Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-08-15

VINO nau worked LOT me year OF so, De-
cause had detected him in stealing
some money of another man In my en-
ploy, and / at once suspected him Of
stealing my two pigs A stranger
couldn't have gone in and got the pigs
without their making fuss that would
have aroused some one in the house. 1t
was out Of the question, TOO, that bear
could have got in and carried off tho
pigs. The discharged hired man had
stolen them, | was sure found out
where he was, and determined to set an
investigation going The very next
morning, when went out to feed my
pigs, was made wild almost by
the discovery that two more Of
them were missing. was at first in
clined to have the suspected thief ar
rested forthwith, but on second thought
concluded to wait and set watch over
the pen that night. My barn is only
few feet from the pen, and the haymow
overlooks 1t. About eight o'clock that
evening | went up in the haymow and
took position where could look out
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 eleven
O'clock when saw movement among
the pigs, and the bear got up and
walked quietly around for minute or
two, stopping now and then as II listen.
ing
"'Ahap said to myself. Some one
is coming, and the quick-witted bear
hears him.
81 was thinking that in minute
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 gently
to again, | was so dumbfounded that
couldn't move nor speak. was actually
momentarilY parllyzed by this sudden
and startling clearing up Of the mystery
surrounding the disappearance of my
pigs. When l recovered myself hur-
ried down from the NOW and out OF the
barn. could see the bear half way
across 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 conscienceless robber and
rescue his unsuspecting victims if 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
so, for when the bear had got within a
few yards OF the woods two other bears,
tremendous big fellows stepped Out
from the edge of the timber and hurried
toward him. My bear handed the pigs
over to the two wild bears. The three
bears stood a moment together as if in
consultation, and then the two returned
to the woods and my bear trotted de.
liberately back home. When | got
there he was just pulling the latch
string at the pen. He went in and shut
the door behind him.
"My first impulse was to get my CUR
and blow the brains out of this petted
protege of mine, but after deliberatior
| made up my mind that | might mo-
only deal out terrible vengeance to him
but to his accomplices at the same time
| could hardly contain myself, though
when went out to feed my pigs mex
morning to see the one lone member O
the family come to the trough, and the
hypocritical and villainous bear lying
there scratching the back of the mothe
whose offspring he had delivered over t.
be torn to pieces and devoured in tn,
depths of the wilderness. That night go
two neighbors and we took our guns anC
hid in the woods near the spot where
my treacherous bear had handed the tive
pigs over to the wild bears. was sure
that the bear would fetch the last nj!
to them that night, but was not pre-
pared for the unheard-of heartlessnes
and ingratitude that he exhibited. w,
had been in the woods an hour or NOR
when the two wild bears came slouchin,
along and lay down not more than, n,thirt,
feet tfrom where we were hidden. The
remained very quiet, and at about tn
same hour as my bear walked out of tn
pen with the two pigs the night befor
! saw him coming across the field thi
night AS he drew near saw that b.
not only had the last young pig unde
his arm, but that he was leading the oil,
SOW herself, coaxing her along b
scratching her back as she trotted limo
Gently at his side. You can imagin
my feelings then. The two bears aros
to go and get the plunder brought thu
freely to their hands, but they neve
got it My two neighbo emptied thei
guns into the old marauders, and the
fell dead in their tracks Before m
, ungrateful bear had recovered from hi
, surprise ! was out and confronting him
He recognized me, dropped the pig, an
| made break for the woods had tn
small satisfaction Of killing him at tn
, first shot You can raise and domesti
I cate hears, but you can't make 'em reI
, utable. They will always be bears"
n. Y. Sun.
Tho other day an old woman en-
tered one OF the savings banks an
when her turn In the line came eS
! tracted number of gold and silve
? coins from her retinule, and said sh
! wanted to deposit them. She was abou
to sign her name in the book when sh
l remarked: II want you to keep thi
: / money so that | NAV rot tho idap+ioo