The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-10-13

side Of the mountains. there lives Ger
man who was the first pioneer % bring
cattle IN among these valleys. Not iong
aEi, This oft fellow built new cabin for
himself II she foot offs mountain Be
Esrs hi- h.slse wa finished. he went ur
one dav and kilie,l a fire Ear deer
Bringing the eansise home Al night. he
hung it up against Jae back of his hnU-e.
and then hanging a blanket over the
doorway shieh was stiIl without door.
be went % bed tie slept sounily. bur
there diInly seemed IN him To be some
disturbance about the house duriug the
morning. every bit Of his fine deer was
gnne, and the bear tracks up AMI down
the mounfain-side showed What had be-
eome oft. But gaEie was pisntifal. and
II vas not long before his deer was re-
Fl.scesi by a big horned sheep. which Is
the most tender and juicy meal thaf ever
was eaten This time he WIS more cane
tul, amt lIy awake half the night. FEAR
ing that be should lo-e biz stock Of fresh
meat. When il was very iate and he was
about TO gise up watching. he az last
heard a sound AZ the back Of the hou-e.
Something was at work on bis Wild mat
ton. There was a Noise Of scratching and
tearing. Il seemed A. If several bears
we're making short work with his meat.
lie -eize,i his Iosuled rifle and iunped
ouf Of bed with very -eantv closhing on.
Going q the doorway and drawing aside
the blanket he saw that the night was
cloudy and a. dark as Egypt He stop
ped and thought for a moment that ir
would ne impossible % SiIl a bear in
such ,hlrkness. even If be should be able
b. hit it. slrthese beasts are - tough that
they VIII carry a dozen bullets about in
their b0dies without much Inconvenience
if they are not wounded in the heart or
brain. - our friend laid down his rife
and took instead q iosrie,l shot gun
e. This Is the thing for them' be sIid o.
himself; IL viii pepper them al over
and scare them - that they viii never
come again. Then With gun IN h.,na.
be silently climbed the projecting
log ~ the nearest corner OF the cabin.
and creeping across the root. peeped over
the edge above the place where the sheep
was hung Something appeared to BE-
moving below in the darkness Taxing
Il random ann. be bIazed away The
shot scattered and evidently rook effect
for there arJss chorus of Ir0wis and
howls and yells that would h..r msiie
the bravest mans hair stand on end
there was seampering and shuffiing II
MANY feet up and down, and around the
cabin even in the thick darkness be
could see MANY great Eat creatures run
ming and shifting angrily about 20 ind
who had attacked them He saw that
be was besieged on his own root by at
least a dozen furious. hungry bears.
q They didn't scare worth a cent be
said II was not long before they ciis-
covered whence the shot had come. and
knowing very vel thar there Il strength
in numbers. they determined % have
that man for supper. even If they had to
put off their supper till breakfIst-rime.
- while some sat down here and there,
the others walked about. grunting and
growing over their injuries. Bears can
climb quite "a well ~ men, and Old
Frank stood with fear and trembling in
the middle Of the roof. really to receive
with the butt Of his gun the first nose
that should rise above the edge IF rw0
bad happened b mount the roof On op-
posite sides. there would have been q
small chance Of life for the poor man.
But the bears Thought that solid ground
was the safer place for them, - there
they st.id and up above saf OLD Frank
shivering. how long he never knew. Il
seemed centuries. II wa- a sharp, frosty
autumn night and. n he had on very lit-
tie clothing. Frank was -oou chilled al
most % his bones But the bears coats
were warm enough They were more
hungry than they we're cold- ~ there
they sat and growled and waited for their
prey to come down and be eaten. soon
a bitterly cold wind began 70 blow
Every JOINT in the poor nan body stiff
fene'l but it seemed pleasanter 10 freeze
to death than b be eaten gp by those
ugly beasts. - he bore his discomfort ~
best he could The hours of that night
seemed to be endless AMI the chill grew
terrible bat ar last a dull gray streak
appeared in the East. No man was ever
more glad % 80 the first sign Of dawn
than WIS that chilly watcher Bears are
very shy by daylight. and a. the twilight
Hrrle by little grew into broad day.
Franks visitors trotted away disappoint-
FL and sulkv up to their dens on the
mountain. Their victim, more dead than
alive, was able at last % climb down and
kindle a fire to warm himself He still
lives % tell the story IN the same log
cabin but il has good stout door now.
AMI be viii never again % hunting with
e shotgun