The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-09-03
But that" she said with tired sigh, +;
would cost thirty dollars, and 1 can
never get that much money ON hand at

would cost thirty dollars, and l can
never get that much money on hand at
one time. IN - ~ 3D.
And then and there Seldon-her true
lover and fond admirer-had vowed to
himself to do all he could toward saving
the money, though it seemed very large
sum to him.
True, he had one source OF income J,
and the little sums he brought home
from time to time, helped his mother to
bridge over many. a chasm- that threat
ened engulf her; that source was beau
tiful little shotgun, that Seldom, had
learned to use with a skill that would
have done credit to a grownman. 1t had
peen apresent from the principal of Oak
wood Academy, when, one day, his little
child got lost in the wild woods, and was
found, and brought safely home by Sell
don, the grateful father not only gave
him the shot-gun-a great improvement
over the bow and arrows he had been
hunting with before-but finding he was
fond Of study, placed him in his Acad-
envy.
AS we have said, Seldom was full of
delight at the thought of the grand ex-
cursion, and if an angel had told him
that he would voluntarily give it up, he
would not have believed him.
Nothing had been further from his
thoughts until few hours before the
Academy closed for vacation; but then,
standing ON the steps of hotel listening
to the stories told by the proprietor Of a
travelling menagerie he had heard the
latter say:
81 want young bear cub to take east
with me, and will pay thirty dollars to
any one who will bring me one alive be-
fore | leave tomorrow evening""
Seldom lifted his head ar eager fash
in his eyes, for he knew where was a
little cave, with several very voung bears
in it; but, then-there was the eXcur-
sion, that could not be postponed, Meth
er could the capture OF the cub one or
the other must be given up. And then
commenced the fercest battle that Sell
don had ever fought with his selfshness,
but he came out victorious, as we have
seen-all honor to his noble heart
He did not let his mother know of his
change of plan, but started off early the
next morning, with gun and hunting.
equipments. He had intended to take
them with him down the bay, so this led
to no suspicion on her part, and even if
she had seen him out side the garden,
shoulder an empty box with strong
sliding, for door-she would
only have thought it bird trap; but
Seldom knew that it was tocarry the bear
cub in. su
His course brought him near the Acad-
envy, where the boys were collecting,
but ne just set his teeth and ran, ran till
he was out Of breath, and out OF tempta-
ton
rISt...s..> Y. ,...s. 4 :. 4 -,
cave, ina beautiSal 4r4yine, and now it
behooved him to move more cautiously,
for meeting with the mother of the
young cubs would not be pleasant, even
to one much older than Seldom.
So, Keeping his gun ready for instant
use, he crept slowly toward the cave,
examining the ground near by, to see if
there were any fresh tracks leading from
it, for this was his hope-that the moth
er-bear had not yet returned from her
ralnble in quest OF food; and he
soon found that this was the case.
SO, after first throwing in few stones,
to make assurance doubly sure" and
finding that no growls followed, Seldom
crept in on his hands and knees, push
ing his gun ahead.
He found the den just as he expected,
empty save two little, brown balls, that
winked lazily at him. So far all was
we'll, but if the mother should return be-
fore he got out Of the cave, his position
would be frightful one.
He lost no time, therefore, in selecting
the cub he should take. He would have
carried both away, only they were so
heavy that one was quite all he could
manage.
Just as he stepped from the cave,
dragging one of the cubs after him,
fierce growl caused his heart to leap up
in his throat, for there stood the she
bear, close to him her eyes glaring, her
claws working and shifting in her rage
But Seldon's nerves did not desert
him; he held fast to the cub and hisgun,
and running to his box, dropped the
fat, round ball he carried into it, and
slipped the bar that made it secure.
Then he turned quickly, and waited to
see what the bear would do, for she was
evidently bewildered with the rapidity
of his movements, and uncertain wheth-
er to follow him to the rescue of her cub
in the box, or go to that other one, still
in the den, whose little voice was up
raised to call its mother to its side.
Seldom stood motionless, his gun held
ready to fire, and the bear, after staring
at him few moments, walked slowly
into the cave.
The instant she disappeared, our
Young hunter snatched up the box.
hoisted it upon his shoulder, and set off
as rapidly as his load would permit, his
heart bounding with pride, and JOY, and
thankfulness, that his expedition had
turned out so successful.
And then, as he neared the hotel a
couple of hours before sunset, be began
to think, "now, if the menagerie propri-
etor, had not really meant what he said,
and would not pay thirty dollars for the
cub?" But he did mean it, and he did
pay, with many a compliment to Sell
don's pluck in capturing the cub, and
then. with three BRIGHT ten dollar gold