The Press., 1889-10-10
mATTIE,s ADVENTURE.
BY ELLA THOMAS.

Ere
 There were some of the neighbors who thought it was hardly prudent thing for -year-old Mattie Craig to live alone with her father on his farm in Fox Hollow, a pleasant nook in the Catskill Mountain. But MT. Craig felt that his home would be desolate indeed, without his little dangh- ter, especially now that his wife had been taken from him and as for Mattie, aside from the fact that she was a fearless little thing, it was certain that she never would be happy away from her father. " Beside. ? as MT. Craig would say if the subject were mentioned, !" I am never gone from home long at time, and when am away Bruno is always there, he will protect her as we'll as person." And no one who saw the great dog with his intelligent eyes and his devotion to his little mistress could doubt the truth of this assertion.
 It was early on an August morning, while Mir. Craig was getting ready to, go to the hay field he said to his little girl, sMattie, as was coming home last night I saw that the blackberries were ripe on the bushes on this side of the woods. Would you like to go out and pick some ?'' Of course Mattie was delighted with the proposal, and her father, feeling that he had provided his daughter with amuse- memt and occupation for the forenoon, having charged her not to go out of sight of the house or into the woods, kissed her, mounted his hay wagon and rode away. Hattie tied on her sunbonnet, and taking a large tin dinner pail started off, holding her head very high with a sense of her importance in that she was going to pick berries for :" Papa's dinner"
 It was but very little way, or her father r,oY,1l ot hou kh<11rhk If hon Tha screening wood, along whose edge the The berries were large and ripe, and de spite the fact that many one found its way to her rosy mouth, in an hour she had her pail half full. Then an unlooked-for interruption occurred. First Matte was startled by crashing, rustling sound, and then still more so to see large bear em- erge from dense thicket close at hand, and come towards her. She shook her apron vigorously and said, "sho, sho. ? but the bear merely growled as though to say, "You are altogether too small child to make any impression on me"
 Mattie was frightened, for though she had never seen any bears she had often heard of them and knew at once what this was. She was, too, very indignant that Bruno paid no attention to her protest and picking up thick stick she hit him g resounding whack over the head. At this the bear gave more vicious growl, as il remarking, ''This thing has gone fal enough" and seizing her dress began, not withstanding her struggles, to drag hel towards the woods.
 Now Mattie aO0s frightened. She scream ed loudly for help, though her father, as she realized with feeling of helpless ter TOT, was in the meadow beyond the woods far out of hearing. Yet her cry reached one ear, that of old Bruno, who, during her berrying, had had been engaged ir the endeavor to dig out woodchuck. Ut tering loud bark, he rushed to her side and seemed at once with doggish sagacity to grasp the situation, for he immediately bounced on the bear in the rear to diver his attention and compel him to drop the child. Brunos teeth were strong an6 sharp, and as they fixed themselves in tho bear he was glad to loosen his hold or Mattie and turn on his assailant. A sharI fight followed, Bruno attacking with great fury as though to give Mattie chance te escape to the house.
 She improved the chance. With hel berries dropped and forgotten, her dress torn by the bears hold, and her sunbonne hanging down her back, she flew as fast as her small feet could carry her towards the safe shelter of the house. As she neared it she saw man she knew passing along the road but few rods distant.
 Mr. Gray, o, MT. Grayl" she called loudly and excitedly as she rushed towards him, ia bear was eating me up, and now off from Bruno, quick. Dol"
 ! Tho aIu uopt of O hnoP from thn m fo;p though unfrequent, was by no means al unheard of event in Fox Hollow. Quick ly MT. Gray had the neighborhood aroused and armed with guns, pitchforks and any weapon that came handy, the men wer, soon in hot pursuit. It may be that Bruil had scented danger. At any rate, befor, they reached the spot he had made goot his retreat, and though diligent search fol lowed no trace of him could be found Bruno was found near the scene of the con hict, with blood running down his sid from wound inflicted by the bears paw and he, himself, so exhausted by the on counter that he was unable to stand When he saw them, however, he lifted hi head with weak though joyous bark, an
 wagged his tail, as much as to say. {"
 saved Mattie, anyway"
 That evening as MT. Craig sat with Mat tie on his knee, and his faithful old dog whose wound had been dressed and who's appetite tempted by the best the house al fo ded, lying close by his side, he said t the group of neighbors who had droppe in to discuss the exciting events of tn day, "I tell you what it is; there ism money enough tonight in all the Catskill to buy Bruno"
 And Mattie who had repeated her stor, and been petted and caressed till she fei herself decided heroine, as she nestle, against her fathers arm, reached dow and patted Bruno's shaggy head and sai. earnestly, He was the best old doggie il the world. He wouldn't let the big bat old bear eat me up."- Christian I,atelli 9eocer.
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