The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-05-06

bis mother said:
"What, all alone. ROBE What have
you done with little sister,
n have seen nothing ~ baby since
dinner time. mother. In she not herc?"
replied the hoy.
mot seen Malgs? Why. Rob, she
went out nearly nm hour ago 20 help
poor brudder work. a. she said. She
must lave lain down somewhere and
dropped on 10 sleep"
Supplying that they would find the
child taking nap. as She had once or
twice before done. under the shade 81
some hazel bushes growing between
the house and barn. mother and son
s,roiled lei>urely out To bring her in;
but. a. their great surprise. she was
not 10 be found. nor did repeated calls
elicit any reply.
''Thc little mischief must be fast
asleep on the haymow.'' hopefully OBJ
served Mrs. Morgan, walking on to-
ward the barn.
but neither here was any sign Of the
wandrrcr to be seen; and now. really
alarmed. the searchcrS separated and
took different directions. the mother
going down the bank ~ The creek and
Rob along a rail fence leading % the
edge ~ the woods, about onc-fourth OF
La mile away: while from both, re-
itcratrd but alas. all unanswered
shouts 81: ',Madgc. Madge. Baby
Baby" broke ii upon the peaceful hush
Of the quiet summer I'VE.
Now at many places, in the corners
Of the SNAKE" fence mentioned. there
had sprung upclnmpso Of wild raspberry
and blackberry bushes. and, as many
OF the latter we're still laden with ripe
fruit. Lob expected every omcn 20
come upon the missing Innocent. her
little hands and mouth stained with the
red juice. lying asleep after having
~caten her fill. Thoroughly exploring.
as hc went. every patch Of these vines
and bushes. the boy finally arrived AT
the unbroken forest without having
seen a trace ofhiS sister. and. greatly
puzzed. lie sat down on a big log AT the
margin 81 a black ash swamp 70 thini'
the matter over.
Although far from imagining that
any real harm had befallcn the child
he naturally felt extremely anxious a.
he thoughtfully scanned the ground on
all sides
Suddenly he sprang TO his feet with {
cry Of horror, for there. not I'VE yards
from his seat. were deeply impressed i
the moist marsh soil the huge foot
prints OF an evidently enormous bear
and close beside the tracks lay q tin.
bit Of blue ribbon with which he ha'
seen Madgc playingat noon. Poor Eol
could hardly refrain from shriek:p,
aloud as these ominous signs met hi
ewes; hut he was not one to give way u
despair so long as anything remaine'
! to be done. and on carefully examining
the foot marks. he was some what re-
llieved TO find that they did not peDe
ltrate into the swamp at all. but we
presently lost on the hard, dry trai
which led. by a greatly circuitous route
TO an almost Inaccessible rocky fast
ness in the hills. where several bear
had long been supposed to arbor. No
could he detect . single drop Of bloc
anywhere about. and with the disco,
cry OF this fact was born in hlm a viii
hope that possibly his little siste
might be carried off uninjurcd. at leas
!, until the monster reached his ave
I and this the gallant boy determined h
4. should never do. For Rob 70 reSolv
was to act. and now he turned an
ran with al. his might back to tn
a house. fervently praying at ever
a. stride that his mother might not hay
rcturncd-as. indeed. she had not.
On the wall of the kitchen hung hi
-. III 4et1 rtNA
q. ~.oadcd-and to secure this with III
powder-horn and bullct-pouch. was ii
80 work Of an instant.
"A Then away across the diameter Of III
! great bend sped the Young hunte
~ Every inch Of the surrounding countr
L. was familiar TO him. and he kne
=. enough uf lazy b~ear-naturr to feel SUI
that the animal now, as he believes
IA bearing Madgc away would. II not dl
N turbed or alarmed. kccptoa quiet wal
Of along the easy path rather than brea
4. 4 harder and shorter one for himse
N and his some what unwieldy burdt
AZ through the thick undcrbrush.
Thus the bear, in order to reach h
mr. cave. would have to travel fully "
lie miles. while Rob. following an in'ersec
nd ing cow-path. could by fast runnin
"a. intercept him. provided he had p
NJ gained too great d start; and for u
OK rest he would trust 20 Providence al
Nc his own nerve. "a year or two aft
in this event. when ! myself had becon
all old enough = put such a question,
w once asked Rob what his thoughts we
ro- as he ran his desperate race again
10 death. and his reply was in strict kee
AZ. ing with his noble character: 'lhard
la know said he. whether ] Ngvchf
all. ! Just prayed. prayed, prayed ID
in | might be in time.')
ids And now the resoiutc boy, panti
Iat from violent cxcrtion. came out mp
To the trail leading 70 the hills. and viii
IN at this spot was slightly covered
he dust. Almost fainting with anxiety.
re. stopped over close 10 the surfa
en-, OF the ground, dreading to d
evidence that the bear had alrca
ait passed. But no: not a track was
YER be seen: and. with a great =
i'm Of relief. he stationed himself behind
orc large linden tree ON the edge 81 !
eft path. The time Of suspense which I
~. o...l ..,m.l hnurs Ion.y ~ him. lint