Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-07-12

teeth in a bal1cd rage.
Hockey hcugh. boss spad 90,
"lct-dat- beas alone, Han bus'
dat chain putty soon, and - he do 20
hide won't b. with two cents
But the cracker was decidedly ia.
tcrcstcd. and he paid mo- heed.
Once more Billy backed up against
the post. hinged forward. and again
brought up with q mighty jerk. His
tormentor %inStinc;ivcly backed OF a
little farther. and. from a little dis
lance. dcfanily shook the instrument
Of torture M him. With =
whining howl that surely must
have been "a prayer the bear again
backed up close against his post and
gathered himself for the greatest cTort
Of his life. lie Stifcncd his neck Ia
the very %-tifIcst and sprang forward a.
II shot ont Of a catapult. With a ring
Ing jerk the chain flew taunt, and q
link snapped in two.
Had not the violence Of the jerk
topped the bears mad career for an
instant he would have shot clear for
ward upon his tormcntor.
by gosh, hos loose yelled tho
cracker. A. he dropped his ox-gad.
wheeled about. and dashed out Of the
yard. The bear started for him a.
hard as h. could 20.
Now you'll kctch the devilr' shout
[ sH tfvsE L.. fl sb.-. -. :. fiji
never b. known for certain whether
the observation was addressed To the
bear or the man. For an instant joe
was glad the bcar had got loose aud he
heartily wished him success in his en-
dcavor 10 overhaul his tormentor and
insert n new set Of teeth for him FREQ
Of charge But the bear must he re-
captured AZ once or some one would
shoot il. and it would be better for him
II h. could be- caught before he hurt
any body, 80 he grabbed mp a broom
handle and dashed after the runaways.
The quarry led the race up Main
street. and it certainly was n sight To
see. People who happened to be- on
that street were startled by the wild
uproar AZ its lower end. and on looking
quickly in that direction saw a Wild
eyed cracker paving gravel for dear
life out in the middle Of the thorough
fare, "A black object galloping close be
hind him. and the people giving way
right aud left like frightened sheep.
Women screamed and stood still, men
ran into stores and banged doors be-
hind them, and many jumped into
wagons that were standing along the
street.
a bear, a bear - and bear loose -
Were the cries that arose ON all sides.
and a moment later up came the pro-
c%esston. The cracker lost his hat. aud
as he bumped himself and strained
sycry nerve Ia put distance between
himself and his furious pursucr. his
coat-tail iloatcd out behind him like y
genuine signal Of distress. Now and
then he cast "a terrified gl;.icc back
ward over his right shoulder, but cx-
cept for that he devoted all his energies
to getting on in the world.
Close behind him came the bear. n,
a rolling gallop, head bobbing up and
down AT every leap. nose well down for
the sake Of speed, but a pair Of glitter
ing, jet black. wicked little eyes fixed
on the long-lcggcd figure numbering
along in front. His mouth was open
for breath and business; he uttered a
little grunt every now aud then. and il
was astonishing To see how fast the
brute ran Behind him Mt a little dis
lance Black Joe came tearing along,
hatless, coatless and broomstick in
hand. his soul also in arms and eager
for the fray.
You Billy" shouted Joe, you Bill.
lyi come hyuh. sah,'
But Billy had made an appointment
with the cracker, and he meant to keen
it.
Go it, long legs" yelled a cool
spectator to the terrified native. Hes
a gaining on your
The procession swept by like n hur-
ricane and drew in its wake "A wild mob
OF men and boys, who raced after "a
see the result.
The bear presently made a sudden
squirt. closed up rapidly with the quar-
~, and made a slap mt the tail of that
long coat. He caught II corner Of i,
full and fair, and thought he had his
enemy ut last, but the cloth gave way
and the corner only remained 10 him.
while the rest Wen on faster than be-
fore With a disguised growl that
sounded quite like a swear word. he
spat out the piece of cloth and bore
down on the quarry for something
more substantial.
Nearly the whole length OF Main
street ran the racers. the bear with
blood in his eye chasing the cracker.
and the negro, with "A bludgcon in his
hand, chasing the bear. After they
mad passed, the stores disgorged their
scared occupants and the whole popu-
iation bore down in pursuit. Dogs
barked and ran away. horses took fright
and threatened mischief. and people in
vehicles farther up the street quickly
turned them about and whipped away.
Although it was the liycliest race
Jacksonville ever saw. il was a dead
heat between the cracker and the bear.
BY the time the suburbs were reached
the race had begun To tell on them
both. when Black Joe, by a splendid
spurf on the last quarter, finally over
hauled the bear and began to pound
him over the head with his club a Ia
G1ftAin Williams The race was over.