Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-18


ously, crouching to seize their terrible ad-
versary by the stomach, a spot but poorly
defended. The struggle soon grew fright
full!
The bear hurled its innumerable foes afar
as fast as they arrived within it's reach.
Those MORALLY wounded lay on the ground,
bowling and groaning; those which got of
with slight wounds fed as rapidly as posi-
bic, A discharge of firearms accompanied
their retreat
There were several assaults of this kind,
intre2idly sus lined By the bear and its two
improvised auSlli.rie3. At last, the wolves,
seeing how many corpsos of their number
lay upon the field of battle. totally relin-
pushed the struggle and ,iisbanded.
The gray bear remained, impossible, as
tonished and in no way proud of its victory.
Shall we attack it in its turn:" asked
Yegor, resolutely.
swat, my friend, d" responded the Paris
ian. THE creature has been a great help to
Us. Besides, these gray bears are not fero-
cious. am going to thank it for its aid
with a dancing lesson: that is what is called
in my country paying in apes money. It is
! to be hoped that it will not settle its account
! by devouring me-"
While speaking, M. Lafleur drew his little
violin from his pocket. The bear followed,
| without losing anything, all his movements.
! Without taking time to give the la, the
| dancing master, grayely marking the steps,
| played and danced nobly an old-time minuet.
! The animal yawned at first, but the sharp
| sounds of the instrument astonished and,
| perhaps charmed it. 1t shook its head with
! an approving air.
1t is well known that the ear of the bear
! insensible to bursts of thunder or the fall of
avalanches, has the gift Of perceiving and
| approaching the weakest and softest sounds
| The gray bear seemed to grow familiar
with the dancer and his music. It belonged,
for that matter, to species void Of ferocity,
| feeding mainly on vegetables and fish. At
| the commencement of winter, the Ostiaks
! are often seen conducting herds of gray
! bears to Berezoff, where the flesh is sold Oh
! the butchers stalls.
Carried away by the cadence Of the air,
! the animal also began to shake itself and
| dance.
| While executing his minuet NJ Lafleur
| gradually moved away from the encamp-
ment; the bear followed him, as if magnet
lied by his bow.
! Yegor had great trouble to prevent his
! dog Wab from going up to smell at close
! quarters this companion, suddenly grown
| so sociable.
| Finally. NJ. Lafeur. thinking that he had
! drawn the animal far enough away to have
removed all danger, quickly wheeled about,
! Scraping fOrcibly upon the treble string
! The bear, evidently annoyed by the alto
| gether uncxpected lack Of harmony. de-
| parted with the heavy step of a mystified
| beast.
| Some hours later, clouds of crows settled
! upon the bleeding bodies of the wolves.
and the travellers thought it advisable to
move their camp, advancing in the direc-
| ton in which Tekcl was to come with the
| nartas
! The Yakoute woman did not follow them
! but resumed her road, bearing with her the
! three blue foxes.
Two days afterwards, as night was coming
! Onto speak the truth, it had been night all
day-a sharp noise and 9 pattering sound Cd
| the hard snow announced from a distance
! the arrival Of Tel1el and the sledges, so i'm
| patiently awaited.
Soon the two nartas were in sight The
. reindeer were running rapidly.
] Iegors joy was overwhelming, Nadege's
! eyes were filed with tears Of emotion and
Ladislas clapped his hands.
''What fine teams?" cried NJ Lat1eur
| But Yermac's forehead suddenly clouded
| The chief of police turned away to hide his
annoyance.
! The situation of this Muscovite function
! airy WAS plssa5ly strange The former
! judge, incapable of relying upon his own
! Judgment regulated himself only by strict
! justice and the written law, without admit
! ting any examination, interpretation or
modification. Distrustful of his rights and
| his authority he remained deaf to that in.
/ terror voice which tells every man what is
! Just or unjust and limited his intellectual
activity to the strict apple ton Of the law.
| In his eyes, men were made to obey the
laws and the laws were not written in the
interest of humanity. Further he was al.
ways ready to sacrifice himself to his duty,
as he had clearly shown.
And yet he was almost forced to lend as
slstance to people who had forfeited their
| privileges, who were Drawing the law and
! personally defying it. Now, he was about
to be compelled to follow him. How far
and during what time they alone could tell
Yermac felt himself unable to resist this
! humiliation. Better had it been for him.
| ne thought, to have succumbed beneath
! their repeated attacks than to become 10
their hands an object of pity and derision.
| But what would he do if a patrol of Cos
sacks suddenly appeared? Would he de-
| nounce, as his duty strictly ordered him to
| do, YegOr and Nadege as escaping convicts
and NJ. Lafeur as an accomplice in an at
tempted crime? But he owed his life to
! these unfortunates What cruel perplex
ityi A dolorous struggle took place in the
conscience of the chief of police.
/ Tel1el, as he advanced, hesitated for a
moment. He did not recognize the locality.
The forest RACED by the conflagration gave
the face of the country new aspect The
t Yahoute was greatly surprised, on approach.
! ing the encampment, to find that it had beer
established by Yegor and his party, the PEG
| pie in whose service he was.
He leapel lightly from the marta he was
| driving and displayed his teams for the gen.
eral admiration. His Yakoute comrade was
presented after the reindeer. He was quite
/ young man of a very pronounced Tartar
! type. and answered to the somewhat harsh
/ name of Chort.
! The costumes of the two Yakoutes pre-
! scented a mixture of the garments of the
| Russian peasants and those of the natives
| OF the fur countries. They were long pc
/ llsses OF gray cloth in the Muscovite fash
! ION, breeches of Well-tanned reindeer skin
i and torbassaS or boots of thick reindeer
| hlde. These boots are so made that the
| 1ooI can enjoy perfect ease in them, the tip
| OF the sole is turned up like the runner of q
/ skate. They reach to the knee and are
! bordered by wide band of black cloth.
! All the seams in the garments of Tekel
! and ChOrt were covered with hands of this