Telegram-herald., 1889-06-13


roR A SECOND TWAS STUNNED BI TIE SIGHT.
getting US out ot il. and accordingls wa be
selged him with questions as We sat at the
table.
IL dunno" he said, "whut we kin do. Ia
fact il pears right smart ter me lke we
can't do nothiu but starye IL out"
1--WE might manage 10 gel down 70 the
valley" / suggested
"Not likely to- Brady replied. "with
them gorges Jam fuli er snow. Why, some
NV Ell air fifty feet deep Reckon were
gone up on any sicl hope es tibet"
..Im in fer tryin' II, anya0w," Jerry said.
ave mout make it."
I'VE kin try it," the Old man said, "but il
won't do 10 good"
The storm ragged, il possible. with greater
violence than ever, and the snow swept
along in such a cloud that IL was almost i'm
possible TO fight our way through IT. But
we struggled and tOiled slowly Oh. only 10
find TINT our effort was vain and that IA
assage was entirely out Of the question
IL was twelve o'clock when we reached the
cabin again, and we were u blue lot OF ten
derfeet indeed.
"Wal, boys" Brady remarked "we're
showed up here fer tLer winter, Judge, an'
though we'ye got plenty or gold ! s'pect
we'll git monty hungry. Gold hain't much
good TO er feller when they hahn nothin' he
kin buy with II. !"
But when a week had passed and we sat
down to the table TO partake of scanty
breakfast composed OF the remnants OF our
provision supply 1t began TO look quite blue.
and |, for one, thought "a great deal Of my
old Eastern home and of the well filed
larler that the home folks always kept We
ate in silance, for our condition was becon-
ing too serious for laughter, and even Andy
felt that the time had come 70 cease his
Jokes and stories. When we had finished
our breakfast Carter leaned back and SAID
"Boys, somethin' has got ter be done"
"Wal, | agree with you thar" Jerry re-
piled, "but the question is, whutf'
"Yes, whutr' we repeated
"Wal,n the old man observed, 'thar
haint but one thing 10 DO, an that is ter try
ther pass ergin. They amt nothin in these
diggins ter eat, an our only show is ter git
down ther range"
.Then it's my ijee," said Jerry, "that we'd
es well give up TO die. fer I'm er goat ef any
livin' critter kin git down ther range ia this
snow"
1T pears mouty hopeless" the old man
said, ''but it won't do 10 set here an starve.
! We kin try it, an somethin' may come outen
! it.n
| We sailed forth, and for hotrs beat our
| way through the drifts. Our progress was
/ slow, and the farther we went the woyse 1t
/ became. At last, tired out, hungry and IL
most frozen, we were compelled 10 abandon
/ the struggle and seek the cabin for shelter
| As we sat about the fire that night we
| talked but little, and as We became thor
oughly warm we sought our hunks and fell
/ to sleep. The ole man was always the last
/ to retire. and when L turned in he was still
sitting in the corner smoking his pipe.
] had been in bed an hour probably when
WAS awakened by strong drGught OF cold
air, and sprnging quickly up l behe.d a
sight that stilled my heart for the time
The door stood wide open, and there before
the fire sat the Old man fast asleep, while
before him stood huge bear just in the act
Of embracing his prey For a second 1 was
| stunned by the sight but quick a. a flash
resolved to act, and zustching my pistol
/ from the floor, took aim best | could in
the dim. glmmcring freligh aud trcm bin 2
| with fear lest should Eiss nv mark by ono
inch and send the ball into the heart Of my
friend, or lest my bail should not provo
fatAl and we should have a battle with an
enraged bear, | pulled The trigger with a
trembling finger, and there was a sharp re-
port, an uuea thiy grow, and the bear feil
dead Just g. he had LAID lis paws around
! the old man form.
IL was a terrible momca to re. and was
! greatly relieved when / saw nv compan-
/ ions gather about and realized that the old
| man was safe.
Daring the two weeks following we liv-d
| very comfortably on bear meat. and be-
/ coming better reconcied 10 our lot va
/ passed a very pleasant time. One DAY
/ ASKED the old man whore Le supposed the
bear came from, and he fepHed
Il dunno. bat 1 reckou ne Ilusf -
showed up in q cave summers close. fer
! doa think he could a come much distance
Likely he got hungry eruuG 10 force his way
into our cabin with the Iee o. gitta' some
thin 70 eat, ard got est hlssef Hsti3 "
wal. it pas lucky fer gs be come." Jerry
replied. scr we'd er been er past estiH' l9ug
I afore now
The weather turned warm then snd the
/ snow thawei out 80 that we were able "a
resch tba post We soon forgot our Al.
Venture and 10 She sPTa < returned % oar
I uius and weat oE witn oar work