The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-04-27

No, it wasn't your eye, growled
Barney; cit was the smell of your
ovcralls, and no wonder the bear ran.
Sit back from the stove, Steene."
There was a motion as if the old
mountaineer would brain the young
man with his chair but Proctor re-
strained him until Barney got safe out
| of the way, and then told him it was
all meant in fun.
well, boys, fun5s fun, said the old
man; "but l don't like that youngster,
and he'd better keep out of my way;
he's too fresh for me by doggoned
sight"
This was Steene's story about the
/ bear, and although nobody ever be-
| lieved it the old man had told it so
often guess he had come to believe it
himself and had great confidence in his
theory and his eye.
Not long since Steene was up in the
canyon locking for some strayed cattle
when he suddenly came upon a Rocky
Mountain lion. Steene had his big
butcher knife and his navy revolver
with him, but he had left his rifle at
home. 1t was not a very big mountain
lion, perhaps a year old, and Steene
| determined to tame him. Dismount-
ing from his horse, he tied him to a
tree, and then advanced upon the lion,
| which was lying on shelving rock
summing himself. Al Steene's approach
the animal rose and began to lash his
sides furiOWsly with his tail. At this,
old Steene stopped omd began to lash
} his sides with his arms He tapped
? them about vigorously, and the lion
stopped and looked ut him. Then the
lion paved ut the eaath, and old Steeie
Spawed up the earth, The lion paused
| again and looked dn establishment at
SNeene. Evidently he had never seen
so curious u man an all his short life.
The lion circled around on his rock
and Odd Steene circled around on the
prairie,s then. the lion walked up and
down and e{id Steene did the same.
The beast eroUched for a spring. and
old Steenet rcrouched as if about to
Jump Thts lion became alarmed and
dropped on his belly, seeming to expect
Steene every 'moment on his back. The
lion roared ami old Steene roared. He
was getting on famously at tanning the
beast when old. Steene' 5 foot wentin into
a badger hole and he fell down. That
was enough; the lion jumped and
caught old Spene by the arm. The
old man tried 10 draw his six-shOoter,
but it was on the side of the lion and
he could not reach it. He then drew
his butcher and let into the lions ribs,
cutting him up badly and ripping w
his belly. Still the lion held on, and
old Steeue and he rolled over and over.
The lion got one paw on old Steene's
head aud almost scalped him. pulling
the scalp clean down over Steene's lef
ear. This made the old man very mad
and. getting his arm loose, he drew hi
siX-shooter and filed the beast full o.
lead He was soon dead, and Ole
Steene started for home to repair dam
ages. His wounds looked bad, but they
were soon scwed mp and were not seri
Gus. In four days ,he was out and walk
ing about again The boys got tn,
hide off the lion and Barney says he i,
going to have it tanned and made VI
, into an overcoat
Steene says if his foot hadn't slipped
. he would have tanned that lion all right
He was "a Young fellow and hadn'
much sense, anyhow.
Barney says the lion wasn't read VI
on Steene's theory. He advises the ole
man to 90 to India and try his theory
! on the tigers, or to Africa and practice
on the lions there, but Steene SAYS h,
I will stop in the Rocky Mountains TO
: awhile and make his theory work ye
on the wild animals of this country
. James S. BTjsbin, IN Letter to N. J
Kor1H