The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-02-22

uIlNeu III l1S STuuUuS 1ue lace
campers rarely owned slaves while
they were making their cIearings,
but they always rocked forward To
the day when they would become
masters. As rule they were hard,
ignorant people, and their reputation
As slave holders was such that even
the slaves of the cotton planters of
the lowland pitied the negroes of
face camper. So, naturally, when
Bip came suddenly at the home of
one of this class he was greatly
alarmed, and made up his mind to
get away from that locality as soon
as possible. The moon was shining
full and bright in the shanty, and
Bip could see the bunk and the out
lines of its sleeping inmates, and the
loft above it. As he stood perring
out Of the thicket, taking a hurried
view of the curious scene, AN ugly
and 0miniou5 groWl came from the
shanty. SlppOsing that his presence
had been discovered by the campers
dogs. hip was drawing back hurried
ly to escape from the spot. when he
discovered that it was something else
that had aroused the dogs. Out of
the shadows on the opposite side OF
the opening came two dark objects
toward the deer, and two huge bears
were revealed in the moonlight.
They did not stop, but SlOucned i'm
pudpntly along to secure the object
of their visit, the depr'S carcass. Bip
could not overcome his curiosity To
watch and sea what the result of this
invasion would be. As the bears ShuI-
fled up to the spot where the deer
hung, two dogs rushed out Of the
open camp. With furious barking
and loud yelping they sprang upon
the bears.
"Thp noise aWOke the owner of
the camp. and Bip saw MIN spring
from the bunk. At the same time
the wife and the faces of three wild
and startled looking children rose up
in the bunk. The women and the
children began to scream and cry.
As the settler jumped out the hears
made rush for the dogs, which re-
treated to the shanty. They almost
ran over the man as he approached.
He ran back and helped his wife and
children from the bed to the bunk
Overhead. The next moment man,
dogs aud bears were closed together
in one indiscriminate struggle. Feel.
ing that whatever the result might
be his own safety lay in escaping
from the scene without delay. Bjp
haStenpd into the forest. He had not
gone far when it occurred to him
that a fellow mans life was undouht-
edly in peril, and that il was his duty
to aid him in preserving it, no mat.
ter what the consequences might be
to him>el Without further hesita-
tion he turned and dashed back
through the thicket. He cleared the
opening at bound, and the next sec-
Ond had Joined the settler and his
dogs in the contest with the bears.
The settler was being pressed by toe
bears against the wall at the foot OF
the hunks. and the frail shanty was
shaking and swaying threateningIy.
The mans wife and children were
shriekIng franIically in the loft. Ohe
dog had been killed and the other
disabled.
"Bip closed with one of the bears
at once. His knife was keen, long
bladed dirk. with two edges. He
thrust it to the hilt in the bears
breast as the animal lunged up
aginst him. The blood follDWed the
hIade in stream. The bear stag.
gered back. Before it rallied Bip
turned to the other one. 1t had
knocked the settler to the ground.
where he lay, stunned. In a second
more the bear would haYe torn the
mans throat to strings. With one
slash of his effective weapon Bip sew
cred the big arteries in the bears
neck, and laid the windpipe open.
The bear raised up erect on its feet
and fell oyer backward with its
whole weight against the side OF
the camp. The shock was more than
structure could stand. and the shanty
came down with a crash, burying
bears and all beneath pile of boards
and scatIing. The next that Bip knew
it was daylight. He was lying on the
ground on a deerskin. He was sore
and lame, hut managed to get to his
feet. A .whiskered man, pale.
weeping woman, and two frightened
looking children were grouped near
him. By the siue of ragged pile OF
boards that had been the camp, lay
| the carcasses of two huge bears. The
big WhiSkered man came forward
grasped Bip's hand, and told him he
| had saved his life, The man, his