The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-05-09
THE OLD SETTLER.
Ills Interesting "Reminiscences OF
Many Bear Hunts.

many 66HE AIIubSs
Major" said Sol, the landlord. one
evening after the Old Settler had got
himself nicely fixed in his customary
corner by the big fireplace, tits ben
more'n coon's age sence I've heerd a
bar story. good, bad, or sotherwise
What's the reason ye can't give US
leetle bar hist'ry tnightp You've
ben consid' able 'mongst bar, take it
You've handled 'em some, hain't YEP"
Handled 'em somel' exclaimed the
Old Settler. Handled b'arsl Why,
consarn it, Sol, If one-quarter O. the
bars that I've handled an shuck the
everlastin' giEzard out of could come
back to-day, either with their hides an
taller on or jist az spooks. Pm afeerd
they'd hef to crowd theirselfs wuss'n
folks goin' to a circus fore they could
End room enough In the hull durn
county, b'gosh, to set their feet oni
I've handled bars somel Wull, mebbel
An want to tell ye. I've handled 'em
poorly rough, too. feel sorry some
times when git a thinkin' how usety
clutch 'em an rattle 'em an shake EN-
outen their boots. It's wonder they
don't come back, some on 'em, an ha'nt
me till l can't sleep Yes, Solomon.
I've ben consid'ab 'mongst bar, !
think l ben 'mongst EN- worse'n
hurricane 'mongst the hemlocks,
b'goshl If We ever happen to meet any
loose bars around the rentry an
wanter hev some fun list asst 'em If
they ever heerd O me. and the way
them bar IL drop their tails an pull
for kiver IL most kill ye larhn'r'
"Ye don't meanter say that the
bars know ye, MAORI exclaimed the
landlord.
"Wull, Solomon" replied the Old
Settler, "b'ars hain't no durn fools, an
things is handed down from gineration
to gineration 'mongst bars. Now, !
hain't handled no bar fer ten
year. Ye mow't "a noticed that
bars is heap plentier now
than they was ten year ago.
usety handle the ANCESTORS of good
many o. the present gineration o. bars,
an the way / usety do 1t has been
handed down, an consistently hain't
been forgot Do they know mep I'll
tell We sumpin', Solomon, and then ye
can jedge fer yerself wuther they know
me or not. Only t'other day Bill Jaffy
came to my house, an he says to me:
Major says he, we've saved my
lifep
"'Gosh, Billr I says. eyein' him
pooty sharp, fer thort he were a
little jiggered. BILL says, I hope ye
hain't ben tamperin' with rum and
tanzy aginP' l says.
"'Not a durn drop says Bill.
Though not but what I'd be willin',
says he.
"'Then, says I, what q ye comm
here with sech crazy sayin' ez that
says l, 'bout me savin' yer life?'
''Cause We hev,' says BILL I'd "a
ben eet by bar II It hadn't ben fer
you, he says.
William says l, ''splain yourself,
b'gosh, says l. 4 hain't tuck no hand
with bar fer ten year. says l.
'Mebbe We think so. says Bill but
We hev. An ye took durn good hand
with me only yiste'day, says he. An
when meet We at the tavern says he,
Pm gointer treat ye to the best tina is,
says he.
"'Wull, William says I, wantin' to
humor him, fer thort sure he'd ben
tuck loony, I'm goin' right over that
way now says I.
i" I hain't got time now says Bill,
but must tell ye how ye saved my
life. I'd ben seem signs O. bar over
| on the creek says he, an yisteday |
shouldered my gun an went over to
gether him. l run ag'in him sooner'n
/ 'spected,' says Bill, but plinked
him one, an fore l could pink him
agin he were inter me fer rassel
had to 'commodate him, says Bill,
| but we hadn't scattered things around
fer more'n a minute fore l found that
were wrong In my ca'c'lation, an
that 'sted O. me getherin' In the bar,
the bar were gointer gether me In. In
another minute says Bill, my OF
woman d ben widdir,' says he. but
suddenly happened to think O. sum
PIN, an says TO myself that I'd try 1t
an see how it'd work So, says Bill,
L list made one swash an broke loose
from the bar an hollers out;
q 'Gloryr' hollers. Here's Sile
Gilesr'
{" Major, says Bill, when hollered
out your name like that, ye jist orter
see that bari He jumped back, an his
hair stood on end, an his eyes hung out
like knobs on bureau. He shivered
an shuck,' says Bill, an then he jist
wilted right down, kivered his face
with his paws an bellered right out, OF
much ez to say: "'Taint no use; I'm a
goner nowi" Major, says Bill, i felt
so durn sorry fer that bar that como
nigh wallSin' away without KILN him,
but then happened to think agin, an
! sars:
"ss,No, =" says. THAT won't do. Like
ez not the b'ar'll tackle some un else
ez don't know that jist mentionin' Sile
CHESS name IL slxeer him inter connip-
tions,n says, IAN their bloodll be on
my hams" says.
49, says Bill, I put him outen his
mis'ry an kim home feelin' that 1t
want me ex killed the bar, but that It
were you, major, an that's the way ye
saved my lifel says BIZ.
"Wull, Solomon" said the Old Set
tier, smiling blandly, after a moments
pause, do you gether from this that
the bars know me, or don't YEP
"Wull, should say sol' was the
landlords reply, somewhat non-com-
initial. but hearty. Ibid you ever see
bars fight painters, msjor9"
''Humphi Acres on emf exclaimed
the Old Settler.
sDoes bars ever fight b'ars2"
'sTremenjusl Gosh, Soil What bar
fights I've see twixt bars and b'arsl'
81 don't s'pose snakes an bars ever
drhts one another, though, major.