Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-02-02

and having fixed it within the ring.
he bid our trap under the brnshwood.
AMI then fixed everything - nearly
IS possible to what il was before. Ar
ter this we returned 10 our host cot,
where We made a late dinner upon
bread and milk. enliyened BY the
frank smiles Of . pretty barter
After this we set the girl to watch
the trap occasionally to see that no
one disturbed it, and then We took
our fishing tools, and followed down
q small brook that wound it, way
through piece Of woods back of the
house. The result was that we had 4
delicious supper Of trout. and left
enough with our host to keep himself
and ksEnily in fresh fish for several
4Aealk ia has Rupped earlier than
usual, because one Of the boys wanted
to 60 "down to the corner" on. some
important business; and he was anx-
ious to be back in season to see the
''fnn." as he called it.
AS soon as supper was over, which
was very near shutdown, the oldest
daughter and q younger brotherstarted
off for the COVE. The former was
seventeen years of age. and though
unpublished In manner. yet she was
decidedly pretty. Could she have re-
moved the tan from herplump cheeks,
and been rugged up in ''costly array, +"
she might have caused envy in the
bosoms of those who were already de-
nominated beauties and bellies. Her
name was Mary, and had not OBJ
served her long ere ! made up my
mind that whoever got her for wife
would get Mary worth having.
Her brother was eleven, and an
swered to the name of LIANT" and
"Lanty." His real name I found to
be Elanson. The sun was some three
or four times its own diameter above
the tree tops when they started, and
they calculated upon finding the ''crit-
ters' in ten or fifteen minutes, as the
dog, which always went with them,
was good at hunting them out among
the thickets. The dog was medium
sized animal, q cross between the
'bull" and the spaniel" with con-
siderable pluck, but with little cum
ming.
Mary and her brotherh had been gone
some fifteen minGtts, and we were ell
olti in front ofthe house. smoking. when
we were startled. by . quick, sharp
yslp of the dog. It was not q bark,
nor was it such cry as the dog gives
when angry at freed game; but it was
a perfect yell of anger aud fear COM
bined. We instinctiyely started to
our feet. and as we did 50 loud,
quick, agonizing shrek from Mary's
lips came breaking through the air.
Marcy !" screamed the hostess,
who had hastened to the door upon
hearing the cry of the dog. "Sum-
thin 8 the matter with Moll. 1t may
be the barsr
We sprang for our rifles, which
were all loaded, only Harris waiting
to get his flask and shot pouch, and ut
once started for the scene undea the
guidance of the host, his wife keeping
pace with him.
AT the distance of about hundred
rods we came to the woods, and some
twenty rods further on we had to de-
scend into 9 deep ravine, where, at
some former time, a stream must have
run. This was thickly wooded with
heavy beech, and a. we reached the
bottom of the run the cries of the
children were near ct hand. Thedo
had been barking and "yelping" by
turns, bat just az we arrived at the
edge of the ravine his noise ended in
q sharp cry of pain. We heard his
voice no more, but the others were
still crying for help.
When | came up / saw q scene
that made my blood run cold, and
caused my heart to leap to my throat.
Upon the rocks below US, which
were at the depth of some fifteen
feet, ! saw the mangled carcass of the
dog and dead cub. In a low, brown
ash tree. which grew out from the side
Of the bank, and hung over the gorge,
were the two children, one more cub,
and an enormous she-bearl The cub
had run up the body of the tree, and
was now clinging thereto, with his
back hanging downward. Mary had
taken to the tree also, and was upon q
stout limb which ran out parallel with
the ravine, while Lanty had found q
perch upon another limb near to us.
The old bear was Just making her way
up to the limb upon which Mary was
seated when we came mp.
What was to be done? The dog
had evidently made the first attack
upon the cub, and, having killed IT.
had himself been killed. The second
cub had taken to the tree, and Mary,
while the dam had been engaged with
the dog. had leaped up the tree, hop
ing that the dog might overcome her
enemy She had heard that person
should never attempt to run up hill
when chased by bear. But she had
exercised little reason. She had seized
the first thought Of safety that pre-
sented itself, and hence we found her
where we did. The boy had simply
followed her example. being himself
too much frightened to think.
OF all the furious and fearless ami
mails none can excel in these respects
the she bear while her young are in
danger. The mad beast was bent for
Mary, and in . few moments she would
be upon her. We standing upon the
rock, dared not fire, for Mary and
Lanty were in line with the bear
the boy being directly between rs and
the brute. and his sister beyond