DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-07-31

pigs, l was made wild almost by
1he discovery that two more OF
them were missing. l was at first in.
clined to have the suspected thief ar.
rested forthwith, but on second thought
concluded to wait and set a watch over
the pen that night. My barn is only a
lew leet from the pen, and the haymow
overlooks it. About eight o'clock that
evening l went up in the haymow and
took position where I could look out
into the pig pen without danger.o of my
being discovered by any one who might
come into the pen. The moon was
shining bright, and every thing could
be seen in the enclosure almost as plain
as day. | lay there more than two
hours without any thing suspicious oc-
curing, and not sound had been heard
except the contented grunting of the
pigs. 1t must have been nearly clever
o'clock when saw movement amono
the pigs, and the bear got up anG
walked quietly around for minute o,
two, stopping now and then as if listen
ing.
"'Aha" said | to myself. Some one
is coming, and the quick -witted ear
hears him.
81 was thinking that in min tie
more | would undoubtedly have the
dastardly thief in my clutches, when !
saw the bear step over to where couple
OF the pigs were sleeping, pick them
both up, and tuck one under each arm.
The pigs merely grunted good.
naturedly, and evidently kept right on
sleeping. The bear walked to the door,
pulled the latch string with his teeth.
passed out, and pushed the door gentl,
to again. ! was so dumbfounded that
couldn't move nor speak. | was actually
momentarily paralyzed by this sudden
and startling clearing up of the mystery
surrounding the disappearance of my
pigs. When | recovered myself | hur-
ried down from the NOV and out of the
barn. ] could see the bear half way
across a field, striding at the top Of
his speed toward a piece of woods
about an eighth of mile distant,
had no idea what disposition the bear
intended to make of the pigs, and ran
as fast as | could and reached the
shadow of the woods by short cut, and
hurried along their edge, hoping to
head off the constituencies robber and
rescue his unsuspecting victims il pos
sible. But the bear had too much the
start of me, and even if it had been pos
sible for me to get there in time the
chances are that would not have done
50, for when the bear had got within
lew yards of the woods two other benYS,
big fellows, stepped out
rom the edge of the timber and hurried
coward him. My bear handed the rigs
over to the two wild bears. The three
bears stood a moment together as il in
and then the two returned
10 the woods and my bear trotted de-
iberately back home. When got
here he was just pulling the latch
string at the pen. He vent in and Shut
5he door behind him.
my first impulse was to get my CUR
md blow the brains out of this pettcd
orotege of mine, but after deliberation
made up nay mind that | might rot
only deal out terrible vengeance to him
but to his accomplices at the same tin e.
could hardly contain myself, though,
when | went out to feed my pigs next
to see the one lone member OF
The family come to the trough, and the
lypocritical and villainous bear lying
here cratching the back of the mother
whose offspring he had delivered over to
DC torn to pieces and devoured in the
lepths of the wilderness. That night | got
;wo neighbors and we took our guns and
lid in the woods near the spot where
nv treacherous bear had handed the two
Digs over to the wild bears. | was sure
hat the bear would fetch the last pig
% them that night, but l was not pre-
Jared for the unheard-of heartlessnesa
md ingratitude that he exhibited. We
lad been in the, woods an hour or more
when the two wild bears came slouching
4long and lay down not more than.thirty
eet'from where we were hidden They
emained very quiet, and at about the
anne hour as my bear walked out OF the
zen with the two pigs the night before
saw him coming across the field this
light. As he drew near l saw that he
lot only had the last young pig under
lis arm, but that he was leading the old
ow herself, coaxing her along by
her back as she trotted lnno-
emily at his side. You can imagine
ny feelings then The two bears arose
o 60 and get the plunder brought thus
RELY to their hands, but they never
rot it. My two neighbors emptied their
runs into the old marauders, and they
ell dead in their tracks. Before my
lngrateful bear had recovered from MS
urprise was out and confronting him.
lie recognized me, dropped the pig, and
made break for the woods. had the
mall satisfaction Of killing him at the
lrst shot. You can raise and domestl'
ate bears, but you can't make 'em rep
table. They will always be BEARS -
7. Y. Sun.
When Aunt Lucinda was getting tt
e an old lady, she heard OF the as
race and downfall of man whom shc
ad known for many years. well,
he remarked, with sigh of relief, u
1w,us thought had a narrow escape