The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-12-01

peril she aroused to instant action. The
one absorbing thought OF saving the sheen
banished all sense of personal danger. In
stead OF shutting herself up in the house
she dartcd cut and closed the door after
her, lest anything should molest the baby.
Then running INTO the log barn, she
snatched up the pitchfork, ran around the
barn, and planted herself directly in the
bears path. 8randishing her pitchfork
and screaming at him, she attempted to
scare him back to the woods. But the
bear was raveuous hungry, and lie came
straight down the hill at her, showing his
teeth and growing fiercely. AS he ap-
preached and sprang toward her, Ms.
Pope lodged and dealt him a blow, The
iron rung Of the fork striking him exactly
on the end OF the nose. The shock stunned
the bear iol an instant, and during that
one instant, With almost supcrhumau
strengths, Mrs. Pope plunged botn tines of
the fork into the bears side where she sup
posed the heart 20 be. Either good fortune,
or ihe hand of Providence, directed the
weapon, for one OF the tines passed clear
through the bears heart, aud lie fell over
dead, leaving her not only victorious, but
unna!ncd. After the excitement of the
contest was over, Mrs. Pope went back to
the house, shuddering at The extremity of
peril Sue had been III. But after time
her nervousness passed otI, and she went
on with her work again, and SO tue after
noon 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 heel, and, with the baby in
her arms. met him at the door as though
nothing unusual had occurred.
As he came up 10 the door leading his
horse with one hand, and holding on the
bag of flour with the other, lie spoke out !:
We'll, wife, | am thankful nothing has
happened to you while | was gone. / sup
pose IL was foolish, but | couldn't help
worrying all the time"
II don't know as ii was foolish, husband.
But hitch the horse, aud bring the bag IN.
l want TO talk with you"
W hen the bag was deposited in the
house, Mrs. Pope SAID 80 you were
nervous about US, then?"
''Nes | don't remember ever being 50
nervous before i'll my life.
wv ell, husband, i was nervous, too.
couldn't help thinking what could / do if
bear should come down from the noun
tain alter Sheep"
''Why common sense would tell you
what to do; shut the door, take care of
yourself and baby, and let the sheep CO."
''Dn you think So, husband ?''
'OI course do. " hat else could you
have done?"
II on VIII see II you go out behind the
barn and look
behind the barn? ? What doyOu mean -
II mean what l say. Go and look be-
hind the barn ?''
Mr.. Pope started ont in the greatest
wonder. while the wife buried her face in
The baby apron, To smother the wUnIanly
tears She cUuid no longer restrain.
To Eis utter astOushment Mr.. Pope
found tie dead beaI behind the barn, with
the pitchfork in its side.
" hen he went ia aud heard the story
from his wife, he fully realized that some
thing had happened during his absence,
and that he had more reason than ever to
be thankful.
l am indebted to the wife of James
Harris, Esq, of st. Johnsbury, VT, for
this history of Mrs. Pope's encounter with
the bear. Mrs. Harris father-Rev. Timo-
thy Locke--lived not far from Nr. Pope'S
house at the time. Mrs. Harris still dis
tincty remembers seeing the bear skin
naileu OH the outside of the barn, where it
remained all summer, while Mrs. Pope be-
came famous throughout the region for
her heroism.