Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-10-04

He was Q venerable and intelligent
man and had been great traveller,
and he kindly undertook to while
away an idle hour by telling q New
York Evening Sun reporter Of the true
inwardness Of California life In the
foot. Of the Sierra.
II had several very curious adven-
lures down there" he said, land, by
the way, young fellow, If you ever
happen to go to that region you had
better throw of your palent feathers
and your boiled shirt to begin with,
and put on corduroys and high cow
hide boots. The brush down there
has thorns three inches long, barbed
like fish hooks, and you would soon
leave behind you that costume with
more OF what Is inside of you than
would suit you.
Gas to your question about grizzlies,
III tell you my first and rather re-
markable experience with one OF those
varmints. was kid, not yet twenty,
and new TO the region Of the Sierras,
having come from the East but few
months before. On moonlight night
early In April was gently meander-
ing home on muleback. was un-
armed with the exception Of pocket
knife, for had ioollshly lent my pis-
toll to friend early in the day. ] had
almost reached the ranch, having only
4 short stretch Of chappsrel to pass. l
had heard the settlers allude respect
fully to old Ephraim. They said he
was flereest In the spring, after his
winters siestR. He's always an ugly
customer, and after man has had q
wipe or two from his talons there is
seldom enough left Of that man 10 tell
the tale.
"On this evening l speak Of was
dog tired, as had been riding all day.
| had almost fallen asleep on my mule
when--jumping Jehosaphatl how that
mule did jumpl Standing ahead, as
large as life, on the bank of a little
brook, was big grizzly. he grinned
OF me and growled in way calculated
10 agitate the nerves OF Ajax, the Eel
low who defied the lightning, much
more those Of o tenderfoot, as waH
then.
~ had heard enough 70 know that
il l turned tail, that is the mules tail,
could leave Ephraim behind me, but
on the other side of him was home,
and had my share of grit even them
had heard Of the notion entertained
by some people that man can master
the most feroclous wild creature by
looking him In the eyes and adVanc-
ing straight upon him. Even a green
horn would back out Of such expert
ment with Ephraim, the most terocious
OF all wild creatures,
Suddenly ! remembered / had In
my pocket large box filed with frlc-
tiOn matches, those made with plenty
of birthstone for use in q strong wind.
An idea occurred to me, and l patted
. and encouraged the mule, who trem-
bhd so ! thought she would drop
down under me, and urged her boldly
right in the face of old Bruin. When
within a few feet suddenly struck a
dozen matches and threw them right
into his open jaws Never was there
a more sudden change from defiant
and malignant ferocity TO the most
hDftbh LpWuAhlS0s AhN hubo ShNtS
actually covered and shook with
terror equal TO that of the mule her
self.
"ThIs was something altogether
outside Of his experience. l suppose
he thought he had struck prairie fire
on muleback. Even the mule saw the
situation and gained courage, She
advanced and l kept continuous
shower Of burning matches. Luckily
a rather strong wind blew from me
and carried away the fumes. In TACT,
this is what brought the varmint "a
me, he having winded me. To Cul
things short, old Eph turned tail and
ignomlniously fed.
"Now, stranger, might proceed Z
relate further how kept at the heeli
of that old grizzly and kept setting
| fire TO his fur until he was entirely
burned up; but in this skeptical age i
may be well to suppress some OF thu
facts of the case, for fear OF beinl
I Aa..AtnI