The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-20
DGwAY,- COUNTY, PA, THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1879.

Just followed ner 1n6tlncG, ana ran with
Johnny in her arms, or dragging him
after her, to where her husband was
chopping.
"Well," continued the one-eyed hos
tier II needn't try to describe what
followed. They went back to the house,
and Rush took his rifle and started on
the track of the bear, vowing that he
would not come back without either the
child or the bears hide.
"The news went like wildfre through
the settlement. In an hour half-a-
dozen men with their dogs were on the
track with Rush. It was 30 much trou-
BILE for him to follow the trail that they
soon overlook him with the help of the
dogs.
"But in spite of them the bear got
into the mountains. Two of the dogs
came up with him, and one, the only
one that could follow a scent, had his
back broken by a stroke of his paw.
After that it was almost impossible to
track him, and one after another the
hunters gave up and returned home.
"At last Rush was left alone; but
nothing could induce him to turn back.
He shot some small game in the noun
tains, which he cooked for his supper,
slept on the ground, and started on the
trail again in the morning.
"Along in the forenoon he came in
sight OF the bear as he was crossing a
stream. He had good shot at him as
he was climbing the bank on the other
side
"The bear kept on, but it was easier
tracking him after that by his blood.
"That evening hunter, hagpard. his
clothes all in tatters, found his way to a
backwoodman's huto over in Whites valley.
It was Rush. He told his story in few
words as he rested on q stool. He had
found no traces of his child, but he had
killed the bear. 1t was Old Two Claws.
He had left him on the hills, and came
to the settlement for help.
"The hunt had taken him round
about course, and he was then not
more than seven miles from home. The
next day, gun in hand, with the bear
skin strapped to his back-the carcass
had been given to his friend the back
woodsman-he started to return by an
easier way through the woods.
It was sad revenge he had had,
but there was grim sort of satisfaction
in Juggling home the hide of the terrible
Old Two CLAWS.
GAS he came in sight of his log house,
out ran his wife to meet him, with-what
do you suppose ?-little Johnny drag =
gipg at her skirts. and the lost child in
her arms.
"tThen, for the first time, the man
dropped, but he didn't get down any
further than his knees. He clung to his
wife and baby, and thanked God for the
miracle.
"But it wasn't much of a miracle,
after all.
"Little Johnny had been playing
around the door, and lost sight of the
baby, and maybe forgotten all about
him when he strayed into the woods and
saw the bear. Then he remembered all
that he had heard of the danger of being
carried off and eaten, and of course he
had terrible fright. When asked about
his little brother he didn't know any
thing about him, and I suppose really
imagined that the bear had got him.
"But the baby had crawled into q
snug place under the side of the rain
trough, and there he was fast asleep all
the while. Then he woke up two or
three hours after, and the mother heard
him cry; her husband was far away on
the hunt.
True-this story I've told you ?"
added the one-eyed hestler, as some one
questioned him. "Every word of it |"
"But your name is Rush, isn't it ?"
said.
The one eye twinkled humorously.
My name is Rush. My uncle's
brother-in-law was my own father"
"And you?" exclaimed bystander.
a." said the one-eyed hostler, sam
the very man who warn't eaten by the
bear when I was a baby l"- Youths
Companion.