The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-05-05

amid the uproarious merriment Of the
vulgar throng, who in their Sc
cret hearts rejoiced to see one
far above them by nature so de-
grade himself. Even in this mock
elocution there were frequent scintilla-
tons of genius from his besotted brain.
When both became SO stupetied as no
longer to furnish amusement, they were
left to sleep off the stupor, sometimes
side by side, though usually the man
retired to the hay-loft, where, after
half hour or SO, he awoke with raging
thirst for more whisky. He would make
the best of his way back to the bears
corner (whose stupor lasted longer than
his comparatively, and purloin the
whisky that still remained in the bottle
for Ben always drank from the bottle
now, and to see him draw the cork was
part of the entertainment.
The bear did not altogether like this
enforced companionship, not from any
sense OF degradation ut the association
with the human brute, but when he
awoze from drunken stupor he also
wanted little more whisky to quiet his
throbbing nerves, and as this last drop
of solace was always gone when the man
was around he naturally concluded that
he was the thief, and resolved to rid him
self of the nuisance Bearsare cunning,
and Ben, in pursuance of plan, one
night stopped little short, rolled over
before he needed to. and feigned sleep
until the thirsty ex-Congressman again
appeared on the scene. There was more
i'll the bottle than usual this night,
which made the wary politician little
suspicious of the bear 50 procuring q
long stick, he tried to poke the bottle
out of reach, but in doing so, it tipped,
and spilled some whisky. Ben seemed
so perfectly stupefed, he ventured bold
ly in. As he stopped to pick up the bot
tie Ben struck him powerful blow on
the head, which settled the poor inc
briate forever. Then. swallowing the
whisky himself, Ben fell over, this time
in real stupor.
The murderer and his victim were
found, an hour or so after, side by side.
The news spread rapidly, and the horri-
fed citizens locked to the scene When
Ben opened his eyes, all unconscious of
the magnitude of his crime, he was as
tonished at tho multitude, and, greatly
pleased, began playing with the body OF
his victim. A murmur of horror arose,
which awed the bevSldered brute, and
the body of the murdered man was
dragged. without further notice, from
his destroyer. Ben's doom was fixed
from the first !; no trial was required, no
more evidence was necessary. There
was no friend to offer plea of insanity,
or to prove an alibi, or offer by way OF
extenuation the fact that he was stupe-
fed by drink. that he had been led
astray by bad example and companion
ship. Ben had not friend in all the
world, and deserved mono, for he was
not friend to any living creature, and
yet he was doomed to expiate crime
not wholly his. But he was danger
Gus brute he had killed man and
retribution was In his case sure and
swift.
The landlord was seen to speak to a
famous hunter present, dressed in suit
OF buckskin with fringed seams. The
hunter nodded assent, and Immediately
left the yard. He made his way direct
to the river, stepped into a canoe, and,
taking up the paddle with the air of one
accustomed to it, shot across the stream,
assembled the opposite bank, and disap-
peared in his cabin at the edge of the
woods.
Meanwhile the crowd remained silent
and expectant in the yard, conversing
in an undertone. Ben stood shutting
the air in stupid wonder at the unwonted
quiet Of his audience. Soon the hunter
returned with his trusty rifle. Every
eye watched his movements as he
scanned the bear. Every ear caught
double click of the hammer as he raised
it and brought the gun to his cheek. A
sharp report broke the stiffness; there
was murmur from the thropg; last
groan. The multitude slowly dispersed,
and the curtain of night hid the lifeless
form of poor dissolute Ben.-,W. H.
Beard, an Harper'S Weekly.