The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-04
A BEAR TO BE KILLED.

BEAR TO BE KILLED.
off," Four times affairs of state have
prevented my going up to Black noun
tain, and so other hands have killed nv
bear.
The bear of Black mountain is of the
order of Carnivora and tribe Planti-
grade. and is tribe of the family Ur-
sid9. They walk on the soles of their
feet and have five toes on each foot.
Their tales are not serial tales, being
brief and to the point. The tail of the
Black mountain bear is extremely rudi-
mentary, and in some cases is merely a
depression.
Some species of the bear hibernate in
the winter, occupying hollow tree or
cave in the earth. They remain station
airy at such times, living on the record
OF their glorious past The Kamchat-
kan bear is found in Kamchatka. The
flesh of the black bear of Black noun
tain is eaten for food. 1t tastes like q
hot box. People who can get codliver
oil to eat seldom eat bear meat. The
bear eats mostly berries, roots and
herbs. and therefore should be good oat-
ing himself, but he breaks over the rules
sometimes after Lent and eats q colored
child.
Now and then one at dusk hears the
shrill cry Of shote adown the shady
valley Of the north branch of the Swan
nanoa. Then the peasantry of Black
mountain crouch closer to each other,
and they call in their great wealth of
dog where it will be safe, for they know
that Senator Vance is feeding the bear
with ono of his clipper built hogs.
Senator Vance's hogs come of hardy
race of ridge rooters easily detected by
the long, sad face. He is mountain
hog and fond of liberty, reminding one
of William Tell, except that his legs are
longer. He is sure footed and clings to
the crags and precipices like a channels
Yesterday" said the senator, "we
killed a rattlesnake and wanted the
boys to keep it to show you, but I've got
thirty or forty hogs running around here
loose in the woods waiting for chestnuts
or the third party or something of that
kind to come along, and so they ate itup"
These hogs during the summer diet
and train themselves down great deal,
take long walks and otherwise bant
themselves till they look like autumn
and the nuts and acorns come on, you
will sec the razorback, if the crop be
good, fling his tail gayly over the dash
board and let bygones be bygones
Should the mast, as this crop is called,
be short, or only half crop, of course
his tail will naturally hang at half mast,
but that is neither here nor there.
When taken up and fed month or so
after this course of chestnutting the
Black mountain sandy shote or coral in
sect soon becomes delicious morsel, the
hams being as large and juicy as those
Of the Buff Cochin hen at maturity.
l ate couple of these hams at Senator
Vance's table, and l shall never speak
lightly Of the ridge rooter again. He is
subject to none of the diseases peculiar
to corpulence. He breathes good air,
eats the pokeberry in midsummer till
his ceilings and wainscotings are as red
as Chinese demonstration; then he
eats the wild cucumber which falls
from the cucumber tree after the
squirrel has had all he wants, and
the result is that by November
he is ready to take course of corn in
the ear or elsewhere. and winds up at
the glorious yuletlde when the holly
berries are red and the mistletoe and
the persimmons are both ripe, still
slender and girlish in figure, but as
tender and juicy as a Brazil nut.
Sometimes one strikes mountain
hog. however, that will not take on
flesh, but remains thin and angular.
These are often killed and dried Just as
they are. and may BIO used to clean lamp
chimneys with.
Senator Vance lives on the saddle of
ridge in such position as to have in
front of the house the highest peak Of
Craggy mountain, while at the back Of
the house, straight down 500 feet, you
hear the roar and tumble of the North
Branch. Here stands Gombroon, the
restful and ideal home of North Caro-
lina's favored son and senator.
What made you call it Gombroon?"
asked Mrs. Vance as ate another water
melon and concealed the rinds i'll Major
Stedman's umbrella. asked this ques-
ton because pizen political adversary
aail that If was mighty moor tosta for G,