The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-06-27

troublesome pet, and accepted the
government bounty for its claws and
Snout.
It's mighty lonesome without the
ugly little cuss, though said Tom,
as one OF the men stretched the black
hide against the side of the log camp.
"What'll we do now to amuse our
selves? Come, Swedy, let's have a
chopping match. | believe | can
heart you on that big spruce by the
spring yonder," pointing to a great,
dry spruce tree, that grew close beside
an immense old pine stump, not two
hundred yards from the camp, on the
woods road.
''Mebbe so" said Andrew, with
quiet smile, as he wiped the last OF his
plates and put 1t on the near pile up
on the slab table.
"a chopping match The best pair
OF mittens in the chest for the one
who strikes the heart of that big
spruce first-eh boys ?" cried Bill Sni
der
Eyes; and this pair of oversocks,
too" said the Boss, as he laid them
side by side on the ''deacou's seat"
'You mean dat ?" said Andrew, as
he deliberately examined the prizes to
be won.
'Yes, come on" shouted Tom, excit-
eddy, confident in his title of the best
chopper. Here's an ak. You can
beat me, of course
"Mebbe So" answered Andrew, as
he shouldered an ak, and plodded
slowly along after him, the men fol-
lowing with jests and laughter, sure OF
Toms success.
"Have the mittens and socks all
ready, Boss" shouted Tom, as he
threw off his jacket, loosened his sus-
penders, and grasped the handle of his
ak firmly.
Andrew followed suit, laying his coat
carefully across the end of a log.
''All ready, Swedy?" asked Tom
impatiently.
''All ready" answered the Swede.
And at the word, both axes sank to
the eye in the soft, dry wood.
Whangl whang! The white chips
flew in showers.
Lookout-there, Swedy" gasped
Tom. Theresa woodchuck's hole
or something-under that pine
stump, Mebbe-a bear's-in it ~
And he gave laughing glance at a
small, round black hole under the
roots OF the old pine stump.
As it went under slantingly, and
was partly hidden by the roots, it
looked smaller to Tom than it really
was.
"Mebbe SOP answered Andrew, with
the same steady stroke.
And Tom Burgess, the chopper in
Beaver Creek Camp, soon found that
he had "strUck his match" as the
lumbermen say.
II he ever got the prize, he would
have some hard work to do first.
Whang! whang! whangl The chips
flew faster and faster; the echoes of
the ringing axes reverberated through
on Tom s face, while Andrew s was calm
and still, and he worked with the
same long, steady strokes, making
each one tell in the soft, dry wood.
The great tree was trembling to its
topmost branches, the heart had been
reached by both at the same instant,
and it only remained to see whose
stroke should fell the dead giant of the
forest, when, with yell, Tom dropped
his axe, leaped into the road, and be-
gan a wild scramble up the icy hill to
the camp, slipping and falling every
third step, while he shouted at the
top of his voice:
Run, Swedy, there's a bear in that
woodchuck's hole"
And looking sideways, Andrew saw
a great, black, ugly snout emerging
from the hole not four feet from him.
The next swinging stroke was de-
hvered fair between the small, sleepy
eyes, and the black s..0rt disappeared
within the hole. Ano Ter blow fol
lowed the first, and TIM two or three
were struck into the heart of the tree,
and the Swede sprang aside as it came
crashing to the earth, Just as the crew
arrived on the spot, armed with axes,
pokers, anything that came handy.
The bear was dragged from the hole,
stone dead-a great brute, with claws
fully five inches long.
well done Swedy." cried Bill Sni-
der. That's an old settler. Well
done, lad. You've killed the bear, and
you've beat the best chopper in camp.
| swan, If you hain't earned the prize
fair enough,
''Mebbe So" said Andrew, with a
grin.
Eyes, you've beaten me fair and
square," said Tom, coming forward
like a man; ''and Ifor one, don't make
no more fun OF you, Swedy. | don't
believe another chap in this camp
would stand there and kill bear
without moving from his tracks or
missing stroke. Give us yer hand,
Swedy-you done WE'LL"
And so Andrew thought when he
counted the profit of his bear
"Twenty dollar" he chuckled, as he
folded the crisp bills away in his old
leather wallet. Twenty dollar, and
the mitts and socks Dat is good"
How did it happen that you didn't
run with Tom" asked the cook, one
day when they were alone.
Hush" said Andrew, with a queer
smile. Il will tell you. | was dat
scarf | coodn't run. De men thinks
was brave, but | coodn't run, and
must do sonnet ing; sol strikes de
bear"
He often chuckled to himself over
this knowledge, but held his peace.
The men had begun to know that
"Swedy' was not their game, and for
the rest OF the winter he was allowed
to cookie in peace.
Before Pens.