Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-09-22


Jest hurry up scs he; and felt
his arm tremble. Wen hive 10 be
gittin' out of this mighty quick, and 1
tound he megnt il, for ! couldn't hardly
begin to keep up with him. The way
he ran was wonderful for 50 brave a
youth, but the quicker he went the
quicker came that dreadful bear. At
last my valiant protector cried out:
LET 90, Hammer, let gol'
oh, Jedediah,' l gasped, don 'trun
away from me; and just hung on
tighter, while be ran, draggln' me
along. Pretty soon he pushed me, and
1 wouldn't let 60.
let 90 my arm, 1 say! There's no
need of both being deyourcd; let 90 l
say = aud with that be gave & savage
pull at my arm, and away he went,
leaving mo all alone.
well, dear, I couldn't begin to tell
you what 1 suffered. I can almost
realize it this mint, for all l could think
Of was bowling wolves and horrid bears,
and everything that was terrible. /
knew that black thing, whatever it
was, was close upon me, for 1 could
hear il. Of course, had stopped run
nng when my brave protector left me,
but my strength kind'r give out; l felt
faint Ike, and though there wasn't
much light, tho atmosphere turned
blacker. Closer and closer the thing
came,'
There was great clump Of trees Oh
one side; if 1 could MAKE that, and
steal behind it, the bear might pass
on. did gain 1t. and waited sick with
fear. wondered my hair didn't turn
white, as Lord BYron's did, poor young
feller.'
1t wasn't Lord Byron's, grandma {;
it WAS the Prisoner Of ChillOns's ;
Lord Byron only wrote about it,
'Oh, did he? veil, it's all right which
ever way. l clung hold Of the trees,
trembling all over, and the thing did go
past. Gals, did hope il would keteh
Jedediah, and eat him all up, was so
angry and mortified and frightened.-
Well. pretty soon 1 stole out. The
bear had gone deeper into the woods.
bat knew where l was on the open
road to the house, which was only half
a mile away. l suppose the sound OF
my feet attracted the critter, for l soon
found out that 1t was after me aecn, and
then there was race.
Screaming at the top Of my voice,
Father help! murder' 1 flew on,
and on flew the critter behind me.
Pretty soon 1 saw the light Of the house.
The front door was open, and father
and mother we're coming out; and l
screamed louder aud ran faster, my
voice growing more and moro hysterical,
till at last fell into fathers arms,
gasping:
The bear! the bearp
Il guess 1 really didn't sense any
thing till daylight. They we're all
frightened halfto death and old fat
DR.. Bally was standin' over me, and
mother rubin my hands and cryin',
and father walkin' the floor, and, q
dear, but it was dreadlulp
Where is 1.-THE bear p I asked,
weakly. 'Didlt bcrt iather? Did he
shoot it?'
The bear. dear, was only Pet, your
black pony said my mother, soothing
lily. turned my face to the wall. Had
1 undergone all that anguish for poor
innocent Pet? l felt as il l never
wanted to see anybody again. 1 re-
membered now that Jedediah had left
the bars down where the pasture COM
mun;cated with the woods, because his
hands were so cold, the coward, and
our pet pony, who would follow any o.
the family, had been straying round
there, and got over; then she recognlz-
ed me.
Father was very angry with Jedediah,
and, in fact, when the story got round,
folks laughed at him so that he had 10
leave the place, for, no matter where
he went, somebody was sure to ask
him:
Seen any bears lately, Jcdediah "
And that was my first experience WITH
beaux and bears.