The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27

| lust followed her instinct, and ran With
Johnny in her arms, or dragging him
after her, to where her. husband was
chopping.
"Wel1," continued the one-eyed hos
tier "I 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 10
would not come back without either the
child or the bears hide.
"The news went like wildfire through
the settlement. In an hour half-a.
dozen men with their dogs were on the
track with Rush. It was 80 much trou-
BILE for him to follow the trail that they
soon overlook him with the help OF the
"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 scent, had his
back broken by stroke of his paw.
After that it was almost impossible to
track him, and one after another the
hunters gave up and returned home.
cat 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 q
stream. He had good shot at him as
he was climbing the bank on the other
side go T..
"The bear kept on, but it was easier
tracking him after that by his blood. !:
"That evening hunter, haggard, his
clothes all in tatters, found his way to q
backwoodman'shutov in ite'svalley.
It was Rush. He told his story in few
words as he rested on stool. he had
found no traces of his child, but he had
killed the bear. It was Old Two CLAWS.
He had left him on the hills, and came
to the settlement for help.
"The hunt had taken him q 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.
1T was sad revenge he had had,
but there was grim sort of satisfaction
in Juggling home the hide Of the terrible
Old Two Claws. .....-
z. "Ashe came in sight of his log house,
out ran his wife to meet him, with-what
do you suppose ?--ittle Johnny drag
girg at her skirts. and the lost child in
her arms. .--
"Then, 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 miracle,
after all.
"Littie Johnny had been playing
around the doar, and lost sight of the
bahy and 4.maNhas sforgsatt ban. all sahe1t
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 ssked about
his little brother he didn't know any
thing about him, and suppose really
imagined that the bear had got him.
"But the baby had orawled into a
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 p
"But your name is Rush, isn't it ?" I
said.
The one eye twinkled humorously.
"My name is Rush. My uncle's
brother-in-law was my own father"
"And you?" exclaimed bystander.
"I," said the one-eyed hostler, "am
the very man who warn't eaten by the
bear when I was a baby p Youths
Companion.