Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-04-04
Didn't l tell you SOP" said Hanl

showed and 1t showed. We gathered u
rockers, shovels, and pans. The sno'
covered the powders; then it buried tn
chaparral and manzanita bushes; then II
the miners cabins and still 1t came dowr
1t nearly filled the valley full.
There wero eight or ten miners cabin
in tho vicinity, their locality being indies
ted by one or two holes in the snow, an
marked by stakes bearing inscriptions lik
these:
Twenty feet to Billy Brooke's Cabin.
"Cabin OF the Merry Miners, three yard
below" "Doc Furber, Hank Howfey {
Co., twenty-five feet" "Grand Hotel
Beans and Bacon at all hours; two rods
We kept the fire roaring, read the oil
papers over and over, went out and sho
game now and then, had games of roug
and tumble and snow balling. told stories
and smoked our pipes under the snow a
cheerfully as the greasy Esquimaux.
hole in the snow let in the light to
hole in our cabin, and at this window
Butte or Rouser invariably took his station
at meal time; it was not large enough 70
both at once. Our table was under thi
window, and refuse bits of bread AM
bacon were tossed TO the lucky dog in th
window. Butte being of n lazy turn
could wait more patiently, SO he usual,
took his station at the window as soon q
the savory fumes of frying bacon asccndet
TO the upper air. Rouser would come t,
the hole and bark savagely, but he coult
not frighten Butte away. At last Rouse
resorted TO artiice. One dinner TIM
he rushed into little clump of pinel
barking furiously, as if he bad found som,
choice game. Butte could not withstand
this, SO he came out of his window to oir
in the fun. and artful Rouser quietly
slipped into his place. Day after day
Rouser continued to play this trick OF
poor Butte, and always with the same
success.
But this same little window was {
source of sorrow to Camp Square Comfort
as we called our quarters. One day We
all went out hunting, and forgot to shu
the window. When we returned we founG
that the coyotes had carried off all oul
bacon. This was a serious loss. W.
could borrow a little, of course, but il
was necessary for some one to 60 10 the
nearest trading post for a fresh supply
Hank Howley volunteered to perform the
mission, and as he was the strongest o.
the party and more used to travelling on
snow shoes, he seemed best fitted for the
service. 1t was about forty miles to the
nearest trading post, but Hank was sure
he could make the trip in three days, OR
four at farthest.
"You had better tie up Rouser till 1 am
we'll on the way" he said. Then he
| started.
Rouser was greatly detected. He whined
and howled and cried all day, the tears
running down his face and dropping on
the floor. At night VIC united him, but
his spirits did not seem to improve. On
the third night Hank had not returned,
hut Rouser was gone. We did not feel
anxious ON Hanks account, for lie had
sug gested that he might proiong his stay
n case he found himself too faiigued to
start back Immediately.
About daylight on the fourth day
Rouser, or what there was left of him,
came back to camp. His condition was
even worse than when he first came to us
One leg seemed broken, and several ugly
wounds gave evidence of some fierce
encounter. To his neck was fastened a
scrap of paper, on which was traced with
blood, in scarcely legible characters
Broke my leg. Cal. lion. BE quick.
We lost no time in going TO the rescue.
A party of twenty men, on long shoes and
with good rifles, started ou A light fall
of snow rendered it easy for lis to follow
poor Rouser's track. An hours run
brought us to the object of our search.
Hank was lying under thick pine .ree,
on the snow. At first we thought we
were too late. His form was cold and
almost rigid. One bone of his left leg
was broken. Fortunately brandy bad not
been forgotten, and Doc Furber, who was
Il real physician, succeeded in restoring
him with the help OF many rough but
willing hands.
We did not worry him with questions !;
be could not talk. But all around were
marks of lerocious battle, and tracks of
a large California bear. A broken snow
indicated the nature of the battle. There
was deep wound on Hanks hand, and
his coat was badly torn. Watt Morgan
picked up his bloody pocket knife in the
snow. found his revolver, with all the
chambers empty.
Following the track of the ferocious
animal, his dead body was found about
half mile from the spot. 1t was the
largest specimen of the puma that l ever
saw, measuring fully nine feet from tip to
tip. We secured his skin, and slowly
returned to camp.
1t was two days before Hank could
briefly recount his adventures. 1t appear
ed that he had started out early on the
morning of the third day TO return. he
had bought hundred pounds of bacon,
and was lucky enough to have it brought
out fifteen miles by pack train. Then
he packed it on his back ten miles further
until he reached the snow where he left
his hand sled. He had come on faster
than he expected until nearly sunset,
when he heard the familiar cry of Cali
fornia lion. Upon that he started forward
as fast as he could go, and looking back
for the lion, he made false step; his
snow shoe hit n stump. throwing him with
great violence, and breaking his leg.
Fortunately the night was warm, so be
had no fear of freezing. He had few
crackers in his pc ckei, and, with the
bacon, he was well provided against
hunger, and he did not feel entirely
hopeless.
sounded nearer. No doub he scented the
DaCOn. l1dnh ulcW his leVOlVCT, una
crawled to large tree. lie partly sue
ceeded in burying the bacon in the snow
The fearful cry sounded still nearer. The
sun had set and it was nearly dark. In
tently watching, he at length discerned
The animal, his eyes cleaning through the
branches of tree. He decided not to
fire until his only chance required it, lest
the wounded beast should attack him. He
shouted, waved his broken snow shoe,
threw snow balls; but the creature still
skirmished around him, evidently taking
in the situation. He drew nearer and
nearer, crouching rs if for a spring.
When he was within couple OF rods
Hank fired his first shot, hoping to hit
him in the eye. But the bullet seemed to
glance from the skull. The maddened
brute was about to leap upon him when a
champion appeared. Rouser sprang upon
from behind
Then began fearful conflict. Rouser,
who was small and more active, could
avoid the onset of his heavier foe for some
time, until he grew weary. Hank fired
several shots, but failed TO hit vital spot.