Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-03-03

Il
pies, Mrs. Palmer" said the shepherd of
the backwoods flock, as he helped him
self to second piece.
| Eyes, but we have, Brother Linton.
We miss them from the larder before we
are ready to eat them. I regret to say
that we have some unregenerate people
in this neighborhood who are SO fond OF
pumpkin pies that they are not particu-
| lar where they find them when they are
hungry" and Aunt Jessamine glanced
at Rachel, who blushed, and for a mo-
ment hung her head.
81 would like to have these people
come under the droppings Of the sanctu-
ary," replied the parson; but the next
moment he was surprised at Rachers re-
marks.
s'You would want gun to deal with
them, I'm thinking" said the resolute
girl. "You can't convert a bear with
soft words and"
s'Rachie, Rachie, what are you say
ing9" broke in Aunt Jessamine.
| Accustomed to obey her mother, the
fair girl subsided and in a little while
had passed from the house, leaving the
parson and his host to continue the sub
ject they were on.
Night seemed to come soon after that
meal. The long, soft autumn shadows
stole over the farm house and Rachel
lighted the lamp and carried it to the
sitting room where the parso1 was dis
cussing the needs of his flock.
As for Rachel, she retired to her room
in the gable and sat at the window.
Across the clearing in front of the house
lay the shadows of night; but by and
bye the silvery disk of the moon ap-
peared over the horizons rim. It was a
beautiful sight and one which she had
seen a hundred times from that very
window, and now she watched it as it
seemed to grow in beauty and the whole
earth became a bed of silver in the light
of the moon.
All at once there appeared on the
ground toward the ravine something that
came forward, and Rachel watched it as
it grew larger.
Now and then it stopped and for some
time stood in outline for her inspection,
and the more she watched it, the surer
she became that 1t was an animal.
Presently Rachel Palmer sprang up,
and leaning on the sill, gazed at the OBJ
ject with eyes that seemed to start from
her head.
ssIt Is bear" she exclaimed. 'What
II it is mothers thief" And as the thing
moved on, showing the hugh hulk Of its
long body, the girl ran to corner and
took from it rifle, which she knew how
to handle with deadly effect.
When she came back to the window
the bear was gone, and for moment a
feeling of disappointment took possess ion
of her, and she feared she had missed
her opportunity. But suddenly the
animal came into view again, and this
time in the vicinity of the spring house,
where the larder was.
! Rachel looked to the priming of the
gun and again the bear vanished. She
was now almost certain the prowler in
tended a raid, and eager to encounter
him and bring his schemes to naught,
she slipped downstairs and out into the
, night.
AS she passed from the house she
, could hear the voice of Parson Linton in
conversation in the little parlor, and
thought of Jack, who was paying hi
nightly visit to town three miles away.
) The backwoods beauty stopped neal
the spring house and watched 1t witt
anxious eyes. The door was reached b.
descent of several steps, and it wa
common to fasten it with chain, which
could be unloosed without much trouble
"Why, the door is openp exclaimed
Rachel as she neared the spring-houst
and ventured to look down the steps
81 slipped the chain over the staple with
, my own hands; but It is of now."
. The next moment noise startled
Rachel aud she fell back a pace for j
seemed to come from the spring house.
Posting herself, however, with de
r tcrmined face, she waited for other proc
, that the larder was being attacked a
that moment, and it was not long de
E layed.
9 All at once the huge, dark figure o
r something came out of the spring house
r and as it rose in front Of the girl, sh
felt an involuntary thrill, for it was
! bear and he was standing on his hinde
< feet as if masquerading as man.
In all her life she had never seen
!. bear of such proportions. He looke'
: as tall as Jack, and as he tottered up th
]. steps aud the next moment stood in tn
n moonlight splendid target for Racheli
r rifle, he was seen to have face ludic
d rously daubed with the sweets of tn
spring house.
: Rachel summoned her norve to her as
q sistance and leveled the rifle at the IL
e vader.
n At that moment she heard door b
i hind her open, and her mothers voie
rang out:
d "Rachie, Rachie. where are youf"
IS The answer was the clear, ringing re
g port of the family rifle, and there tot
tered from the fair girl an animal, whic
,e dropped upon all fours, only to fall {
If the ground and roll over in his agony.
Mrs. Palmer stood spell-bound in th
W door, and behind her was visible th
le white face of the parson.
O. .'The other gun! quick, motherl th
re bear will get away!" cried Rachel, rusi
III ing toward the house.