Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-07-18
A Travelling Liar.

and North Carolina for many miles,
girl about 13 years of age, bare
headed, barefooted. and having on a
single garment made of cheap stuff,
suddenly jumped into the road few
feet ahead of me, fell down, rolled
over, lost her hold on bundle OF
roots and barks and was up and of
like shot. She passed me without
seeing me, and next minute bear
came rolling out of the bushes upon
the spot she had covered. | had a
big revolver, and L had it handy, and
bruin was dead before he could sus-
pect how my hair stood on end, and
my legs wobbled. He wasn't fifteen
feet away, and he looked as a yearl-
ing calf, and even if | did shoot with
my eyes shut he would have been
ashamed of me if l had failed to kill
him with six bullets. He was kick
ing his last when the girl came back,
regarding him with bulging eyes for
a moment, and then said
"Lordy! but | thought l was a
goner. Who be you'un -
"Oh, happened along here. Why
didn't you scream?'
Couldn't. / hadn't wind huff"
"How far did he chase you?"
GA right smart"
"Well, who are you %
"Susan. Come up to the house.
She picked up the lost bundle and
started on ahead, and quarter of a
mile above we came to cove and the
inevitable mountaineer's cabin. The
cove was the same-cabin the same
surroundings the same as a score of
others. Aye the gaunt, miserably
dressed woman stood in the door, two
children rolled on the ground, and a
bulldog slouched out of the cabin
and growled fiercely at the approach
of stranger. Susan led me straight
to the door, and as we halted at the
Threshold she explained
"B'ar was chasin' me. He'un kill
ed it with his pepper"
AS soon as the matter was under
stood the three of us went back, made
litter, and after a hard tug got the
bear to the cabin. We had just ar
rived when the husband came home,
having been off OH hunt, and the
girl braced up, got rest for her back
against the house, and told the story
as follows:
"Got my roots tied up. Bar cum
fur me. Took run. Met he'un.
He'un didn't run tall. Heard him
shoot-popl pop! pop Went back.
Bar was dead. Told he'un to come
up and see we'uns. Give him your
paw, pap"
stranger" said the man as he
came to me with out-stretched hand,
put her thar Reckon you saved
that gals life, fur suah Nam, give
him your paw"
"lze thankful, shore | am" she said
as we shook hands.
wanted to go five miles further
up the trail to Uncle Joe Billings's
place, but there was a general protest
on the instant, and the mountaineer
exclaimed
Stranger, do you un think we'uns
ar heathensl We's poor an forlorn
and shuckless, but we's got feelin's.
You've got to stop right yere till to-
morrow"
Deed he has ~ added the wife,
Nobody as saves our Suse from a
bar is gwine to walk off like that"
81 thought | was dun gone when l
heard him go pop, pop, pop" said
Susan, "and the bar fell down in
heap"
Then there came a period Of silence
with everyone looking full at me. /
knew what was coming. 1t had come
a dozen times in a fortnight. The
man was uneasy, while the wife look
ed puzzled. BY and by the husband
hesitatingly began
Stranger, we'uns is thankful to
you'uns but-but--"
at don't make no difference ! say"
exclaimed Susan.
eyes, her do" replied the father as
he pulled a piece of bark from the
log. Stranger, we want ter know if
#"
He couldn't get it out
"You want to know what I'm doing
here" | suggested.
"That's it."
"Well, Pm travelling for health and
to see how you people live."
"Whar from ?"
Michigan"
"Then you'un is Yank ?"
Eyes"
"And you 6t in the WARP
"Yes."
"And you walloped us
yes"
And you amt no spyl"
uNo.o. ~