The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-10-07

Benton appeared at our house. very
hot and much ont Of breath from run
ming. He could hardly speak. and
wasted no words
Pulled the string on five" ne gasped.
Get knife and mule and gun. and come
quicl They are foamiu' round awful
Is. Guess we shall have 10 shoot EN-,
Hurry, hurry
Ia five minutes | was on the way.
urging ray mule 10 the top of his speed.
Brntou got his own mule and gun and
overlook me.
We approached the corral from the
opposite side of the creek. and securing
the mules on that side, waded across
and peepcd into the trap.
sur" enough, there were five porkers,
Evidently they had calmed down a lit
tie, for they grunted softly as they de-
voured the remains OF the heap OF
acorn>. But seeming uS. or sighting
uS through chinlss in the fence. they
began To dash around. springing up the
sides uf the corral SO dercely that we
saw plainly it would he altogether un-
sale tocnter the incloSur- before shoot
ing them. There was an old boar in
the group. They were yearlings and
two-ycar-olds. apparently. weighing
from hundred 10 two hundred pounds
each. From running in the swamp
they were all nearly a. black a. bears.
We loaded our guns with ball. and.
taking aim between the posts. Shot the
pigs one by one. All five came down,
squeaiing tcrTifically.
had never dressed hog before. but
We both knew that it was necessary
To- bleed them Immediately. Laying
down our guns. we climbed into the
pen. got out our knives and proceeded
to this least pleasant portion OF the
business.
The squcaling was frightful. We had
got to the third victim only when we
became suddenly aware Of "A commotion
in the woods outside.
"H:lt" cried Benton, strengthening
up L. ii.tcn. there's a whole drove
a-comIng. old buars aud all! They're
coming to the rescue. just a. they do
when bear tackles a hog in the
swamp
Above the outcry which the suffering
porller- inside the pen We're raising
could now plainly hear the barking and
roaring Of the approaching drove. 1t
was n terrible noise; the underbrush
cracked a. if forest fire were running
throu"E il.
'Whew. You don't suppose they can
hreal, in here, do you?" exclaimed Ben
ton, turning pale.
That's more than / know" said !.
But II they do break in, shall break
ont pretty quick
We had scarcely more than uttered
the words when the drove came foam
ing mp the creek 10 the very gate of the
trap. They stopped an instant, an
IL 4. a
then all scurried round the fence on
the creek side through mud and water.
Here they suddenly stopped short
again. a. il TO Locate their distressed
brethren, then dashed around the north
end OF the corral and mp the high bank
u little way above.
Again finding themselves wrong, they
turned and came dashiIg along the top
or the hank. on the land side of tbs.
pen: and then they all charged head
long down over the bank into the cor
raj.
Before the first hog had struck the
ground inside the pen | was well on
my way To the top of the corral fence.
and Benton had climbed "A small oak
tree that stood within the inclosure.
'-Grcat jingo," cried Benton from the
tree Isn't that old tusllcr a big one? E?
See the foam hy. Bill. there's more
than twenty Of them! VIII the FENCE
stop EN-
Il think it will" l said Are you
all safe?"
Il reckon ! am" he answered. Then
he looked down at the wild hogs foam
ing around the base Of his small tree.
swapping their jaws; and my sense of
humor made me laugh in spite of myself
However, 1 presently did better for
Benton than laugh at him. ! slipped
down on the outer side Of the pen, and
getting n strong pole, pushed il over
the top of the corral into the oak where
he was roostine, and by the aid of this
pole he was able To get To the fence.
Now was our time. We loaded our
guns and opened fire on the drove in
side. disabling the old boar first of all.
For half an honr the unearthly din Of
| shooting and squealing kept up. In
! cluding the five which Benton had
shared AT first, there were now twenty
! four hogs in the trap. Several Of them
were old settlers, and quite fat and
| heavy.
We worked fast and hard during the
rest of the day and most of the night TO
secure the pork. IL made "A fine lot of
bacon. and although we never met with
/ any success afterwards, we went 10 the
centennial mainly on the product of
/ our hog trap.-A. j. Towle, in Youths
Companion.