Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-11
CAMP FIRE STORIES.

We were camped in a beautiful spot
near the base of Mount Whitney. s.
rolled on another chunk of freWood, re-
filled his pipe and continued:
"Just over the divide there was the
cattle range of old Jack Birch-Persim-
mon Jack we used to call him, from a
queer way he had of pickering up his
mouth before he began to speak. He had
stock cattle up here, and no was bothered
considerably with the bears, but it was
hard to say which be was most afraid of,
bears or firearms. His cattle correi was
near his shake cabin, and the beasts being
very fond of veal, used to come socially
up to his very door. He was an old dried
up bachelor and lived there all alone.
Gone day he came over and said he
wanted NE to help him build q bear trap.
went over and we built good, big,
strong one, just below his house. guess
I could show you the old log pile there
yet. You know bow they are made
heavy pine logs notched into each other,
a great square pen, then sliding trap
door to work up and down inside, trig-
ger on the "figure four fashion, with
bait-a calf or half deer-at the back of
the pen, which the bear smells, tries to
carry off, down comes the trap door, and
he finds himself a prisoner. Well, we
finished the trap, covered 1t over the
top with big rocks to make it doubly
secure, baited it with calf, half devoured
by the bears the night before, and awaited
results,
"The next day, over came Persimmon
Jack; saying, We've got him, and tell
you he's monster; and I want you to
come over and kill him.
go mop I said, Shoot him YOURSELF
Gle had no gun but an old army mus
ket he had brought with him from the
states, with, / suppose the same load in
it he carried across. the plains. So of
fered him my rifle.
"'Shoot himp he said; I wouldn't
shoot him for all the. cattle on the range
''He plead and plead, but was determ-
mined TO have some fun, and [ refused.
But went over. and sure. enough, he was
monster-an cid grizzly-aud how he
was paving the ground, and gnawing the
logs, and believing. like the twelve bulls
of Bashan. Jack besought NE to shoot
him, but I was o5durate, aud left hin the
very picture of woe, wishing him a pleas
ant nights rest. Next morning he was
over again with the same request-said
he hadn't been able to sleep wink.
told him I'd done my share, and go
wouldn't. Well, we did have sport over
poor Jacks bear, and believe he would
have stayed Gagged till he died of starva-
ton, if the haggard expression of Per-
| simmons eyes and pity for the beast had
not touched the heart of one of the boys
staying with me. So he went over one
day, and stopped Bruins roaring, and
oh
nights rest again. He never set the trap
afterwerd.
"As 1 said, Jack lived in shake cabin
| You have seen them-the shakes are
out of the sugar pine, which splits straight
as If sawed, and thin as a ribbon; the
frame is made of poles spiked together
the whole held firm by poles across the
square, rooted and weather boarded witt
the shakes, no ceiling. home made
table, same material, two or three camp
stools Quit of log with a shake nailed
across), com prised the furniture of Per
! simmon Jacks mansion. He slept on 6
pole bunk, occupying the space from the
door to the end OF the cabin. To make
his home burglar proof at night, hewould
shove the table up against the door, whose
deer skin string and wooden latch was
| the only fastening. The last visit Jack
| paid me was oSs morning when he cams
over looking so haggard and wild eyed
that he almost frightened me. why
Jack said /, what on earth's ths matter
are you sick?
Don't feel very pert he replied.
"'Well, what's up?'
'After repeated interrogations he final
~ answered: We'll, s., I've got Il
leave the range. Can't stand it any long
err
"'Can't stand what?'
"'Why, them cussed bears! I've los
half my calves, and, if stay little long
er I'll lose my carcass, too And Persim
mon Jack puckered up his mouth ant
commenced digging hole in the ground
with the heel of his boot, and locked tn,
very personifcation Of despair.
1" Whats their latest wrinkle?' asked
WALL said he, last night 7 showed tn.
table agin the door an went to bed al
usual. About midnight 1 thought hearS
the table move, but, after listening, con
Guided i was mistaken. just got into
doze agin when the table did move. l so
up in bed, and what did I see but an olt
bear, with his forspaws on the foot Of N,
bunk, shocking me straighs IN the eyes
He raised one paw an give grunt, an
I got up an got a-straddle one OF tn
stringin's; but tell you. s., it was tn,
toughest job I ever struck a-tryin' to hole
on TO that stringin'. An that old devil o
brute smelled round the shanty, pulled
down sack of suger an eat that, an
then he turned his attention to ne. h
sot down on his hunkers right under m
an growied. I'll be gol darnsd If /
didn't make the cold shivers run dow
me spine of my back. Then he'd wall
eoand ths cabin, an come back, an qua
ricbt under me an growl an snarl sc
SHOW his teeth agin. Then he stood u
On his hind 'sledge runners an tried t.
paw me; an tell you it was tight nip
pin'-by DRAWN up my legs he'd jus
EDias them with his paw. An there I ma,
80 sot all night, a-holdin' on to tina
rough stringin' with both hands. an draw
II up my legs out o the way O. that oil,
grizziy's paws; s., ny jints an sin
ners is that sore this mornin' l kin hardl
walk. l can't stand it, s., I've got t.
git out O. these diggin's.'
"The poor fellow was stiff sure enough