The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-01

ban9 and Hluo0io' Wv"
tseD horn and with which he had grown
-. n entire content, seemed likely to
WOO him for the rest of his natural
10 Bat that very evening, amid the
N. auict and soft colors OF the upland
40, nasture, fate was making ready
lesson for him in the possibilities OF the
unexpected.
II Westmoreland County that sum
ma, hears we're looked upon as drug
n The market. The county, indeed,
gemed to be suffering from an epidemic
4 hears But, so far, these woody past
mos Of Second Westcock, surrounded
h. settlements, had apparently escaped
ia contagion. When, therefore, Jake
"a, startled by an angry growl, coming
hon a swampy thicket on his right, the
tbougbt of bear did not Immediately
.arur to him. He saw that the COWS
we're running ahead with a sudden alert
NESS but he paused and gazed at the
Nrket, wondering whether it would be
wise for him to go and investigate the
source Of the sound. While he hesitated,
he question was decided for him. A
l,rse black bear burst forth from the
h,heS with crash that carried u name
less terror into Jake's very soul. The
beast looked SO cruelty out of place, so
horribly out Of place, breaking in upon
The beauty and security of the familiar
sene Jake had no weapon more for
nidable than the hazel switch he was
carrying and the pocket knife with which
be was trimming off it's branches. After
ono long, Mortified look at the bear,
JAKE took to flight along the narrow
epwBath.
Jake was notable runner in those
days yet the bear gained upon him rap
IDLY. The cowpath was tortuous ex-
eeedngly, and away from the path the
ground was too rough for fast running
-at least Jake found it so. The bear
did not seem to mind the Irregularities.
Jake enyied the cows their fine head
start. He wished he was with them;
then, as no heard the bear getting
closer, he almost wished he was one of
them; and then his foot caught in a
root and he fell headlong
As he fell great wave of despair
1 vent over him, and thought flashed
through his mind: This is the end of
| ase His sight was darkened for an in
SAINT as no rolled in the moss and
wigs between two hillocks. Then,
lqsning upon his back, he saw a bear al
Radyhanging over him; and now a des-
PIRATE courage came TO his aid.
Raising his heels high in the air he
Brought them down with violence in
TIE brute's face. The animal started
hack, astonished at this novel meth cd
sltefense When it advanced again to
100 attack, Jake met it desperately with
DIS heels, and all the time he kept up a
Msiy shouting such as he hoped would
SeH bring some one to tho rescue. For
lew minutes, strange to say, Jake's
Gtlcs were successful in keeping his
20 at bay; but presently the bear,
ROSlng more angry or more hungry,
maze tercer assault and succeeded in
aching the lads foot between it's Jaws.
100 brave fellow sickened under the
sEuel grip OF those crunching teeth, but
,ekept up the fight with his free heel.
'uss as ne was about fainting with pain
I saa exhaustion, some farmers, who had
ueafd the outcry, arrived upon the
Neae' and the bear hastily withdrew.
iaat night there was bear hunt At
'sCona Hestcock, but it brought no
sp0lis' Bruin had made an effective dis
sppeaFance. AS for Jake, his foot and
~, @v lower part of his leg were SO dread
.aliy mangled that the leg had to be cut
W Just below the knee. When the lad
'S ehlireiy recovered, being a handy