The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-12-23
OUR CHRISTMAS BEAR STORY.

OUR CHRISTMAS BEAR STORY.
1t was Christmas Eve, and Uncle
Bob sat before blazing fire, little
nephew on one knee and little niece on
! the other, while Aunt Katie sat quietly
knitting in her own particular corner.
Uncle Bob has two children of his own
now, and that made his heart all the
warmer toward every child he met.
''Ten us a story, uncle" said little
| Dan, looking up from Uncle Bob's left
knee.
ST know pretty good bear-story,"
replied Uncle Bob, with a sly glance at
! Aunt Katie.
s'Oh, tell US that, please" cried little
Fannie, from Uncle Bob's other knee,
her pretty face all aglow with eager curl
osity.
''Thirty years ago." Uncle Bob began,
cit was a wild country out here. The
woods was full of bears and wolves, not
to speak of other varment, and the set
tiers had to keep sharp lookout, I tell
you.
ST was young man then, and reck-
oned the best looking chap in these
| parts, Uncle Bob continued, with anoth-
er glance at Aunt Katie.
The latter looked back at Uncle Bob,
with her usual quiet smile.
"You know it yourself, Katie, returned
Uncle Bob; '1eastways you thought SO
| once"
Aunt Katie blushed, and went on with
| her knitting.
''Whatever may be said of me-" On
Gle Bob resumed, ''there was gal in the
neighborhood as hadn't her match for
fifty miles around"
''Now, Robert" expostulated Aunt
Katie, what put such nonsense In your
head tonight
'It's on y the sacred truth" Uncle
Bob protested; ''she was my first sweet
heart, and her name was Katie
'"The same as auntie's," interrupted
little Dan
"Jest So" said Uncle Bob. "That's
what they call coincidence"
The big word reduced little Dan to Sd
lence, and Uncle Bob proceeded:
''Katie's father was the richest man In
the settlement He had moved out early,
had helped fight the Indians, had been
sent to the Legislature, was Justice of
the Peace, and owned more than;a thous-
and acres of land. We called him the
Squire.
'tKatie and me had been as good as
engaged for couple of years; but, you
see, was too sheepish to speak to the
Squire. WANTED Katie to do it, but she
said it wasn't none of her place, and so
matters stood
SAT last sniptious looking ohap-his
name was Sam Tibbetts- out and
started store and grocery at the cross
roads. He wore store clothes and had
long curly hair, which he kept oiled to
such an extent as disgusted all the fell
lers and enchanted all the gals.
''None of us had any chance when he
was about. 1t was nobody but Mr.. Tib-
belts. He cut us all out by turns. If
you took gal to meetin' or to singin'
school, expectin' to see her home, Jest as
you slept up at the close of the exercises
to offer her your arm, ten to one but Mr..
Tibbetts would scrouge in ahead, and
your gal would walk off with him, leavin'
you the mitten.
''He came it over the Squire by
agreein' with him in politics, especially
on the wolf-scolp bounty question; sot
when he begun to pay attention to Katie,
the Squire looked pleased like.
81 d know if Katie wanted to make
me jealous, SOS to bring me TO the pint;
anyhow, she seemed to take q shine TO
Mr.. Tibbetts, which drove me half mad.
I'd thrashed that gentle youth outer
his paten' leather boots, but he was allus
so polite that tn int no decent way
O. quar'lin' with l.aL'
'iBut you're long while comm to the
bear, Uncle, put in little Dan.
Were Almost at him now" said Unclo
Bob.
''Nancy Hopkins gave a quiltin' and
everybody was invited. The gals was to
quilt the quilt durin' the day, and the
bows was to come and dance with tn EN-
in the evenin' and then see EN- home.
'I went over to the 'Squire's to engage
Katie, but she said, with q sassy look,
she was much ableeged-Mr. Tibbetts
had Just been there afore me. The end
OF it was that went away in the sulks,
and didn't go to the quiltin' at all.
sWell, that night, as Mr.. Tibbetts was
seein' Katie home, they was walkin'
along, talkin' po'try about the moon,
which was three-quarters full and shinin'
down bright, what do you think come
bulgin' out into the path right afore
emp"
''The bear !" exclaimed little Dan, ex-
citedly.
''T6e bear |" echoed little Fannie, turn
ing pale; ,s.
a big black bear. He give one fierce
growl and Mr. Tibbetts, jerkin' his arm
loose from Katie, took to his heels and
run for dear life. He didn't holler
murder! for fear the beard hear him
and take him at his word.
''The big cowardl' muttered little
Dan, clenching his tiny fists.
$50 he was," said uncle Bob.
''But poor Miss Katie?" inquired little
Fannie, from whose eyes the tears began
to drop.
''The bear" continued Uncle Bob,
growing excited as he neared the climax
of his story, 'jest r'ared up on end,
cotched hold of Katie with his fore paws,
hugged her to his shaggy breast, and
give one bound, carryin' her off into the
forestl"
Little Fannie sobbed. Little Dams
eyes flashed, but in spite of him, were
full of tears.
"Ohl Robert, you shouldn't frighten
the children 80, +" said Aunt Katie, look
ing up and dropping a stitch.
Don't cry, my dears," said Uncle
Bob, patting each of the little heads;
"all's well as ends well"
"Mr. Tibbetts had hardly finished
tellin' the Squire about his dartsr beln
kerried off by the bear, In spite OF MIR.
Tibbetts gallant efforts to rescoo her I'm
proof of which he showed the scratches
he'd got in runnin' through the bushes),
and the Squire hedn't near gotd one call
in him all sorts o. hard names, when who
should walk in, safe and sound, but
Katie herself, and me escortin' Of her.
Bob Staples, says the Squire, grasp
in of my hand, accept fathers bles-
sin'l'
"1 do, says I, bowin' my head.
But the bari says the Squire.
Il Ema 10