Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-28

clover. They were SLOW to return, and the boy,
! as all boys will, began to grow restless. He haG
| fshed. he had hunted. had diverted himself in
dozen ways the week past that they had
| rested there by the deep, swift river, under the
great sweeping trees, but now he wanted some
| thing new.
| through the thick foliage that hung and swung
| and bobbed above the swift waters, long,
| messy log that lay far out and far above the
| cool. swift river.
Why not go down through the trees and go
out on that log. take off your clothes, dangle
everything thata boy wants TO do.
In ten minutes the boy was out smiling on the
big, long messy log kicking his boots off, and
down on the humid, cool moss; and ds naked as
the hrst man When he was first made.
And it was very pleasant. The great strong
above him the long green branches hung dense
and luxuriant and almost wi hin reach. Far off
and away through their shifting shinele he
caught glimpses of the buest of all blue skies
And little 10 the left he saw cleaning in the
sun and almost overhead the everlasting SHOWS
of Mount Shasta.
Putting his boots and his clothes all carefully
in heap. that nothi g might roll off into the
water, he walked or rather danced on out to
where the further end of the great fallen tree lay
lodged on huge boulder in the middle of the
swift and surging river. Here he sat down on
the moss, looking to the other side of the river.
His legs dangled down, and he patted his plump
thighs with great satisfaction. Then he leaned
over and saw some tiny trout. Then Topped
over and lay down on his breast to get a better
look on them. Then he thought he heard some
thing behind himo the other end Of the log.
He pulled himself together quickly and stood
erect. face about. There was a bear! It
one OF those mean sneaklng, long nosed, ant
eating little fellows il is true but it was bearl
And a bear is a bear to boy fresh from school,
no matter about his size, age or character. The
bear stood up. And the boys hair stood upl
The bear had evidently not seen the boy yet.
But it simply smelt his boots and clothes and
dropping down on all fours, with nose close to
he mos n lnuTly Shf1fTi for
ward
That boy was the stillest boy all this time that
has ever been Pretty soon the bear reached
the clothes, nosed them about. as hog might.
But with a singular sort of economy of old
clothes for a bear he did not push anything of
What next? Would he come any farther9
Would he? Could he? VIII he. The long,
sharp little nose was once more TO the moss and
toes. Then the boy shivered and settled down.
down on his launches with his little hands
clasped till he was all of a heap.
He tried to pray; but somehow or another all
he could possibly think of as he sat there
crouchei down with all his clothes off was,
Now l lay me down to sleep
But all this could not last. The bear was on
him almos instantly. although he did not lift
his nose six inches till almost within reach OF
the boys toes. As the terrified boy sprang up
he thrust out his left hand as guard and struck
the brute with all his might in the teeth wi h
the other. But the left hand lodged in the two
rows OF sharp teeth and boy and bear rolled into
the river together.
But they were together only an instant. The
bear, of course, could not breathe with his
mouth open in the water, and SO had to let 90
Instinctively, or perhaps because his course
lay in that direction, the bear struck out
swimming dog fashion, for the farther shore.
And as the boy certainly had no urgent business
on that side. he did not follow, but kept very
still, clinging to the moss on the big boulder till
the bear had shaken the water from his coat and
disappeared in the thicket
Then fhe boy, pale and trembling from frich.
and the loss Of blood. climbed up the broken end
of the log, got his Clothes struggled into them
as he ran. and so reached camp.
And he had not yeledl And he tied up his
hand in piece of -four sack by himself. for the
men had not yet got back; and he didn't whim-
per! And what became OF the boyf you ask.
Oh, the boy grew up. as all energetic bows do:
for there seems to be sort Of special providence
for such b US.
And where is he now?
Out here in California, trapping bear and
planting olive trees.
And do know him?
Yes, pretty we'll !
And what is his name?
Well, they call the old fellow now
JOAQUIN MILLER