Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-13
Playing Horse with a Bear,

Once there was man whose whole life
had been spent in "going West" His father
and mother moved from New England to
Michigan when he was baby, and settled
six miles from any neighbor. But before
the farm was all cleared, other settlers came,
and the family moved on. Don't want to
be crowded." the old man said ." heard
rifle and an axe that wasn't mine yes
terday." Aud he went farther and farther
west every year, till by the time the boy I'm
telling you of was a grown-up man, they had
got clear to the west part of Oregon, on the
Pacific coast. And as the old man couldn't
move west any farther, without getting into
the ocean, and neighbors had moved within
two miles of of him, he gave it up and went
to bed sick, and died. "'Taint no USE" he
outer the world. can't a-bear to tech ell
bows with folks no-how.' And so he died,
with his nearest neighbor two miles away.
But was going to tell you of his sons
scrape with bear. They built their first
log house at the foot of hill but it was
so low and damp that James--for that was
his name--started to build a bigger one
higher up, half-a-mile off, near a.mountain
brook, with grand old trees around the spot,
and fine view of the country. He took off
the two front wheels of the old emigrant
wagon that they had crossed the great
plains in, and made him good strong two
wheeled cart, with box on it. And in this
he drew back and forth his carpenter tools,
and his dinner and chips for the fire, over
a rough road that he had cut through the
woods.
He used to take little nap after his noon
day meal and one day when he was sleep
ing on a splendid bed of evergreen boughs
that he had fixed near the timbers he was
at work on, he was wakened by loud
rafting of the tin dishes in his cart. He
looked around quickly, and what do you
suppose he saw A big black bear paving
over the luncheon he had left, and smacking
his chops over a piece of wild honey and
some corn cakes that James hadn't eaten up.
"This is a pretty fix" said James to him
self, quick as a flash. my rifle and axe are
both in the cart, and that ugly beast would
claw me to pieces before | could get em
out" He was afraid the bear would chase
him if he ram and corner him if he stayed
and so he set his wits to work to find way
out of the scrape
He jumped to his feet quick as a fla, h
grabbed the tongue of the cart before the
bear could say "Jack Robinson If he had
known how-and started on keen run
bear in it after him.
Well, | s'pose there never was bear sc
astonshed since the pair saved from the
flood stepped out of Noah's ark and found
the whole world drowned. lie had never
had a ride before, and didn't want one now
But the cart was going so fast he darent
jump out; and so he just chung on, anC
cooked from one side to the other, aud fairly
howled as the cart bumped over the root.
and stones.
The tin-dishes in the bottom of the cart
ratified like a pedlar's wagon on the pave
ment; the axe and gun bounded on to tn,
bears toes, and he looked as if he didnt
know which was the worst,-his mad or hi,
scare.
Down the steep hill James ran, straight
for the corner of his log house. He had hi'
plans all made and as he turned the corner
he ran the cart against log, and tipped il
right over, bottom side up. with Mister
Bear on the under side. His other riff,
hung over the door, in the hou sc, and he
grabbed that down in a hurry, and as the
bear stuck his head out from under tn,
edge he shot him right between the eyes
saying There, that settles the question:
"What question 2" asked his wife, who
came running out to see what the noise
meant
"Why, the question whether had caught
bear or he had caught me-
"Mercy sakes - she said, as she saw tn,
dead bear. Then he told her the story, anC
she kissed him, and laughed and cried al
the same time. And he had an overcoa
made of the skin, to remember the time by
when he "gave bear free ride. "-"Bed
time Stories" in Golden Rule.