, 1889-09-10

when "~whangT came something against
the door. and they all jumped for their
guns. 1t was the discounted but not
discouraged Monarch breaking into the
cabin in search of his supper. With two
or three blows OF his ponderous paw the
grizzly smashed the door to splinters,
but as he poked his head in he met a vol
ley from two rifles and a shotgun. He
looked at jeff reproachfully for the in
hospitable reception, turned about and
went away more in sorrow than in
anger.
jeff Towards next meeting with the
Monarch was on the Sespe. He and his
son Jess were hunting deer along the
side of the canyon, when they saw q big
bear in the brush about n hundred yards
up the hill. Both fired at the same mo-
ment, and one ball at least hit the bear.
Uttering a roar of pain, the grizzly snap
ped ~viciously at his shoulder where the
bullet struck, and as he turned his head
he saw the two hunters, who then recog-
nized the Monarch by his huge bulk and
grizzled 'front.'. The Monarch came with
a rush like an avalanche down the noun
tain side, breaking through the MANIA
nita brush and smashing down young
trees as easily as a man tramples down
grass. His lowered head offered no fair
mark for q bullet, and he came on with
such speed that only a chance shot could
have hit him anywhere. jeff and his
son Jess did not try any experiments of
that kind, but dropped their rifles and
Skinned up a tree rs fast as they could.
They were none too rapid, as JEFF left q
piece of one bootleg in the Monarch's
possession. The Monarch is not a bear
to fool away much time on a man up n
tree, and as soon as he discovered that
the hunters were out of reach he went
away. and disappeared in the brush.
The two men came down, picked up
their guns, and decided to have another
shot at the Monarch il they could find
him. They knew better than to 60 into
the brush after a bear, but they hunted
cautiously about the edges for some time.
They were sure hat the Monarch was
still in there, but they could not ascer-
tain ut what point. JEFF went around to
windward of the brush patch and set fire
to it, and then rejdined jess on the lee
ward side to watch for the temperance
Of the Monarch. The wind was blowing
fresh up the canyon, and the fire ran
rapidly through the dry brush, making
n thick smoke and a great noise. When
the Monarch came out he came rapidly
and from an unexpected quarter, and
the two hunters had just time enough to
break for their tree again and get out of
reach.
This time the Monarch did not leave
them. He sat down at the foot of the
tree and watched with malicious pa
tio,co Tho ,r;pJ iprroosal and tho fire
spread on all sides, and in n few moments
it became uncomfortably warm up the
tree. The bear kept on the side of the
tree opposite the advancing fire, and
waited for the two men TO come down.
jeff and Jess got a little protection from
the heat by hugging the leeward side of
the trunk, but 1t became evident that the
tree would soon be in a blaze, and unless
they jumped and ran within the mex
minute or two they would be surrounded
by fire. They hoped that the grizzly
would weaken first. but he showed no
signs of an intention to leave. When
the flames began crawling up the wind
ward eide of the tree and the neat be-
came unbearable jeff said:
jess, which wo I'D you rather take
chances on, grizzly or fire?'
dad, l think I'll chance the bear"
replied Jess, covering his face with his
arm.
"All right. When l say go, jump and
run as though you were scooting through
hell with n keg of powder under your
arm"
jeff and Jess Crawled out on the limbs
and swung by their hands for a moment,
and at the word they dropped to the
ground within ten feet of the bear, and
lit out like scared wolves. They broke
right through the burning brush, getting
their hair singed NJ they went. The
bear started after them, but was afraid
to go through the fire, and while he was
finding n way out of the circle of burn
ing brush and timber jeff and Jess struck
out down the mountain side, making
about fifteen feet at n jump. and never
stopped running until they got to the
creek and out of the bears sight.-True
Flag.