The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-02-07
noise, and come and sit beside her on

| Lne seat.
Ho arose to do us he was hidden, aHtl
as he did so, stood for n moment with
his back to her, still pokiug tho pigs.
Just then the wagon joltcd over n large
stone, he was thrown on tho coop, the
stick was punched Violently into pigs
side, it squeaied, Lot screamed and Pat.
ty began to cry '."'.'' '.'
Considerably out of patience, Sally
leaned back, and, catching him BY the
arm, was about to seat him rather vio-
lently beside her, when she was arrested
by his cxclaiming
"see seel Sally, look! look what
m awful bear !"
The tone OF his voice more than his
words-ior he was sensational child,
and was constantly seeing wonderful
things-caused Sally to turn her eyes in
the direction indicated by bis frightened
gesture.
The wood was open at this spot, and
there were no large trees near but at
some distance, almost alone, stood n
great sycamore, the branches OF which
were nearly bare; between the tree and
the road the ground was thickly covered
with blackberry, pawpaw and other
bushes.
As she glanced quickly toward the
great sycamore, something huge, she
could not tell what, leaped from the tree
to tho ground, and she could hear the
Ilnderbrush crack beneath it. She knew
there were no ferocious wild animals in
Ohio, nothing in tho forests to harm
her, and had not been for many years,
buther face blanched with fear.
[ 7'tLie down." she said, in tone which
both terrified and quieted the children,
as she thrust Lot to tho bottom OF the
wagon and tore the stick from his hands,
laying it quickly and forcibly on Dolly's
back.
Tho horse sprung forward in n gallop,
reaching the foot OF the hill in few mo-
ments and Gathering over the few boards
thrown across the creek for q bridge.
Now Sally ventrred to look back. The
huge thing was on their track, coming
along in great leaps, which would soon
bring him up to them.
"non't rGise your heads" sho said to
the children, who were so alarmed they
lay perfectly still! Thea she leaned
forward and with all her strength be-
laborcd the horse. There was long
level ,piecc OF road now, but the nearest
house was mile of. Poor Dolly wns
speeding over the ground, intensely
roused and excited by this unusual treat
,nent, and seemed to feel there was dan
ger, for her ears stood erect.
Sally turned again to look. There
was nothing now to intercept her vicT,
and uhe saw the terrible animal not fur
behind, amid the cloud OF dust their
progress made, coming on-onl
Frantically she struck poor Dolly.
ais the bear comiug7 Will he eat
usi" came in smothercd accents from
the bottom OF the wagon, where the chill
drcn lay with their faces pressed close
to the boards.
Sally did not reply. She gave another
look, saw that the thing gained on them,
aud cxcrting all her strength in giving
Dolly o last blow, which sent her bound
ing forward, she got over the seat-over
tho children, unheeding their questions,
and seizing one Of tho coops threw it
over the tail-board out iu the road. The
pigs souealed Us it touched the earth,
and the noise added to Dolly's terror,
which was now so intense she was entire
ly beyond Sally's control.
I" Are wo going to DO eaten up I" Lot
whimpered, in almost whisper.
"Hush," she answered, " hush.
She let tue horse take iL7 way, and
placed herself on her knees between the
children and the other coop.
. The terrible creature had stopped. She
could geo it strike the coop with its
paw, and sec tho pieces fly rs ht touched
It. How long would it keep him, she
thought; and there CAME throb OF re-
lief rs she saw that meantime they were
speeding further and further away.
She looked round in vain there was
no ono in sight, the farmhouse was still
u quarter OF n mile ahead, md the ami
NAL sho feared was becoming only Il
black spot in the distance but as she
gazod with fixed eyes, she saw tue dust
rise again. It was moving.
They reached the farmhouse gate. 1t
Tas closed. She could not stop Dolly
nov, and, even if she could, she ind
not the courage to get down and open
it, and drive the house some distance
up tho lane. She called aloud, but no
ono heard. There were turns in the road
-severnl she could not see the animal
coming. This was worse than watching
its approach. She threw the other
coop out, then stretched herself between
the children, closed her eyes, and drew
her arm tightly around each.
As she lay thus clasping them, she
felt Dolly's space slacken. She kept
still, feeling that il she moved Some
thing would spring upon her. The
horse was evidently wearying-graduHlly
her gait became slower F.; they must be
near the village. ;.
With great effort she raised herself,
and saw tie houses only little distance
in advance. She crawled over the child
ron and the seat, aud gathered up the
reins. Dolly gave start rs she did 10,
but in moment subsided-got into hor
usual pace, and dropped that for walk;
In few moments sho was in the street
of tho village, and OF the store. Chamber:
ing out OF the wagon, Sally tried to tell
Mr.. Jones her story, but burst into tears,
aud was unable to speak.
The children, who had followed hor,
now found their voices, and cNgerly
told OF the bear, and how she had
thrown them the pigs. i
"Bless my soul, what is this ?" asked
Mr.. Jones, in excitement. /
Then Sally recovered, and informed