St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-10
THE WHITE.FACED BEAR.

HE NHlIE.EACED BEAR.
The dear old grandmother who 81
often told me this bear story has beer
twenty years in her grave. She was
eighty when she died, and this hap
pened to her when she was only ter
years old.
She lived with her father and mother
in one of the pretty villages in Eastern
Massachusetts; but they were not very
well Off, and the family was large, and
they grew poorer and poorer every
year, until at last her father and mother
thought they would leave their old
home, and 60 away off in the northern
woods where they could have more land
to raise food. So, with half dozen of
their old neighbors, who were as poor
as themselves, they went up among the
green New Hampshire hills. There
were no railroads in those days, and it
took as long to journey over the hun
dred miles as it would now to make a
journey to Europe.
They were almost two weeks going to
their new homes; but at last, when they
were beginning to be thoroughly tired,
they came to the place: broad beauti-
full table-land shut in on every side by
lofty mountains, just growing green in
the bright spring sunshine. Here, on
the banks of a lovely little lake, they
made their homes, and not very near
each other. At first they had pretty
hard times, and they could not help be-
ing little homesick when they thought
of the blue sparkling sea that they had
seen every day of their lives until now.
The mountains seemed to shut them in
impassably from their old homes and
neighbors, and it was hard work clear
ing the land, planting and gathering in
crops; but women and children worked
together with the men-folk, and the
clearings grew larger and larger each
year. They raised cows and sheep, and
at last each family owned a yoke of
oxen.
"Iher," said grandmother, and here
she always began to warm in her mar
ration, 1--WE thought ourselves pretty
forehanded. There was only one
churn in the neighborhood, and that be-
longed to Mrs. Craig, who lived on the
river road about a mile from our house.
One night when father went over to
borrow the churn, Mrs Craig told him
to be sure and bring it back sometime
in the morning, as she wanted it her
self. So mother hurried round and cot
the cream in before sunrise, and came
to my bed and told me if | would Jump
up and churn l might carry the churn
home.
ut was about ten o'clock when I /
started for Mrs. Craig's. 1t was a warm. I
lovely spring day, and the churn was
light in my sturdy little arms, and | en-
loyed my walk, which lay along the
banks of the little river, now swollen
with the late spring rains till it rushed
foaming and tumbling over the stones.
l went happily along, now and then
stopping to pick violet, till lust as
got about half way there [ heard a
great noise ofcrackling bushes, and then.
right in the path before me, came
great black bear with white face. He
was dripping wet. as if he had Just come
up out OF the water, and he seemed sur
pr1sed to see me, for he stopped and
looked at me, assmuch a.. tesay, We'll
little girl, where did yon come fron1p 4
But he didn't offer to touch me. 7S% "
/, AT thrst was too frightened. to run,
and only stood and stared at him. Il
suppose this must have saved nv life.
Tor since | have often heard that a wild Il
beast never attacks any one who has ]
he courage to look him steadily in the
ACE; Anyway, the bear didn't offer to
Hinh m miss fPs ss aa and by Peg e.
'hurn down carefully, and then began
o GO backwards, all the time looking
'traight at the bear. who sat down. Ike
big dog and looked after me, but did
lot offer to fellow. 90 ~ y1Hs
AT last a turn in the road hid. aim
rom sight, and then | ran as fast as T
ouid. Father was at work in field |
MY little way off, and [ ran all the {
way there. He stopped working when l
e saw me coming, and l suppose I 8
aust have looked singular enough, for {
had lost my bonnet, and my hair was t
ylngg in the wind; and Jumped right |
yer the low fence, and ran up to him i
nd put my arms round him and began +
} cry. G
"'Why, Betty!' he said. what's the t
*But / couldn't speak. t
Betty he cried. tell me quick f
'h1t is the matterP Are the children a
+ your mother sick or dead?' s
" l shook my head. No. I man 8
yed to say, it. the bear s
"s The bear!' he exclaimed, looking "
nckly around. why, child, there s g
1thlng here! Did you think you saw a
pear!. tpH .xaifil 9}f Il
Thy this time 1 had grown, little
Inner, and I said, L did see one.
other sent me to carry the churn u
'me, and just as I got by the Bend, fl
'ard noise. and great black bear ii