Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-05
nv lap. In the large soft eyes were re

gaze so nulllhn III It's iutchiSchSo enoe
was almost crazed with grief and terror.
I hurried from the spot, only to find that
nv horse, probably frightened by the
rifle shot, had disappeared. was alone
and miles from b Jme. discovered, too,
that lacked ono of the most necessary
requisites of the true hunter-ability to
find my way under all circumstances.
It was already afternoon. started to
90 back on foot the way l had come as
nearly as could remember It, When
reached point high enough to command
a view / did not feel treasured, for the
mountains looked all alike, and range
after range stretched away on every side,
silent and relentless as the tomb. There
was not living thing in sight but a bug
gard circling about O far off peak. AT
last set off in direction where thought
| recognized familiar rocks. The killing
of the white hart weighed heavily upon
nv spirits, and filed me with vague fears
The stories of the night before added to
nv uneasiness. There was tho danger
that might meet bear. had my rifle
and three dozen cartridges in my belt,
but Uncle John had said: "Give grizzlies
a wide berth"
What could DO II met one!
The way grew more and more intricate.
Now I had to climb over powders, and
now force my way through tangled under
growth, from which emerged into the
shadow of pines so gloomy that twilight
seemed suddenly to have fallen.
There was a crashing Of bushes, as OF
some heavy body pushing itself through.
| tried to run, but the roughness Of the
ground made me stumble at every step.
The noise came nearer. knew that 1t
could be nothing but n bear, and every
other terror was swallowed up in present
terror. remembered that grizzlies do
not climb unless the tree is neither too
large nor too small. Ten yards To tho
left stood slender tree, with trunk clear
for fifteen feet.
/ spraug toward II, and although had
never been able TO climb tree before, l
climbed now without moment Of hesita-
ton, and scrambled 10 n seat among the
branches shook so violently that l had
TO hold on by main force to keep from fall
ing. / had been there probably thirty
seconds when there shuffled from the
bushes, with awkward but impressiv,
gait, monstrous grizzly bear.
I had dropped my gun in the excite
ment, and even had kept It should not
have dared TO fire. As the great beast
shambled along I saw that he was lame
II was old Clubfoot, the terror and auto
crat OF the mountains. He was headed
directly for my tree. My blood curdlcd
and my breath stopped. l have no dis
tinct recollection OF the next few seconds.
He approached within ten feet OF my hid
ing place, rolling his head from side To
side as IL aware Of an unseen foe. Then
he passed on and was lost among the
trees.
| remained motionless for nearly an
hour, fearing TO descend. Then l crept
noiselessly in the direction whence old
Clubfootha come. My rifle, which must
have fallen against the PROSTATE trunk by
which | found it, was broken short of ut
the breech, the bear having struck with
his paw in passing.
Imagine my surprise when ! emerged
from among the trees TO find the same
little grass plot where had killed the
deer. At first could not believe IL, but
there was tho spring with the rock by
which had sat, and the remains Of my
luncheon lay scattered on the ground. i
was tired as well as weak and nervous
after the fright the bear had given me.
But il was becoming question OF life and
death, and / was not willing to die.
Carefully gathering the scraps OF bread
and meat that had thrown away. / re-
solved to follow the nearest canyon down
TO itsmouth, which was sure would lead
me out into the open country somewhere.
The sides were so steep that had TO let
myself down by clinging TO roots and
overhanging branches. lplodded on dog
gedly. In the heart Of he canyons I'M.
numbered horr Drs lurked, and the rocky
walls Ise on each side OF me toweringly,
insurmountable. / began to wonder II
had better go back when / was startled
TO see open before what seemed almost a
bottomless pit The declivity was prob
ably not more than fifteen feet, but 10
looked very terrible to me. could not
leap that distance, nor could j climb
around the steep and slippery sides. a
tall tree grew from the lower level, how
ever, and by leaning far out ] caught o
branch and thus climbed down
| felt certain that now must be very
near the valley floor, for had been de-
scending q long time. behind me, In the
hollows of the canyon the shadows OF
evening were already lying. had sprained
my ankle in the dcscent-an injury that
at any other time would have disabled
me, but now could not he allowed To i'm.
pedc my progress. lmpcd along, hop
ing and fully expecting 10 see, mt n turn
ing not far OF, the valley before me, the
green fields. and the dwellings Of men.
How were my hopes Knocked when |
found, instead, prccipicc fully sixty feet
deep. With n cry OF horror, drew back
and wrung my hands I'm despair. Had
been saved from the jaws Of savage
beast only TO die more terribly by starya-
ton, or TO bc dashed 30 pieces In rocky
chasm1 Nature hal never seemed TO me-
so pitilcss. The stony walls looked down
at me in awful silence. The yawniDg
precipicc at my feet seemed yawning,
waiting With sickcninS expectancy.
Before this had been afraid to speak
al0ud, for fear Of rousing some wild ami
NAL; but now felt that should be glad
90 see or hear anything with life, even IL
IL were savage. ] shouted myself
hoarse, but only strange echoes answered
me from the frowning woods.
The shadows grew deeper. ] must do
omething-anything.
Ii occurred 10 me TO make rope OF
some of my clothing, and thus descend
IL was the work Of but n moment 10 take
OF. my long stockings and tic them to
gether, and then to add my scarf. All
this made only four or five yards I'm
length. tore the skirt Of my stout water
proof suit into strips, which / tied to-
gether, until had what seemed enough.
Then, fastening "a stone TO one end, j
crept 20 the edge and let the rope down
to measure the distance. IL still lacked
little. The deficiency was soon sup
piled from the sleeves OF my jacket. The
root Of a pine afforded convenient
place for attaching the rope; and having
first tested every foot Of IT, To make sure
that It would bear my weight, was
ready 10 swing of.
Several times ! looked over, and my
head grew dizzy. / decided TO go back
ward, to obviate that difficulty. Fearing
my shoes would be hindrance In my
clinging to the rope, pushed them over,
| together with my cartridge belt Another