Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1880-05-29

A brOther-in-law of my uncle, a man
by the name of Rush, was one day chop.
ping in the woods about half mile
from his house when his wife went out
to carry him his luncheon. She left two
children at home, a boy about five years
old, and a baby just big enough to
tOddle around.
The boy had often been told that If
he strayed into the woods with his
brother that bear might carry them of,
and she c. arged them again that fore.
noon not to 90 away from the house
but he was an enterprising little fellow,
and when the sun shOne 40 pleasant and
the woods looked 70 inviting he wasn't
to he afraid of bears.
The woman stopped to see her hus.
band fell big beach he was cutting,
and then went back to the house, but,
Just before she got there, she faw the
Oldest boy coming out of the woods on
the other side. lie was alone He was
white as a sheet, and SO frightened at
first that he couldn't speak.
Johnny" said she, catching hold of
him, what is the matter?"
"a bear" he gasped out at last.
Where is your little brOther?" was
the next question.
"I don't know said he, too much
frightened TO know anything just then.
Where did you leave your brother?'
said she.
Then he seemed 20 nave gotten his
wits together a little. "a bear took
him." said he.
You can guess what sort of agony
the mother was in.
"0h, Johnny, tell me true. Think!
Where was it?'
"In the woods" he said. Bear
came alOng-.I run"
She caught him up and hurried with
him into the woods. She begged him 10
show her where he was with his little
brother when the hear came along. He
pointed out two or three places. In one
of them the earth was soft. There
we're fresh tracks crossing it-bear
tracks. There was no doubt about it.
1t was terrible situation for a poor
woman. Whether to follow the besr
and try to recover her child, or 90 at
once for her husband, or alarm the
neighbOrs; what to do with Johnny
meanwhile-all that would have heen
hard enough for her to decide even if
she had 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, |
! needn't try to describe what followed.
They went back to the house, and Rush
took his rife 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 wildfire through
the settlement. In an hour ard a half a
dozen men, with their dogs, were on the
track with Rush. 1t was 70 much trou-
bic 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
got up with him and one. the only one
that could follow q 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 a hunter, haggard, his
clothes all in tatters, found his way to a
backwoOdsman's hut over in White
Valley. 1t was Rush. He told his
story in a few words as he rested on a
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 come to the settlement for
help.
The hunt had taken him a round
about course, aud he was then not more
thar seven miles from home. The next
day, gun in hand. with the bearskin
strapped to his back-the carcass had
been given to his friend, the backwOods-
mamie 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
bringing home the hide of old Two
Claws.
As he came in sight of his log house,
out ran his wife to meet him, with
what do you suppOse?-little Johrny
dragging 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 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