Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-12-11

ing very steep, we concluded to all
get on with bruin and take a ride.
Putting the bear down next to the
runners, and with Shaw at the helm
to guide, FitZ and myself bringing
up the rear, we all got seated snugly
on the sled, and giving it a push we
started off on the most grand and
fearfully reckless ride that WAS ever
conceived. Starting off, at first
slowly, the speed kept gradually in
creasing, until it got to such ire
mendous gait that the trees rs we
passed seemed like lightning Il sshes;
on we go, faster and faster, when
suddenly we find ourselves at the
bottom. 1t seems but moment
since we started. yet the momentum
attained Is such that we do not stop,
but run for mile, at least, on the
level, when, 10 we are suddenly let
down in the snow. Looking for the
cause, we find that the runners of
the sled are completely burnt off,
the friction being so great that they
took fire, roasting poor bruins hide
very badly, indeed. Ii there are any
of your readers who disbelieve this
incident, let them come out here
and we will go through the same per-
Torrance for their benefit, provided
they will accompany us in the ride.
Last night just before we sat down
to supper, and it being my turn to go
for water, started out, the spring
being about one hundred yards from
the house. On my way back i'm
agined | heard some one hallooing,
as if in distress. / called FitZ and
Shaw to the door of the cabbin, and
they We're sure bear had some fell
low up a tree, or that some one was
lost in the snow and party were
ont looking for them. Supper being
ready W. all went in and sat down to
our bear steak and coffee, after
which Shaw went to the door to see IL
the calling continued. He listened
few mir utes and he heard the poor
fellow again, this time the voice be-
ing very faint. 5. asked the matter
and the reply was shelp me- Not
knowing what the trouble was, or
but that we would have to encounter
some wild beast, we each of us arm
ed ourselves as best we could and
started out to rescue the man that
asked for help. We found him about
three hundred yards from our place,
lying in the snow in q stupor, and
completely exhausted. He had been
over the hill to his fathers saw-mill,
about two miles, and had given out
on his way back. He had started
about O'Clock in the morning, and
it was O'Clock at night when we
found him. 1t was narrow escape
for the young man, for had he not
made his way as close to town as no
did, he would undoubtedly have
frozen to death before he could have
been found. We were nearly played
out ourselves when we reached him.
The depth of the snow and the light
atmosphere makes travelling very
hard and difficult, much more so
than one could realize until it had
been experienced.
/ will say this to any of the boys
in Martinsburg who may be think
ing of "taking in" this country,
that they want to bring their blan-
kets-fve or six of them-instead of
their trunks, and enough money to
see them through month or so.
If they come here it must be with
the firm determination of going
to work, and the hardest kind OF
work at that. If they come up here
they must make up their minds be-
fore leaving home that they will
pursue temperate course, for man
can no more succeed here than he
can any where else and do otherwise.
If they do not come to make some
thing, / am at a loss to know what
they would come for. More anon,
f., s. Il A.