Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-08-27
Halls BEAR CUBS.
Serious Trouble In Which They
Involved Him


"Take good care of yourself, my boy,
and I'll be back with you by noon to-
morrow"
So spoke Halls father as he stepped
out of the door of his little shanty.
Although 1t was the middle of April,
the snow still lay several feet deep in
the Adirondack woods; but a strong
crust made easy walking with snow
shoes.
Mr.. Benton dragged behind him a
stout hand-sled, and on his shoulder he
carried Halls light rife, which the boy
had urged him to take on the chance OF
coming across drummer" grouse.
Hal was strong, active fellow of six
teen, but as he stood in the doorway and
watched the figure disappear among the
trees he could not suppress a feeling of
loneliness.
Mr.. Benton had gone for their month
ly supplies to the lumber company's
supply station which was twelve miles
distant through the woods.
The gang of Canadian lumbermen,
who, as rule, made their headquarters
at the shanty of which Mr.. Benton had
the river with raft of logs, and it
would be some days before they re-
turned.
This was TIE first time Hal had known
the sensation of being alone in the will
derness, and he did not quite enjoy it.
There was certain solitude and still
ness about the winter woods which awed
him, for Hal had been bred city boy,
and it was only two years since his fail
ing health had compelled Mr.. Benton to
live among the evergreen forests of the
Adirondacks.
When his father was quite out of
sight, Hal began to busy himself in get
ting ready supply of firewood. He
found dead, standing tree, and, chop
ping it down, began to cut it into the
proper length for the fireplace.
In order to find just the kind of wood
be wanted, he had walked perhaps half
mile from the shanty He spent sever
al hours IN this way, and as the early
twilight was coming on. began to pile
his wood on a sled in order to drag it
home.
While he was so occupied, he heard a
slight scratching noise. After listening
for few minutes, he made up his mind
that 1t came from large. hollow log,
near which he had been working.
Going up to the log, he struck half a
dozen blows into it with his axe; there
followed great scratching about and
then perfect quiet.
Hal came to the conclusion that he had
found raccoon, and determined to cut
him out Going to the hollow end of
the log. he stuffed it with pieces of wood
so as to prevent any escape in that way;
be noticed that beaten track led into
the big log, but it was now too dark to
distinguish the different footprints in
the hard snow
Five minutes OF brisk chopping cut
through the log, and Hal saw black
mass of fur curled UP in the hollow.
Two bright, beady eyes looked out at
him stupidity, but there was no snarling
and showing of teeth.
Decidedly" thought Hal, this is
no raccoon.'
AS he was watching it the black ball
OF fur uncurled itself and crawled out of
the hole.
1t was bear cub! The cub had no
sooner gotten we'll out than another fol.
lowed 1t. The little fellows had made
their appearance in the world much too
early for their own comfort; they
seemed to be numbed and stupid with
the cold.
Instead of trying to get away, the
cubs tottered toward Hal, as II to ask
for protection.
The boys first impulse had been to
kill them with his axe, but their helm
Iessness touched him with pity, and he
decided to take them back to the shanty.
Doubtless, they had been deserted by
their mother.
Hal threw part of his load of wood OF
his sled, and, making a hollow in the
center of the remainder, put the cubs
into 1T and pulled them homo.
1t was now quite dark. and reaching
the shanty, he lit the lamps, made q
great fire, and began preparations for
supper.
The warmth seemed TO revive the
CUBS. dal stirred up some corn-meal
with warm water, and they made a
hearty supper, grunting and pushing
each other about like two small pigs.
His new pets made Hal forget to be
lonely, and when he finished his own
supper, he sat for long time watching
them roll about on the floor in their
clumsy attempts to play.
But after a time Hal, as well as the
'ubs, showed signs of being sIeeny. and
70 he arranged a straw bed for them in
which they contentedly curled them
selves
Then, iarring the door, putting ont
me lights and pilfng on the hearth some
great logs, to keep the fire till mo-ning
ne crawled into his own bunk and was
soon fast asleep.
AS 1t was growing light, next morn
ing, be was awakened by the whining of
the cubs. Both of them were at tho
ing. iu scratcn-
AS Eal lay Watching them be was
startled by what seemed 70 be an an
swering whine from outside the door.
There was no doubt of it; the cubs were
a whine. now plaintiye and
now angry, made by some animal out
'ide.
There was only ore Window large.
ow one. near the door. Throwing on