Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-05-28
his two scouts, ,he went on the var-path
of the bear. ...l1l...ii s--

pie OF ieaylng our Little camp, ana VIVA
with color box, portable easel, canvas
pipe, and shooting tools, I was prelt,
well loaded. But 1 tramped on, wins
Ting merrly In the bright morning air
threading my way among pines:and.ove'
huge boulders. watching the woudrou'
changes ofcolor on the vast mountains
sides, till l reached a spot where I hat
been before; aud after carefully piekins
my piece, settled down beside som.
great blocks Of stone, with the noun
tains rising up almost sheer behind me,
covered with shrubs and trees, which
seemed to cling By their roots to the
bare stone.
/ leaned my double ride and staff W
against the boulder, opened my color
box, fixed my easel and canvass; anC
then taking of my big, soft wideawake
which had decorated with sprig o
sweet scented mountain plant, huns
it on the edge of my color box, ant
had a good, quiet smoke to settle my
ideas.
Half an hour later my pipe was hang
from the corner oil the canvas, and wa'
hard at work painting.
It Was delightful spot, and bit by bi
l was dashing in the brilliant colors o
sky, mountain and valley, all loskini
wondefously bright in that clear stmes
phere.
Time glides away verv rapidly whe,
the mind is intent upon any particular
objcct, so 1 cannot say how long | hst
been at wsrk when 1 fsncied / heard I
heavy breathing close behind.
Come back and watching me-
thought to myself. How quietly be hai
stolen up. Quite an Indian trick
How do you like it. old fellowr
said aloud, as, palette in one hand
brush in the other, swung myself laz,
around, to confront net the Hon. Tom
but huge, brswn-looking bear seated
like a dog on the great boulder, anc
staring down at me- With his bright,red
looking eyes.
For few nomants was paralysed
and we sat perfectly still, staring har'
the one ut tho other. The next mo
meut l had recovered myself sufficient
ly to make a snatch at and regain my
rife, with which half scambled, bal
relied down among the bushes twenty
or thirty yards before I tired to rise.
To my dismay / found that my visi-
tor. in heavy but tolerably active way
wa, coming down after me, oherinI
4 iair .botat bis huge shoulder, ant
without Q moments hesitation | raise'
my rife and drew the trigger, to hear
sharp click, and at the same instant t
waken to the fact that it vas not loaded
and all the cartridges were by the side
of my paint>box fffy yards higherup.
Gu rssd ny folly; but there was nc
time for useless regrets-my only chance
vas to escape BY the CELEBRITY Of "a,
movements. But Of that Ibid net Zee
very hopeful, for the huge beast VA
coming after me RAPIDLY, and-sech mo
ment seemed to be Walking up NOR
into the alaerity that was alarming.
Our progress was all down the mour.
tain slope to the valley far belsw.whe
l hoped to find some place OF conceal
ment tree that l might climbs for J
had heard that the Rocky noun tail
grizzly was no adept at tree climbing
But my hopes in this way were Gu
short by the speed Of my pursuer, wh'
was gaining on me fast,and vas com
pelled:to make . double. "
Itwss an unfortunate one for me
though; for in bounding from one ston'
to another. my foot Islipped, and fel
heavily. , 81. .o ia.. -
Iwas only half stunned, though an
struggling up, wa. about to make an
other dash for life, when heavy blo'
on the shoulder sent me flying, aud ~
fell j turned nay head, to see my pur
suer close at hand; while the next mo
| msnt be was standing over me, wit
| one heavy paw planted on my chest
aud hi, great, wet,grinning mouth clos
to nv face, as be snutled st me, an
glared with hisred eyes.
Can I describe how I felt! Well
would rather not try. Let me sayonl
that | felt that it was all over, whsn IN
huge beast suddenly raised his head j
an attitude ofaitention, gazing down be
low us into the valley; and rs the shar
report Of IL riAe reached my ear, th
beast fell heavily On me, and l fain
ed. t H-
It was the voice Of Tom, followed b
a CULTURAL Ugh . that seemed TO wal
me from a stuperfying sleep; and Q
opening my eyes there was Tom, COY
cred with blood, dropping brandy b
tveen my lips.
THAT was q narrow squeak, old fe
'llov., he said. We tracked him rouu
there. and snly came up In tine.'
| where's the bear p 1 gasped.
There he lies, twenty feet below rs
said Tom. He got up again and vi
making of. when War Eagle gave hi
. second pill. and la third. which fir
lisded him. BY Jsye, cid felisw,
thought at flrst / had shot you.' Boa
:. I was q bi. crushed, but | soon can
Irouud. and we spent another two men
liz the mountains, during which tiu
Tom shst two more bears, but numb
one was the largest. And I think
| - -..l ,i,,ar s.f;- ~.