The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-03-22

Couldn't nnd her and get that three
dollars, and father, because wanted
to get back as quick as / could.
ut seemed rougher going back over
the hills than it had coming-I sup
pose because | was little tired. Some
times the way was through pastured
lots; but mostly it was over fallow
ground, bushy and stumpy, and plenty
of rocks, but not many trees. There
wasn't any roadway.
| II hadn't got near to the summit
when l saw something that made me
stop short something behind rocks
and bushes, down in kind of little
hollow. There were no leaves on the
bushes, you know; so could see some
thing through them that looked like
black hair.
II went little nearer and looked a
little harder, and then off with nv cap
and swung it round, and sung out:
| sHurrah for that three dollars %
yours, Sqrire Plummer!' Then
called Co boss, CO. boss, CO. boss.
Come, Blackey, comet
But the old thing wouldn't stir. l
picked up some little stones and SHE'D
'em at her to hurry her up. l didn' t
| want to lose time, but / did want to
drive her home with me for fear some
one else might get ahead of me if left
her and then came back. / hollered to
her and kept on throwing; but still she
wouldn't bulge an inch.
.sThen | thought I'd slide down the
side of the hollow she was in and get
ahead of her and drive her out. | tried
rolling down lot of stones and gravel
first, almost over her head, to see if
that wouldn't start her; but it didn't
So | began sliding myself down.
"But just then heard a growl-such
growl as no mortal COW ever made
yet, know. And there began such a
scratching of gravel and such scrab-
bling up that bank, mixed up with
growls all the time, that | scrambled
myself up pretty lively and started and
run, tell you.
"When got a little piece off,
looked back, and just getting to the top
of the bank was Old Blacky; but it
| wasn't a black COW. 1t was a black
bear, sure's you liver
Tom paused moment to enjoy the
little ripple of astonishment and dismay
| which came in just here.
you'd better believe / ran. But il
was hard work-up hill. and rough, too
tumbled over logs and / jumped
through bushes, and he trotting after
me all the time, mad, suppose, with
the pummeling and stirring up II given
him, growing like young thunder
storm all the while.
"Soon began to feel how tired my
walk had made me, and to wonder how
it would be with me if i got clear tired
out before the bear did, 80 seemed very
likely
"When / knew j couldn't hold out
much longer / made for tree and
climbed up it quicker'n l ever elm a
tree before or since.
"Then | tried TO catch my breath and
think bit. / was glad to be out of
reach of the bear; but wondered how
long he might keep me up that tree
before any one came to look for me,
and l thought of father wanting the
medicine, and if you'll believe me, l
thought, too, about that blamed old
COW and the three dollars | wasn't
going to get for finding her.
''But it don't take long to think, you
know, for I'd thought all that before
he got to the foot Of the tree, and it was
a mighty little while, too; and when he
did get there, he walked round it, and
smelled a little, and the first thing I
knew, he was clawing away at the
bark, and climbing up after me, fierce.
Then 1 began to think harder than
ever. I'd read of boy who was up
tree, with a bear after him, and he
CHM out on some weak limbs, where
the bear had sense enough to know he
couldn't go, and he kept the poor little
chap there, growing at him q mean
the boy), till some one came and shot
him (shot the bear, mean.) But this
wasn't that kind of tree. The limbs
were stubby, and l knew the bear could
90 most as far as l could.
II looked down to see what chance
I'd have if swung myself down, and
got new start of him; but the tree
was tall one, and it was all stony
under the branch where l was. If
should get sprain or hurt, it would
be all up with me. So my only chance
was to keep out of his way the best /
could put my hand into my pocket
to get out my knife, for wasn't going
to let him get the better of me without
tussle.
"Then, what do you guess l feltp
and what do you guess / thought?
Why, felt that bottle of ammonia, and
| thought Of that time in church. And
cracky! if could help laughing right
out, as thought if could only get it
on that bear as I'd got it on myself
long ago. If all that man said was
true. perhaps 'twould send him kitin'
down as good as if he'd been shot,
II poured lot of it on my handker-
chief, most all there was, looking out
to keep little back for father, till more
could be sent for. | tried to keep from
getting smell of it myself, but the
wind whitfield some of it into my face,
and do the best / could, it handled me
so came mighty near dropping.
II held the handkerchief tight in my
hand, and reached it down Just as he
poked his ugly muzzle up between the
lower branches. He gave big sniff,
as he saw it coming, thinking, s'pose.
he'd got me sure; and the next moment
was rubbing it like fury against his
mouth and nose and into his eyes.
HE gave most awful snort, and let
90, and went crashing down on the
stones and bushes. I thought for a
moment he was dead. but he wasn't.
He scrabbled himself up, and went
snarling and tumbling, over and over,
down-hill like all possessed.
II didn't wait to see how far he went,
though, for I dropped out Of that tree
md hat