The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-05-21

plhS uou bno lOlhn ONoI IN DfluBctOWu
where | was brought up, wall, as much
as forty years ago.
He got his name from the peculiar
shape Of his foot, and he got that from
trifing with gun-trap. You know
what that is--a loaded gun set in such
a way that bear or any game that's
curious about it must come up to it the
way it p'nts; bait is hung before the
muzzle and string runs from that to
the trigger.
He was cunning fellow, and he put
out an investigatin' paw at the piece of
pork before trying his jaws on it,; SO in
stead of gettin' bullet in the head, he
merely had a bit of his paw shot off.
There were but two claws left on that
foot, as his bloody tracks showed.
Hegot off; but his experience seemed
to have sOured his disposition. He owed
q spite to the settlement.
One night great row was heard in
my uncle's pig-pen. He and the boys
rushed out with pitchforks, gun, and
a lantern. They knew what the trouble
was, or soon found out. A huge black
bear had broken down the side of the
pen; he had seized a fat porker, and was
actually Juggling him off in his armsl
The pig was kicking and squealing, but
he bear had him fast. He did not seem
at all inclined to give up his prey, even
when attacked. He looked sullen and
ugly, but a few jahs from a pitchfork,
and a shot in the shoulder convinced
him that he was making mistake.
He dropped the pig and ran away be-
fSsrk ", ', ala aoY,ld Load Coz
shot. The next morning they examined
his tracks. 1t was old Two Claws.
But what split him for being quiet
neighbor was something that happened
about year after that.
There was rowing family of Indians
encamped near the settlement, hunting,
fishing and making moccasins and
baskets, which they traded the whites.
One afternoon the Red-Sky-of- the
Morning wife of the Water-Snake-with.
the-Long- Tail came over to the settle
ment with some to their truck for sale.
She had papoose on her back strapped
on a board another squaw travelled
with her, carrying an empty jug.
Almost within sight of Gorman's
grocery, Red-Sky took off her papoose
and hung it on tree. The fellows
around the store had made fun of it
when she was there once before, so she
preferred to leave ii in the woods rather
than expose it to the coarse jokes Of the
boys. The little thing was used t. such
treatment. Whether carried or hung
up, papoosey never cried.
The squaws traded off their truck,
and bought, with other Injuries Of
civilization, a gallon of whisky. They
drank out Of the jug, and then locked
at more goods. Then they drank again,
and from being shy and silent, as at
first, they giggled and chatted like a
couple of silly white girls. They spent
a good deal more time and money at
Germans than they would If it hadn't
been for the whisky, but finally they
started to go back through the woods.
They went chattering aud giggling to
the tree where the papoose had been left.
There was no papoose there.
This discovery sobered them. They
thought at first that the fellows around
the STORE had played them trick by
taking it away, but by-and-by the Red
Sky-of-the-M Morning set up shrek.
She had found the board not far off,
but no papoose strapped TO il, only
something that told the story of what
had happened.
There were bear tracks around the
spot. One of the prints showed only
two claws.
h The Red Sky-of-the-Morning went
back to camp with the news; and the
other squaw followed with the jug.
+ When the Water-Snake-wi with-the-
Long Tail heard that his papoose had
been eaten by the bear he felt, ! sup
pose, very much as any white father
would have felt under the circum-
stances He vowed vengeance against
old Two Claws, but consoled himself
with drink of the fire-water before
starting on the hunt.
| The braves with him followed his ex'
ample. 1t wasn't in Indian nature to
start until they had emptied the jug, sc
it happened that old Two Claws got Of
again. Tipsy braves can't follow trail
worth cent,
Not very long after that woman in
! a neighboring settlement heard hei
children scream one day in the woods
near the house. She rushed out, .anc
actually saw . bear Juggling of hel
| youngest.
She was sickIy, feeble sort of woman
| but such a sight was enough TO give he
the strength and courage of man. Sh'
ran and caught up an ak. Luckily sh'
had big dog. The two went at tn
bear
The old fellow had no notion of losInl
!, his dinner just for a woman and mon
4 grel cur. But she struck him tremen
dous blow on the back; at the sam
time the elpup got him by the leg. H
4 dropped the youngest one to defen'
himself. She caught it up and ran
4 leaving the two beasts to have it out to
gether. =, lili. ~
| The bear made short work with tn
cur: but instead of following th
woman aud child, he skulked eff int
the wood, s
The settlers got together for gran
hunt, but old Two Claws-for the track
I Il Il al n