Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-04-11

plantations. Inc settlers usually lived
during the first years of their occupancy
in what was known as face camps, their
first crop enabling them to put up bet
ter dwellings. The face camp was q
rude board hut or shanty enclosed on
but three sides. The side facing the
south was left open, the climate, even
in winter, being mild enough to keep
as airy habitation as face camp en-
tirely comfortable. The shanty was
rooted with boards, and, as the whole
was built with slight frame walls, it
was not the most secure dwelling in the
world. The interior of one of these
face camps was severely simple. 1t con-
tanned the settlers bed, table and q
bench or two, and loft for storing
various articles of househo use. The
bed was rude board bunk in one cor
ner, made fast to the side on one end
of the shanty. The loft was similar
bunk, built three or four feet above the
bed.
''The face camper, during his first
year as settler, depended, in a great
measure, on game for the sustenance of
himself and family. The woods were
filled with deer, bears and other wild
animals. When deer or other animal
was killed the dressed carcass was
suspended on pole in front of the
open end of the camp, the pole being
supported by long forked sticks driven
in the ground. The face campers
rarely owned slaves while they were
maxim g their clearings, but they always
looked forward to the day when they
would become masters. As rule they
were hard, ignorant people, and their
reputation as shareholders was such
that even the slaves of the cotton
planters on the lowlands pitied the
negroes of face camper. So, natur-
ally, when Bip came suddenly at the
homo of one of this class he was
greatly alarmed, and made up his mind
to get away from that locality as soon
as possible. The moon was shining full
and bright in the shanty, and Bip could
see the bunk and the outlines of its
sleeping inmates, and the loft
above it. AS he stood pecring out of
the thicket, taking hurried view of
the curious scene, an ugly and ominous
growl came from the shanty. Suppose
ing that his presence had been discov-
cred by the campers dogs, Bip was
drawing back hurriedly to escape fr ON
the spot, when he discovered that it
was something else that had aroused the
dogs. Out of the shadows on the op-
posite side of the opening came two
dark objects towards the deer, aud two
huge bears were revealed in the moon :
light. They did not stop, but slouched
impudently along to secure the object
of their visit, the dcer's carcass. Bip
could not overcome his curiosity to
watch and see what the result of this
invasion would be. AS the bears shut
fed up to the spot where the deer hung,
two dogs rushed out of the open camp.
With furious barking and loud yelping
they sprang upon the bears.
''The noise awoke the owner of the
camp, and Bip saw him spring from
the bunk. At the same time the wifo
and the faces of three wild and
startled looking children rose up in the
bunk. The woman and the children
began to scream and cry. As the set.
tier jumped out the bears made rush
for the dogs which retreated to the
shanty. They almost ran over the man
as he approached. He ran back and
helped his wife and children from the
bed to the bunk overhead. The next mo-
mentman, dogs, and bears were closed to-
gether in one indiscriminate struggle.
Feeling that whatever the result might
be his own safety lay in escaping from
the scene without delay, Bip fastened
into the forest. He had not gone
far when it occurred to him that
fellow mans life was undoubtedly in
peril, and that it was his duty to aid
him in preserving it, no matter what
the consequences might be to himself.
Without an instant's further hesitation
ne turned and dashed back through the
thicket. He cleared the opening at
bound, and the ne xt second had Joined
the settler and his dogs in their contest
with the bears. The settler was being
pressed by the bears against the board
wall at the foot of tho hunks, and the
frail shanty was shaking and swaying
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