Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-11-24

me tQt6 r.. Il. DtutT ana EUDdru
iStabler--An extensive and model farm,
commodious and modern oabuildings--
| Wonderful Observation-Disclosures
scenery--A happy homestead--A An aged
couple IN the sun-dopn Of life.
The night preceding the day of our con-
templated visit 10 the home OF MIR. John L..
Browning, the eldest son OF the famous hun
ter, the late Meshack Browning, was mark
ed by fearful storm. 1t was the same that
had visited your section OF country on Fri
day night, the 14th of October, but did not
reach this region until the following Satur-
day evening about 8 o'clock. We had often
read and heard descriptions of mountain
storms, this, however, was our first expert
ence, and 1t will long remain irlghtiul
episode OF our stay in this mountain country.
II was, indeed, scene of frightful terror.
The storm king seemed to revel in all his
maddened glory. The night was irightlully
black, the rain fell in torrents. and as the
lurid glare of the lightning shot from crest
TO crest the whole artillery of heaven belch
ed forth until
| -"the wide vault, in one unpausing peal
Throbbed with the angry pulse of Deity
| As the violence of the storm increased, The
peals OF thunder rolling and crashing down
the mountain sides and reverberating midst
the distant Businesses, as though the masonry
of high heaven was crumbling-the old
monarchs of the forest, which had seeming
| ly deded the ravages of time and the effect
Of countless similar storms, tossed their half.
leafess and battered branches in wild con.
fusion, shrieked and howled in the wild
carnival of fury until one might have sup
posed that the demons from the habtations
OF the damned had been let loose.
With the awakening of the early dawn of
the Sabbath morn, the wild lashing Of the
rain had subsidized and the low murmur of
the sinking blast was heard over the distant
woods like the growing of an enraged beast.
Throughout the morning huge banks of
black clouds dritted over the submits aud
along the sides of the mountains like the re-
treating forces of broken army Occa-
sionally would come q soft fall OF rain, 10
be followed by patches of blue sky and light
heecy clouds.
1t was nearing noon and whilst standing
at one of the side windows looking out upon
the weird and dismal picture which every
where met our eyes, in such marked con
trast with the poetic and dmpled beauty OF
the one of the preceding day that our atten.
ton was attracted by solitary and rapidly
approaching horseman. He was mounted
upon q large black animal of splendid build
and mettle. AS he rode up to a tree stand
ing not more than forty yards from the
window at which we stood, from his ap.
pearance and dash one might have readily
supposed that he had in his early days been
one of Jeb Stuart's famous black horse
cavalry. He had on a black broad brimmed
SLOUGH hat, grey overcoat that came well
down To bis stirrups and large heavy gloves.
He held the rein Of his bride tightly in his
right hand and carried In his lett short
thick switch, Springing IA lightly and
quickly from his horse as a boy OF eighteen
or twenty summers and making him secure,
he proceeded at once In the direction of the
kitchen, which was in the rear of the build
ing We had hardly moved to a seat near
the stove with view of arranging some
notes that we had previously made, when
the door leading into the kitchen was open
ed and the person whom we have just de
scribed stood before u.s. Drawing his glove
he approached US, saying:
81 am glad to see you in this country
again. have been looking hard for you
ever since had heard that you were out at
the lake, and as you did not put in an ap
pearsnce concluded would ride over and
pay my respects"
Recognizing that the speaker was Mr..
John l.. Browning, whom we had met for
lew moments over year ago when 1t was
our pleasure 10 be on visit in this loca lily,
we rejoined by saying, that we felt conider.
ably compimented at visit from one OF
his age, and more than complimented when
we considered the inclemency of the weather.
That we had anticipated sharing the hospi
talities of his home, which had been extend
ed by his son Ralph, whilst at Oakland, but
rs yet we had only been prevented from do
ing 80 by reason of an unexpected encamp.
ment out ct Meadow Mountain.
auuiedly taking off his overcoat and hat
and throwing them as boy would his trap
ball to table on the opposite side of the
room, he seated himself near the stove and
In strong round voice, accompanied with
much animation and expressive GESTURE said
"Yes, heard that you were out in Meadow
Mountain, wish | had have known II, as |
would have liked 10 have been with you,
am in my 85th year. but feel comparatively
well and strong Occasionally | suffer
little from wound or hurt received some
years ago in my right leg, but | can get
along for all that-my appetite is little
weak sometimes-been little bad for some
days past, but reckon it arises from the fact
that cant get just what suits my taste, that
is about all. Now il could have been with
you out at Camp Sines" | would have
shown you where hung my last bear. |
would have taken you little farther and
shown you the spot where occurred the m )st
desperate hand to hand fight l ever had
with q bear and one Of the largest | ever
killed. Like David Crockett, never killed
my weight in wild cats, but that was live
old bear fight as sure as you are born. He was
q whaler, when the dogs tackled him he was
standing as firm on his hind feet as a rock
and erect as man and as bold and defiant
as panther. The dogs were In fine condi'
ton and as savage as a meat ak. They
seemed 70 realize that they had hard fight
before them and they went 10 work nobly,
attacking him on all Sides The battle had
hardly opened when he let fly his huge
right paw aud sent the leader Of the pack ut
distance of ten or fifteen feet This slap
only seemed TO arouse his anger and he
came up with vigor and fury that had
never before seen equaled. For the best
part Of half an hour the fight was fercer
than am able TO give you the slightest Idea.
realized that the dogs had more than their
match that they needed some assistance. The
fight was 80 close and severe that was afraid
TO shoot, lest in the continuous change in the
struggle l might hit one OF the dogs, for they
were attacking or clinging at all sides, save
when one was tossed in the air or thrown
violently upon the ground. cried out TO
William, my nephew, who was with me at
the time, old boy, II is time tor us 70 go In
or the bear will get the best Of it, Throwing
aside our rifles which we had held In our
hands from the moment that the fight open.
ed, we both made TO the assistance OF the dogs.
) Alter desperate struggle of few moments,
in which the dogs, bear, BIZ and were hui-
died together, we succeeded in throwing
him on his side then drew my knife from
my pocket and just as | was about TO make
q home thrust for his heart, he lifted his
ponderous front leg, the elbow OF which
gave me such violent blow that It caused
my hand 10 slip down on the keen edge OF
the blade Of the knife, severing the sinews
Of three fingers, and here, holding up bis
hand, you See, which left me cripple for
life. The wound, however. did not stop
10 care for until we had reached his heart
and be lay dead at our feet.