The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-12
SCARED BY A BEAR
ADVENTURES OF A PRINTER
IN THE GEORGIA WOODS.
OFF TIE NEXT BEAR lie MEETS,
AND Is ALSO SORE on TIE
ITALIAN.

ITALIAN.
To start With, let me say that
am not a professional tramp. | an
only a printer. But the war tai
on whiskey keeps the most of~n'
type-stickers in a chronic condition
OF poverty. SO that when a yeaID
ing desire comes over one of rs t(
visit some other town, lie is usually
compelled to travel by hand.
When the adventure | am abont
to relate befell me, | was on my
way from Ch ,ttanooga to A tlanta.
had arranged with brakeman a.
BOyce to occupy section of an
empty fIuit car As far as Atlanta
for q consideration. The brakeman
drank the consideration in two i'm
moderately large doses, and betray
ed affairs TO the conductor.
At Calhoun the conductor came
back for little consideration him
self, but his subordinate had gotten
away with every thing 10 slght ex
cept the cork. He was dlsappont
ed and indignant, and remarked
that he didn't like to have men
bIibe his biakemen. When people
wanted to ride they ought to see
him, from which it may lie inferred
that if that conductor were to quit
railr0ading in Georgia and begin
the practice of politics Ia Pennsyl-
vania, he might attain to high dis
tjnctiOn az a tarpon fisherman him.
self. He then delicately inquired
if | had any stuff. ] had no ">tuff,'
whereupon he requested me TO va
cate. | a n a Presbyter AN by de.
scent, ard take pleasure in L. fleet
ing that th4 cdds are about 10 to
in favor of that conductor hayin g
been foI eoIdalned ages ago to eter-
nal trouble.
started down the track on foot,
intending to walk TO water tank
and then lie IN ambush for another
tram, upon which | hoped to exc
cute a skiliful flank movement and
CaIture ride. A man whom met
volunteered the information that
the next tank was "erbOut three
miles,"
The man was a imple-looklng
fellow, and am persuaded that he
had never had any advantages
other than the limited ones to be
found 10 the woods But he had
cultivated his opportunities with
care, and, adding to great natural
qualifications, had graduated as an
enthusiastic and finished liar /
walked three miles, and | walked
ten more on top of them, and still
no water tank. By this time the
twilight was beginning to gray a.
bout the Georgia hills, so ] made o
bed Of lot OF pine needles beneath
the noble tee which had shaken
them down and 5000 fell into that
dreamleSs sleep that waits on a
man who is tired and has nc con-
science 10 speak Of.
There is no bed SO sweetly soft
as those Of pine needles. The
baIsamlc perfume Is as refreshing
as welLmlxed cocktail the next
morning, aud the red bugs that
build mounds all over ones anat-
0my, ard construct plans of the
ancient catacombs under ones hide,
ere not thoroughly appreciated IN,
til the day following.
SO | slept until the sun poked his
Jolly red face above the rim of the
east, aud a scared lizard ran up
my right trousers leg. Then
awoke, rolled over, and, by the big
fish saw a bear as big as a noun
tain. At least, | have seen noun
tains that didn't look half as bic as
that bear.
Now, I've shot a bear in my
time. [ shot one UP in the Blue
Ridge mountains when | was only
a boy and didn't know any better.
l was agioated and embarrassed,
and shot into hin an unnecessary
number Of times. and so ruined the
market value of his hide. But |
killed him, | think 1t was thirty.
six holes my uncle counted when he
skinned the carcass. So | am not
afraid Of bears when | have any
show for my white alley. With
Calling gun and proper infantry
| will engage to face any
bear, and to give directions to the
man in charge Of the gun without
tremor.