Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-06

As the breath grew fainter the head
turned with a conyulsive movement. and
the fast glazing eyes looked into mine with
a gaze So human in its intelligence that |
was almost crazed with grief and terror.
| hurried from the spot, only To find that
my horse, probably frightened by the
rifle shot. had disappeared. ! was alone
and miles from h pme | discovered, too,
that | lacked one of the most necessary
requisites OF the true hunter-ability to
find my way under all circumstances.
1t was already afternoon. started to
go back on foot the way had come as
nearly as could remember 1t. When
reached a point high enough 20 command
a view ! did not feel reassured, for the
mountains looked all alike. and range
after range stretched away on every side.
silent and relentless as the tomb There
was not a living thing in sight but buz-
zard cirCling about a far off peak. At
last set oil in /. direction where thought
recognized familiar rocks. The killing
of the white hart weighed heavily UPON
my spirits, and filled me With vague fears.
The stories of the night before add ID to
nv uneasincSs There was the danger
that might meet a bear. / had my rifle
and three dozen cartridges in my belt,
Iul L ltlt Jb4ill lbtal SSAlt. blNt kIlLLllCS
wide berth.
What could do if ! met Ones
The way grew more and more intricate.
Now 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, rs Of
l., ~
tried TO run, but the roughness of the
ground made me stumble at every step.
The noise came nearer. knew that it
could be nothing but a 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 the
left stood slender tree, with trunk clear
for fifteen feet
sprang toward it, and although had
never been able to climb tree before,
climbed now without q moment of hesita
ton, and scrambled TO a seat among the
branches. | shook so violently that 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 impressive
gait, monStrOus grizzly bear.
had dropped my gun in the excite
ment. and even had kept it l should not
have dared TO fire. As the great beast
shamblcd along saw that he was lame.
1t was old ClubfOot. the terror and auto
crat Of the mountains. He was headed
directly for my tree. My blood curdled
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 if 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
Clubfoot had come. My rifle, which must
have fallen against the PROSTATE trunk by
which found it, was broken short off at
the hreech. the bear having struck il 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 it, but
there was the spring with the rock by
which had sat, and the remains of my
luncheon lay scattered on the ground. l
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 its mouth, 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
overhauGing branches IplOdded on dog
gedly. In tie heart of { he canyons TN
numbered horr )rs lurked, and the rocky
walls r ,se on each side Of me toweringly,
insurmOuntable. began 10 wonder II
had better go back when was startled
to see open before what seemed almost q
bottomless pit. The declivity was prob
ably not more than fifteen feet, but IL
looked very terrible TO me. ! could not
leap that distance, nor could l climb
around the steep and slippery sides.
tall tree grew from the lower level, how
ever, and by leaning far out ! caught a
branch and thus climbed down
felt certain that now | must be very
near the valley floor, for had been de-
scending a long time. Behind me, in the
hollOws of the canyon the shadows Of
evening were already lying. had sprained
my ankle in the deScent-an injury that
at any other time would have disabled
me, but now could not be allowed to i'm
pede my progress limped along, hop
ing and fully expecting to see, at a turn
ing not far off. the valley before me, the
green fields, and the dwellings OF men.
How were my hopes Knocked when
found, instead, precipice fully sixty feet
deep. With a cry of horror, drew back
and wrung my hands in despair. Had
been saved from the jaws of a savage
beast only 10 die more terribly by starva
tiOn, or to be dashed TO pieces in a rocky
chasm, Nature had never seemed to me
20 pitiless. The stony walls looked down
at me il awful silence. The yawniDg
precipice at my feet seemed yawning,
waiting with a aickening eXpectauCy.
Before this had been afraid to speak
aloud, frr fear of Tuusing some wild ami
NAL; but now felt that | should be glad
to See or hear anything with life, even II
it were u savage. | shouted myself
hoarse. but only strange echoes answered
me from the frOwning woods.
The shadows grew deeper. / must do
omething-anything.
1t occurred TO me to make a rope Of
some OF mS clothing, and thus descend.
1t was the work of but moment to take
off my long stockings and tie them to-
gether, and then 10 add my scarf. All
this made only four or five yards in
length. tore the skirt of my stout water
proof suit into strips, which | tied to-
gether, until had what seemed enough
Then. fastening stone to one end, |
crept to the edge and let the rope down
to measure the distance. 1t still lacked
a little. The deficiency was soon sup
piled from the sleeves Of my jacket. The
root of a pine afforded a convenient
place for attaching the rope; and having |
first tested every foot Of it, TO make sure
that ii would bear my weight, l was
ready to swing off.
Several times l looked over, and my |
head grew dizzy. l decided to go back |
ward, to Obviate that difficulty. Fearing |
my shoes would be hindrance in my |
Clinging TO the rope, pushed them over, |
tDpeth with nv cartridge belt Another |