Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-30

ground of his quaint and dispensable career, and indeed no one seemed to care; but every one that came within his range was impressed with his odd personality. He was tall and gaunt and grizzled; his eyes were afflicted with 8 watery sleepiness, but sudden ly became eager at the sight of a dol lar. He kept a sort of roadhouse. which he designated as Bear Park, near the town of Hot Springs, and made his living by administering to the thirst and catering to the amusement of the wayfaring man. The amusement con- sisted of black bear, old, lazy and feabitten. This animal, advertised as of most furious disposition, was kept chained to a tree in back lot; and at evening, when the accommodating dusk threw a hiding shade over the bears most striking faults, i. e., lazi- ness and fleabites, old Steve would an- nounce to his guests that he was now about to engage in the dangerous feat of wrestling with the ferocious monster from the Mississippi swamps. Those who knew the trick drank their beer in unconcern, but those who did not paid twenty-five cents and passed into the back lot to see the desperate encounter.
 One afternoon, when old Steve was sitting on his veranda, a man from the mountains came along, driving red mule and a white steer hitched to a shalzy and creaking wagon. In the wagon there were a few small cab bages and a black bear.
 ''Say," said the mountain man, stop ping his team, "don't you want to buy the finest bar you ever seen?'
 "No," Steve replied; ''got all the bar I want"
 But you ain't got no such bar as this here one."
 ''No, and don't want no sich kit ten of 8 thing as that"
 "Now look here, mister, that ain't no way to do-insult a mans bar. I have travelled seventy-fve miles with this bar, and you air the fust man that has offered him a insult. That ain't ob- servin' the common courtesies that is due bar that ain't never done you no harm. But putin all that to one side, let me ask you seriously if you want to buy bar"
 II told you that I've got all the bar want" old Steve sharply replied. The mountain man gathered up his hickory fail as if he would drive oni but then, with the appearance of hay ing changed his mind, stretched his long neck toward old Steve and said: ''When you say you've got all the bar you want, I reckon you mean that mouse-gnawed and bug-eaten invalid out wander in the back lot"
 Steve got up. and through the force of custom acquired in earlier life, dusted the seat of his trousers. The mountain man again had gathered his hickory for decisive blow at his mule, but a hoarse command from old Steve "a command unintelligible as to words, but full of meaning, nevertheless-com- pelled his attention. Steve, mastering his anger, and attempting to speak in a quiet way, said: ''I have been living how to be smooth in my manners; but when a man that ain't never pestered in no way comes along here and will fully insults member of my family, why, it's time for me to act"
 "I don't know nothin' about yo' fami- ly, and wouldn't ther'fo' insult mem | Der of it." the mountain man replied. ''You said that this here bar is a kitten of thing, and then said that bar over wander in the lot is bug-eat; and am | willin' to leave it to any jury that can | be raked up fin this town that am right. know what it is to be bug-eat, and don't blame the bar, for I don't reckon he could help it. had dog once that was bug-eat-as kind-hearted and gentlemanly dog as you ever seep