St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-02

what faulty he fell into this indiscre-
ton can not say, but that he regretted
it ere he steadied himself from the re-
coil of his piece is certain.
l supposed 1 gasped my God, Curt,
what have you doner' but am not
sure Of that. I, however, remember
very distinctly of dropping my gun,
and suiting the action to the word as
yelled, "Cut for it!' His bearship, OF
course, received the double charge
with considerable annoyance, and as
the singing pellets punctured his hide
he cuffed wildly about him, as though
fighting off bees. The next instant he
lifted spine-freezing roar and I'M
limbered for action with an alacrity
that meant business. Things, as you
must know, crowd together pretty fast
on such occasions, and words are at
best slow. So promptly did events
succeed each other then that the big
fellow was on the move towards us be-
fore I got away, and lost no time,
you may believe. We had, as l said,
twenty yards start, and l determined
to make the best of it. | took an OBJ
lique turn down the hill and had clear
ed less than rod before was going at
seven-league strides, with no possible
power of checking myself was con-
scious that Curtis was leaping be-
hind me, with the bear a close and
gaining third. A second, six whirl-
wind leaps, and before me lay my
doom-a pile of brush. All efforts to
steer clear were futile-I was then fly
ing faster than could move my legs.
/ closed my eyes-shall 1 say MUIR
INJURED prayerp-and lifted myself as
high as | might with the passing
touches l gave the ground. l ceased
in that heartbeat to be locomotive
creature; I became projectile, and it
was poor satisfaction to find that | had
cleared the brush and was plunging
downward. Well, sir, l struck the
ground with star-spangled crash, and
tore along the turf like a cannon-shot
for full furlong, until a friendly red
wood tree brought me up with more
fireworks. I had no time to speculate
OH the miracle that left me alive, but
turned to witness the fate Of Curtis. I
beheld him right on the crest of his
leap. He was spared the death that
awaited his collision with the ground,
for such luck as mine don't strike twice
in succession. A branch caught his
legs, and with a somersault. violent
enough to unjoint him, he dived into
the inextricable meshes of the brush.
The bear was on top of him before
he was we'll lodged, tearing away the
opposing boughs and brambles with
grunts of malice and deep desire. I
was so badly shaken up that for the life
of me I could not rise. If the bear had
come for me I'd have laid there and
taken my medicine as a man should
from bear. That Curtis was not yet
badly hurt and had some of his wits
about him was evidenced by the flash
of his knife blade, as he now drew it
and struck upward at the trampling,
scratching, frothing beast. Icould see
that the grizzly was anxiously endeav-
ing to fix himself just as the nature of
his weapons required, when a shot, so
unexpected and SO close, made me start
and brought the bear to it's full height
with an earthquake howl.
I glanced hurriedly about. Around
the foot of the brush heap, with his
gamebag thrown aside. his hat blown
from his kinky head and the Winches-
ter smoking in his hands came Dan.
The bear had not finished his first howl
when Dan leveled and fred again. One
more howl, now of anguish and dismay,
a continued advance on the negroes
part and another shot settled the griz-
ely on change of plans. He rolled
from the brush heap and rising, shrek
ing in shrill and most unnatural tones,
rushed upon his new adversary. Dan,
far from retreating, planted himself
like an oak and delivered his fire. AS
I lay there and regarded the erect figure
of the negro, the fierce serenity of his
black countenance, the half-smiling
flash of white teeth, the intrepidity of
his whole bearing, and the GOODNESS
and calculation with which he lowered,
threw and reversed the lever, raised,
aimed and discharged his rifle, I could
have cheered and then wept for very
The monster, streaming
with its own blood and delirious with
agony and rage, closed in upon the
black man, rose for its death grapple,
and then, as the powder flash of Dams
last cartridge blasted its sight while
the ball tore through its brain, it fell
with its huge bulk at full length to the
ground. You can bet that Dan is fixed
for life in the Curtis family Of
Virginia, and that there will be as
large a bear skin on Richmond
hearth as the fur trade ever saw, and
that will mount thissclaw in gold and
preserve it among my exempt personal
4ssets, and that-wcll, lbts Of pleasant
thing gppw<1ut Of tkS darky's gallant
conducA San Frqs scisco Chronicle.
Aseasi& -
He HAse1rdaahe lmputation.
Seedy In@ vidual-Yes, mum; the
winter has b EN- hard on US poor peo-
pie. That pie is rafting good, mum.