The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-09-05

Inc noster hesltated, wlnked his one eye
with AN odd expression, put fresh quid in
to his cheek, and finally resumed.
"A brother-in.law of my uncle a man of
the name of Rush, was one day chopping in
the woods about half a mile from his house,
when his wife went out to carry him his
| luncheon.
She left two children at home, boy
about five years old, and baby just big
enough to toddle around.
The boy had often been told that II he
strayed into the woods with his brother a
bear might carry them off, and she charged
| him again that afternoon not to 90 away
| from the house but he was an enterprising
little fellow and when the sun shone so very
pleasant, ard the woods looked so inviting,
he wasn't one to be afraid of bears
The woman stopped to see her husband
fall a big beech he was cutting, and then
went back to the house-but Just before she
got there she saw the Oldest boy coming out
of the woods on the other side. He was
white as sheet and so frightened at first
that he couldn't speak.
"Johnney,' says she, catching hold of
him, what is the matter?'
| "a bear he gasped out at last.
"Where is your little brother p was her
next question.
"I don't know said he, too much fright
ened to know anything just at that time.
"Where did you leave him p says she
Then he seemed to have gotten his wits
together little. "A bear took him ? said
he.
You can guess what sort of an agony the
mother was in.
% Johnney, tell me true Think I
Where was it p
Tn the woods he said. Bear come along
Il rum.
She caught him up and hurried him in
to the woods She begged him to show her
where he was with his little brother when
the bear came along. He pointed out two
or three places. In one of them the earth
was soft. There were fresh tracks crossing
it-bear tracks. There was no doubt of
it.
1T was terrible situation for poor wo-
man. Whether to follow the bear and try
to recover her child, or go at once for her
husband, or alarm the neighbors, what to do
have been hard enough for her to decide
even if she had her wits about her.
She hardly knew what she did, but just
followed her instinct, and ran with Johnny
in her arms, or dragging him after her, to
where her husband was chopping.
WELL continued the one-eyed hostler, Il
needn't try to describe what followed. They
went back to the house, and Rush took the
rifle and started on the track of the bear,
vowng that he would not come back with
out either the child or the bears head
The news went like wildfre through the
settlement. In an hour a half dozen mel
with their dogs were on the track with Rush.
1t was so little trouble. 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 once, the only
one that could follow scent, had his bacl
broken by a stroke of his paw. After tina
it was almost impossible to track him, anC
one after another the hunters gave up ant
returned home.
) AT last Rush was left alone but nothin,
could iuduce him to turn back He sho
! some small game in the mountains, wbicl
} he cooked for his supper, slept on the groun'
and started on the trail again in the morn
| ing.
Along in the forenoon he came in sigh
f of the bear as he was crossing stream. H
had good shot at him as he was climbing
, the bank on the other side.
. THE bear kept on, but it was easier track
ing him after that by his blood.
I That evening hunter, haggard, hi
clothes all in tatters, found his way to
, backwoodman' hut over in White 8 VALLEY
1t was Rush. He told his story in fe'
words as he rested on stool. He had foun
no traces of his child, but he had killed th
. bear. 1t was Old Two Claws. He had lei
him on the hills, and came to the settlemer
for help.
t The hunt had taken him round-abol
O course, and he was then not more than sey
y en- miles from home. The next day, gun
a hand, with the bear skin strapped to his bac
the carcass had been given to his frier
It the backwoodsman-he started to return b
e by easier way through the woods.
1T was a sad revenge, he had had, b
!. there was grim sort of satisfaction in lug.
ing home the hide of the terrible Old Tw
k Claws.
" 'As he came in sight of his log house, O
ran his wife to meet him, with what do yo
suppose little Johnny dragging at h
,, skirts, and the lost child in her arms.
Then, for the first time, the man droppe
but he didn't get down any further than
"a knees. He clung to his wife and baby, al
thanked God for the miracle.
N But it wasn't much of a miracle, aft
J" all.
Little Johnny had been playing arou
< the door, and lost sight of the baby, al
rt may be forgot all about him, when he stra
p. ed into the woods and saw the bear. Tn
n. he remembered all that he had heard of t
a danger of being carried off and eaten, and
course he had terrible fright. When as
a ed about his little brother, he didn't KIN
an anything about him, and suppose he rea
"a imagined that the bear got him.
O. But the baby had crawled into sn
place under the side of the raintrough a
there was fast asleep all the while. Then
- woke up, two or three hours after, and
~ ~ mother heard him cry her husband was
:" away on the hunt
Ia True this story I've told you ? add
the one-eye hostler, as some one questi
ng ed him. Every word is ?
'el But your name is Rush, isn't it p sa
1w The one'eyed twinkled humorously
5ot My name is Rush. My uncle's broth
ne in-law was my own father
nd And, you exclaimed a bystander.
,ut said the one-eyed hostler, am the very n
who warn't eaten by the bear when | w