St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-10-08
Mrs. Pope and the Bear.
RY FRANKLIN B. GAGE.

"Inu must look ont t"r the sheep,
wife. These warm days will bring the
bears out of their deus. They will hr
raven"uS. and like a> not they will
break int" the lad and carry OF some
of the sheep. | SIM bean tracks up the
mountain this morning.
WELL" said Mrs. Pope. ''thrN needn't
expect t" get any OF ou sheep. If they
come prov ling round here. I'll drive
them of in some way. We need the
sheep too much To have them carried
OF 10y hears.
Il wish You understood using the gun.
wife. When am gone, NON! about
lra> img you and the baby all day alone.
The woods are 81 near. | cant help
thinking some Wild animals may come
down from the mountains and attack
Nou."
"Iom needn't fear about that" ans
WcIch Ms. Pope. To hr sure II Is
lonesome with neither man mon dog
ahuutAsI presume should feel safer II
| understood handling Il "lIIs. hut don
believe ANYTHING" will come near III the
ra, time :" don't w"IIN about us.
only hc sure to get home before dusk.
"Wrll. good bye. then. Don't rN-
posi-. the baby or Yourself to amy dan
Ger. and I'll hr back before night.
80 saving. Mr.. Pope. with Il bag of
| grain on his horse. started oil to mill.
| leaving his wifi, and baby alone i'll their
SOLITARY log cabin in the wilderness.
This conversation occurred in the
| town of Kirhv. Vermont. in the spring
of the >caI ISL. when that region WIS
but little settled. when even women
understood they were in constant peril
from wild beasts. Jesse Popr'S cabin
stood close to the foot of the Kirby
mountains. in whose rocky Businesses
bears. ratamountS and wolves had their
| inaccessible lcnS. Bears. especially,
were 81 thick aS to he Il source OF con-
stant dread to those who had tiocks. III
were compelled to leave their homes
unprotected. while they went T." the
larger settlements on necessary huSi-
hess.
Mrs. Pope fully understood the peril
that surrounded her during her hus-
bands absence. Her cheerful talk with
her husband WAS not mere hravado.
| She said what she did. aS much to krcl
her own spirits up as to dlSpcl her huS-
bands anxiety. She knew that he must
90 to the mill. and there was no WAY
for her but to STAY ut home and he as
brlye us pusSihle She was Il BRAY,
wu,uuu. Nature had endowed her Will
I courage. and the surroundings of hen
early life. had all tended To foster and
strengthen it. She fully understand
her situation. aud when her husband
passed out of sight she knew she ana
her baby were alone in the great viii
drrneSS. beyond the reach of help
should anything serious occur. Bmt Sl,
had always lived in the wilderness
The howl of the wolf and the %r"wl 4"
the bear were familiar sounds to her
and she had hccomr accustomed to ;
. lonely life in the woods. SO, lnstca'
of shutting herself in the house. Si'
went on with her work H. usual.
After the breakfast dishes were wash
ed and put away. she brought ont Ia"
little ''lincn wheel and went L" SPIN
| ming haN. They must have clothes #"
summer wear. and that was tn" scas"l
to spin and weave before the Srmmr
fully set III. can remember my m"thc
t and her spinning-whccl. and can
| imagine Just how Mrs. Pope looked
sitting with one foot on the ucadle.
e can hear the buzz of the wheel aS
. flew round | can see just how Otter
! she dipped her fingers i'll the little cul