Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-11
Light bread and Van Bibber,s Bear.
TWO TOPICS OF PARAMOUNT INTEREST IN WEST vIR-
GINA MOUNTAINS.

Light bread and Van Bibber's Bear.
TWO TOPICS OF PARAMOUNT INTEREST IN WEST vIR-
GINA MOUNTAINS.
W. B. stevens IN the Globe Democrat
Naturally the stranger In these mountain re-
gions has his curiosity and his appetite whetted
by what he sees and hears Of light bread. Fortu-
nate Is he II that curiosity Is not his ruin The ma
tive Vrginian will surround great chunks OF light
bread, wet them down with black coffee, and 60
about his business or his pleasure with an undis-
lucky stranger who attempts to DO likewise. This
lght-bread diet Is something to be achieved by
slow approaches. The hot faky fragments taste 70
them like so much sole leather
once there was dyspeptic artist who came
lie came, he saw, and he IeIl An hour aIterward
he began to realize what had happened. He hired
an ancient ferryman to stay on shore and let him
at successive springs OF red sulphur, white sui
phur, and blue sulphur, unit! ne was sure the
mucous a membrane Of his stomach must look
banner. Then he varied his course with
glass after glass of the strongly impregnated
he took into his confidence q veteran noun
taineer, who prescribed 10 miles on the box
Of Concord coach at O'Clock In the morn
ing. Not till all this was undergone did the
dyspeptic artist feel that he had atoned to his
stomach for the great outrage he had perpetrated
light bread. providence has given this region
great natural advantages. Here are scenery and
atmosphere unsurpassed Here are springs Of wa
ter which have every conceivable color, taste and
SMELL But here must be found the bitter with
the sweet, incident to weak humanity. Here Is
the Virginia light bread.
bread and Virginia light bread, for the state line
is crossed midway on this mountain trip, but in
vest1gation shows the distinction is without a
difference. There are as many wakeful hours and
dyspeptic qualms on one side OF the state line as
on the other. Light bread was discovered when
all this country was "Old Virginny," and 1t would
take something stronger than the United states
Government to make either division part with the
Within sight of the spot which will linger in
memory as the place Of the initial encounter with
Virginia light bread Is the scene OF Van Bibber's
exploit. Van Bibber was pioneer in these parts.
He lived on the right bank OF the Kanawha. He
came too early to make his living with a saw-mill
or coke furnace, and there were no tourists TO
hotels at which he might md Steady market for
his wild blackberries. Van Bbber had to hustle
over the mountains and hunt deer and bear to
was out on the other side Of the river from his
home a band OF shawnees got upon his trail,
and, and they pressed him hard There was no
could do was to take a bee line for. the
bank OF the river just opposite his cabin. rocky
RreGplce rose sheer 20 feet from the waters edge
the plaudits Of any crowd that ever encouraged
go-as-you-please contest Van Bibber ran. He
impetus carried him far out into deep water When
he arose TO the surface a shower OF arrows fell
around him He dived, swan as far under water as
he could came up, gasped his lungs full Of fresh
and went down again 10 escape the arrows. This
performance he kept up gradually increasing the
distance between himself and the InOians. From
the door OF the cabin Mrs. Van Bibber had seen
the awful leap and had heard the yells or the In
dams. She ran down to the waters edge, got into
the dugout and seized the paddle. As she did so
pet bear followed and climbed in. There was no
time to drive the brute back and 1t was allowed TO
take Its favorite place bolt upright In the stern OF
the little craft. Sitting nat on the bottom OF the
dugout Mrs. Van Bibber padded desperately for
her husband. She reached him as he was begin
ming 10 be exhausted by his imitation OF a bell
diver Turning the dugOut she held 1t so that,
sheltered from the arrows, her husband could hali
support himself by one hand and swim with the
other. Then she padded slowly, and In this way
reached the shore. All the time the bear had re-
NAMED mot1onless and upright in the stern OF the
dugouL He whined once or twice, but otherwise
gave no sign Of his presence. The Van Bibbers
were too busy with their own escape to notice the
bear, but when they reached land and safety the
bear still sat as II chained. Van Bibber called
him, but he did not move. He went to see what
was the matter. The bear was dead. His position
had made hlm shield for his master and mistress.
He had saved them. Sticking in his broad back
were a dozen stone-pointed arrows.