Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-12-18

rectly for my tree. Ny blood cur
died and my breath stopped. have
no distinct recollection of the next
few seconds. He approached with
in ten feet of my hiding place, roll
| ing his head from side to side as If
aware Of an unseen toe. Then he
passed on and was lost among the
trees. remained motionless for
nearly an hour, fearing to descend.
Then | crept noisclessly in the di-
reetion whence old Cluhfoot had
come. Ms rife, which must have
fallen against the PROSTATE trunk by
which / found it, was.broken short Off
at the breech, the bear having struck
it with his paw in passing.
Imagine my surprise when Temerg.
ed from among the trees to find the
same little grass plot where I had
killed the deer. At first | could not
believe it, but there was the spring
with the rock by which / sat, and
the remains of my lucheon lay scat.
tered on the ground. Twas tired as
well as weak and nervous after the
fright the bear had given me. But
it was becoming q question Of life
and death, and was not willing to
die Carefully gathering the scraps
Of bread and meat that had thrown
away. resolved to follow the near
est canyon down to its month. 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. | plod-
ded on doggedly. In the heart of the
canyon numberless perils lurked. and
the rocky walls rose on each side Of
me toweringly insurmountable. /
began to wonder if ] had better 60
back when / was startled to see open
| before what seemed almost a bottom
less pit The declivity was proba-
bly, not more than fifteen feet, but it
looked very terrible to me. / could
not leap that distance, nor could ]
climb around the steep and slippery
sides. A tall tree grew from the
lower level, however, and by leaning
far out / caught branch and thus
climbed down.
| l felt certain that now I must be
very near the valley floor, for had
been descending for long time.
Behind me, in the hollows Of the
canyon the shadows of evening were
already lying. | had sprained my
ANGLE in the descent--an injury that
at any other time would have disa-
bled me, but now could not be allow
ed to impede my progress. ] limp
ed along, hoping and fully expecting
to see, at turning not far off, the
valley before me, the green fields,
and the dwellings Of men.
l How were my hopes Knocked when
I found, instead, precipice fully
sixty feet deep. With cry of hor-
ror, drew back and wrung my
hands in despair. Had l been saw
ed from the jaws of savage beast
only to die more terribly BY starvu-
ton, or to be dashed to pieces in a
rocky chasm? Nature had never
seemed to me so pitiless. The stony
walls looked down at me in awful 81
lence. The yawnipgprecipice at my
feet seemed yawning, waiting With a
sickening expectancy Z. $500
| .Beforethis / had been afraid to
| speak aloud, for fear ofrousing some
Wild animal but now / felt that
should be glad to see or hear any
thing with life, even lift were saw
agess L shouted myself hoarse, but
only strange echoes answered ne
from the frowning woods, .a..
| iThe shadows grew deeper. Imust
do something-anything. ss
| 1t occurred to me to make o rope
of some of my clothing, and thus de
scend. It was the work of but n
moment to take off my long stock