The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-06
KILLING Els BEAR.
A Winter Tragedy With Three
Actors.

From the Netc York Tribune.
In a field of snow some green pines hud-
died together and sang in quivers as the
wind whirled among the gullies and ridges.
Icicles dangled from the trees boards, and
fine dusts of snow lay upon their brows. On
the ridge-top distant Shoir of hemlocks
crooned over enc that had fallen. The dying
sun created dim purple and flame-colored
tumult On the horizons edge and then sank
until level crimson beams struck the trees
AS the red rays retreated, armies of shadows
stole forward. A gray, ponderous stiffness
came heavily IN the steps of the sun. A
little man stood under the qnavering pines.
He was muffied to the uose in fur and wool,
and hideous cap was pulled tightly over
bis ears. His cold and impatient feet had
stamped a small platform OF hard snow be-
meath him. A black barreled rife lay in the
hollow OF his arm. His eyes watery from
incessant glazing swept over the snowflelds
in front of him. His body felt dumb and
bloodless, and soft curses came forth and
froze on the icy wind. The shadows crept
about his feet until he was merely a blurred
blaGkness, with keen eyes.
OH over the ridges, through the tangled
, sounds OF night came the yell of a hound
on the trail. Ii pierced the ears of The little
man and made his blood swim In his veins
His eyes eagerly plunged at the wall Of
thickets across the stone field, but he moved
not finger or foot. Save his eyes he was
frozen to a statue. The cry of the hound
grew louder and louder, then passed away
TO faint yeip, then still louder. AT first it
had strange viudictiveness and blood
thirstiness III Ii. Then it grew mournful as
the wailing of a lost thing as, perhaps the
dog gained on fleeing bear A hound, as
he nears large game, has the griefs of the
world on his shoulders and his baying tells
n ar Of Haafh Ia 10 hl
came.
The long yells thrilled the little man. His
eyes CLEANED and grew email and his body
stltfened to intense alertness. The trees
kept up their grooming, and the light in the
vest faded to a dull red splash, but the little
mans fancy was fixed on the painting, foam
spattered hound, cantering with his hot
nose 10 the ground in the rear of the bear,
which runs as easily and as swiftly as a
rabbit through brush, timber and sWae.
Swift pictures of himself in Il thousand at
titudes under thousand combinations of
circumstances, killing a thousand bears,
passed panoramically through him.
The yell of the hound grew until Ii smQte
the little man like a call 80 battle. He
leaned forward, and the second finger of his
right hand played low, nervous pat-pat on
the trigger of bis rifle. The baying grew
fierce and blood-curdling for a moment,
then the dog seemed to turn direct toward
the little man, and the notes again grew
wailing and mournful. 1t was q hot trail.
The little man, with nerves tingling and
blood throbbiug, remained in the shadows,
like fantastic bronze 6gure, with jeweIed
eyes swaying sharply inits head. Occasion
ally he thought be could hear the branches
OF the bushes IN front swish together. Then
silence would come again.
The hound breasted the crest of the ridge,
a third of mile away, and suddenly his
fulltoned cry rolled over the tangled
tnickets TO the little man. The bear must
be very near The little mau kept SO still
and listened 80 tremendously that he could
hear his blood surge in his veins. All at
once be heard swish-swish in the bushes.
His rifle was at his SHOULDER aud he sighted
uncertainty along the front Of tine thicket.
The swish of the bushes grew louder. In
the rear the hound was mourning over
warm scent.
The thicket opened and great bear, in
distinct and vague Ia the shadows, bounded
into the little mans view and Game terrific