
81 don't know as it was foolish, hus-
band. But hitch the horse, and bring
the bag in. want to talk with you"
When the bag was deposited in the
house, Mrs. Pope said: $50 you were
nervous about us them"
eyes. I don't remember ever being
so nervous before in all my life.
"Well, husband, was nervous too.
I couldn't help thinking what could do,
if bear should come down from the
mountain after the sheep
"Why, common sense would tell you
what to do; shut the door, take care OF
yourself and baby, and let the sheep
go 2"
edo you think so, husband %
"Of course I do. What else could
you have done ?"
You will see if you go out behind
the barn and look"
"Behind the barn What do you
mean 2"
81 mean what I say. Go and look be-
hind the barn"
: Mr.. Pope started out in the greatest
wonder, while'the wife buried her face
: in the baby's apron, to smother the
womanly tears she could no longer re.
strain. -
To his utter astonishment Mr.. Pope
found the dead bear behind the barn
} with the pitchfork sticking in its side
: When he went in and heard the whole
story from his wife, he fully realized thai
something had happened in his absence
and that he had more reason than evel
to be thankful.
am indebted to the wife OF James
Harris, Esq, of st. Johnsbury, for this
, history of Mrs. Pope's encounter with
/ the bear. Mrs. Harris's father-Rev
Timothy Locke-lived not far from Mr.
{ Pope's house at the time. Mrs. Harris
, still distinctly remembers seeing tht
| bears skin nailed on the outside of til,
barn, where it remained all summer
! while Mrs. Pope became famous
t throughout the neighborhood for he
r heroism.-,St. Nicholas.