The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-02-09

| the road. de was bitter and angry, and
would not 60 home TO his old father In that
mood. He went to the bear.pits. Now,
everybody knows that bears are sort Of
sacred animal to the Bernese, and Nicholas,
like his neighbors, took keen delight In
Watching the great sluggish beasts in their
pits. But he had no pride in them now In
fact, though he leaned over the barrier and
looked with the crowd, he did not see them
at all.
There were many strangers there that day.
principally English travellers and Americans.
Their children were climbing about the edge
Of the pit, as no Bernese child would dare
to do.
take care, youngsters /" cried work.
man. They are fiercs-those monsters
down there. An English officer fell in last
spring, and though he fought for his life, that
big fellow killed him."
ZACH See his red eyes, the murderer -
cried q woman.
All the people stretched their necks to look
where he Jay blinking up at them and a
stupid nurse. maid, with child In her arms,
stood on tp.toe to lean further over. There
was push--a scream.
g The child Ach, Colt It is gone |"
The crowd surged and pressed against the
barrier. Voss was almost crushed upon its
edge. For moment there was silence like
death as people looked with straining eyes
into the darkness below. Then they saw the
little white heap close to the wall of the pit.
Two of the smaller bears were snuffing it GU
riously. The monster that had killed the
Englishmah was slowly gathering up his fore
legs and dragging himself towards it,
There was scarcely any sound in the crowd.
Men grew pale and turned away sick. A
woman who ha never seen the child before
fell in dead faint on the ground. But its
mother stood quite still, leaning over the pit,
her hands held out to it.
There came wild cry from the crowd. A
man had jumped into the pit The bear
turned glared at the intruder with sudden
fury, and then rushed upon him. He dealt it
q blow straight between the eyes but it fell
like feather on stone wall.
He leaps over him -
The others are coming ON him !"
" Ach, what blows 70
We'll struck Again, again +" shouted
the Englishman.
!" But be can do nothing. He will DO torn
to pieces "
"Oh, the poor boy I"
See, the bear has torn his flesh T"
:" He has the child ! He has the child A
Iauucr n nuuer r.
But there was no ladder to be found, MOI
weapons of any kind. The mass Of people
leaned over, praying, shouting, sobbing,
while the struggle went on below as silent as
the grave.
The boy, bleeding and PALE was pushed to
the wall, the child lifted high in his arms -
The savage brutes surrounded him. There
was trunk of tree In the centre of the pit,
placed there for the bears to climb upon. He
measured 1t with bis eye, gathered bis
strength, and then with mighty bound, he
reached 1t, and began to climb. The bears
followed to the foot of the trunk.
ga rope A rope !"
The rope was brought, and flung towards
him.
Is He has It. He viii tie it about his waist.
No, it is the child he ties. He viii save it
first."4 .tss t
He fastened the child and watched il swung
across in safety. When they threw him the
rope again, he did not catch it. He was look.
ing at the mother when they put her baby in
her arms. When he bad taken the rope and
tied 1t about him, hundred strong hands
English, French, Swiss, were ready to pull
him in. As he swung across the chasm, going
halfway to the bottom of the pit, the bear
caught at him, but Its hold slipped, aud the
animal fell back with baffied growl.
There was great shouting when the lad
stood on the grass in safety everybody talk
ed at once to bis neighbor.
"God be thanked +"
THAT is brave fellow
"Who Is be ?"
1T is John voss, the schoolmaster's boy
Where is he ?"
But Nicholas had disappeared in the con-
fusion.
Nothing else was talked OF the next day ia
Berne. In the shops and kitchens, at the
brilliantly lighted great houses, even in the
Government Council, the story was told, ant
the lad was spoken of with praise and kind
ness. At the theatre, some one called for I
cheer for him, and the whole house rose with
the uioatsi Mothers held their babies close
to their breasts that night and with tear
prayed God to bless him.
Meanwhile, Nicholas lay in his cot, tended
by his old mother and father. His legs wers
sorely torn. But he was merry and happy, al
he always was at home.
In the afternoon, messenger from th,
Council knocked at the door and left al
official document. 1t was deed conveying
to Nicholas voss house and pasture land IL
the vicinity of the town.
he put 1t into his fathers wrinkled hands
"Now, father, you are sure of home TO
you and mother, he said. -,
He fell asleep soon arsr sdat. When HI
awoks the sun was setting and shone on tn
bed, and the happy old people were watching