The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-05-21
and not injure the child r' cried the IA

viz WlhaOWy dOlSiuS 1IV q III liz
teeth.
Of he ran with all his speed toward
the highest mountain peak, while the
cries of the little one came back to the
ears of the half.frantic father.
And now the monster began its as.
cent, bearing its precious burden. On.
ward it went and upward, climbing for.
ward, as rocks towering above rocks
arose to obstruct his pathway. All this
time it kept up its fearful bowling, and
for time the walls of the child were
heard; but they became fainter and fain
ter, until the sound could no longer be
distinguished. At length it disappeared
from view behind jutting ledge.
When the intention of the animal was
first made apparent, a kind of terror
seized upon every heart, and cry o
agony burst from every lip. And vel
might they have shuddered !; for they now
knew full we'll that the ferocious anima
was she.bear, and that she was carry
ing the child to her eyrie den as food
for her cubs. yc ~ 3a1ea
For time the father had stood with
face blanched with despair, and with
form trembling like the Drowned leaves
which still clung to the trees around
him. But that weakness was only mo.
mentary, for he'became again the invinci
BILE father; and, with the speed Of an
antelope, he rushed for the cliffs, his
eyes fixed upon the point where the bear
had disappeared with his loved darling.
To any but the father, and to him un-
der any other circumstances, the jour.
ney would not only have been, weary,
but almost an impossible one. But the
anxious parent paused not for an in
slant. Indeed, he seemed to gain new
strength and courage at every step. Now
fearful rocky ledge would obstruct his
way, but he would mount upward, ma
king ladder of the frail twigs which
hung to their sides. Onward and up.
ward until the giddy height upon which
he stood was horrible to contemplate
But he did not look back. His child
was further on. iE
And now the point was reached where
the bear was last seen.a
At this instant strange sound fell
upon the ears of the father. At first
it was only the cry of a child. Then,
mingling with it, came the fierce growl
of the she-bear, and following this, the
yelping Of cubs. Oh, what agony filed
the fathers bosom at that moment
Could it be possible that the ravenous
beasts were already in the act of de-
vouring his treasure?
Dick sank upon the solid rock, while
the perspiration rolled in streams from
his face and body. A blindness came
over him, and be felt himself unable to
move.
Then came voice from below. II
exclaimed: Courage, Dick. I'll be
with you soon, and will yet save your
child" , -
"Child! child p murmured Dick as be
started up. eyes, I must not give way
to this weakness so long as my child YET
lives; and can hear her voice even
now"
The poor father became strong again.
He moved forward few steps, and
paced around point of rock, from be-
hind which came the sounds. lia 9
Aterrible sight met his gaze! ilSI
A little girl was lying upon her back
upon the rock. The monster was near
her, holding her down with one of his
huge paws, which rested upon her breast.
The little one had ceased her strugglings,
evidently in despair, and was now sob.
bing as If its poor heart was BROKEN
The bear was bleeding profusely, and
had evidently fallen from exhaustion.
The bullets which had been sent into her
body had given her, no doubt, her NOR.
tai wound but she was tenacious of life,
and could accomplish much after that
wound was received, but before her life
was yielded Like the parent who now
sought his daughter, the first thought oil
the bear was for her young, and even in
her dying agony she clung to the food
she had brought them. a,sTlio as7Ea
Only a few feet higher up were the
cubs. They saw the mother, and they
appeared to anticipate great feast, fol
they were struggling 10 reach it, while
they lifted their young voices in chorus
with that of their parent. n22zss
Dick knew that he must save his chile
soon orit would be two late. Soon hi
resolved to creep as near as possible t
the monster, and then spring upon he
with his knife; for, in his haste and ex
citement, he had dropped his rife.
just as he was moving forward, tn,
bear turned, and their eyes met. Th,
dying beast uttered a terrific howl, ant
|then looked down at her victim. Thel
fshe glanced at her own cubs. and agail
toward Dick. Her expression seemed
to say: "You will have no mercy on m,
young, why should have npon yours Y
| 1t was a dreadful suspense for Dick
He was satisfied that the bear could liv
only a few momentsP A single blov
with her huge paw and his darling woult
be torn into fragments. A movemen
|upon his part might cause this blow t,
fall. b5tilaad eW 81 NO
| The hunter becomes so accustomed I,
the various animals with which he come
in contact that he can almost read thei
very thoughts. Their actions can nearl,
always be Interpreted correctly. So wa
it with Dick now. He saw the intention
of the bear, and knew that his own &C
Itions must be prompt and powerful, o
1t would be too late. ~ +
1 He clutched his knife, and with hi
arm nerved with desperation, hope, an
a fatherly love, he sprang directly at th
throat of the monster, who received hir
with tremendous howl and with mout
wide open. "o haaatse
I Had the beast been uniniured tn
struggle would have been of short du
ration, for the odds between a man an
a grizzly bear would be as great as ths
between lion and a mouse. But th
4 monster was now dying, and death wa