Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-02-10

self to e Sec0nO piece.
Eyes, but we have, Brother Linton.
We miss them from the larder before we
are ready to cat them. | regret to say
that VIC have some uuregenerate 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 Jessamiue glanced
at Rachel, who blushcd, 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 Rachel's re-
marks.
"You would want gun to deal with
them, I'm thinking" said the resolutc
girl. "You can't convert bear with
soft words and"
"Rachie, Rachie, what are you say
ingl" broke in Aunt Jessamine.
Accustomed to obey her mother, the
fair girl subsidized and in little while
had passed from the house, leaving the
parson and his host to continue the sub
iect 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 parson was dis
cussing the needs of his flock.
As for Rachel, she retired to her room
in the gable aud 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. 1t was
beautiful sight and one which she had
seen hundred times from that very
window, and now she watched it as it
seemed to grow in beauty and the whole
earth became 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 it 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.
'It 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 a rife, 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 sprlng-house,
where the larder was.
Rachel looked to the priming Of the
gun and again the bear vanished. She
was now almost certain the prowier in
tended a raid, and eager to encounter
him and bring his schemes to naught,
she slipped downstairs aud 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 his
nightly visit to town three miles away.
The backwoods beauty stopped near
the spring-house and watched it with
anxious eyes. The door was reached by
descent of several steps, and it was
common to fasten it with chain, which
could be unloosed without much trouble.
"Why, the door is open!" exclaimed
Rachel as she neared the spriug-house
and ventured to look down the steps.
al slipped the chain over the staple with
my own hands; but it is off now."
The next moment noise startled
Rachel and she fell back pace, for it
seemed to come from the spring-house.
Posting herself, however, with de-
tcrmined face, she waited for other proof
that the larder was being attacked at
that moment, and it was not long de-
layed.
All at once the huge, dark figure of
something came out of the spring, house
and as it rose in front of the girl, she
felt an involuntary thrill, for it was a
bear and he was standing on his hinder
feet as if masquerading as man.
In all her life she had never seen a
bear of such proportions. He looked
as tall as Jack, and as he tottered up the
steps and the next moment stood in the
moonlight splendid target for Rachels
rife, he was seen to have face ludic-
rously daubed with the sweets of the
spring-house.
Rachel summoned her nerve to her as
sistance and leveled the rife at the in
vader.
At that moment she heard q door be-
hind her open, and her mothers voice
rang out:
"Rachie, Rachie, where are youl"
The answer was the clear, ringing re-
port of the family rifle, and there tot
tered from the fair girl an animal, which
dropped upon all fours, only to fall to
the ground and roll over in his agony.
Mrs. Palmer stood spell-bound in the
door, and behind her was visible the
white face of the parson.
"The other gunl quick, motherl the
bear will get away!" cried Rachel, rush
inc toward the house