Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-07-05
Why They Came Back.

prospectors who have been working a
claim for the past two years over the
range in the Texas Creek d strict, ABOUT
thirty miles west of Beuna Vista, in
Gunpison County, COL, came back 10
Buena Vista few days ago, writes a
New York Sun correspondent at that
point. They had been absent ten days.
When they lett they took enough pro-
visions to last at least two months, and
their retoru was somewhat of surprise
to their friends.
However, their short absence was soon
explained When they arrived in the
gulch where their cabin was located they
found everything as they had lett it last
fall, and they unloaded their burro and
stored their supplies, and went at work
again in their tunnel up on the mountain
side, half a mile distant. Everything
progressed nicely until last Monday, a
week ago. On that day, about 4 o'clock
p. m, they started down from the tunnel
to the cabin, which had been securely
locked when they departed in the morn
ing. The cabin door could not be seen as
they approached. They each carried a
number of drills which they intended to
sharpen. O'Rourke led the way aud
reached the cabin first, about fifty feet in
advance of Springer. He walked around
to the door, aud the next thing Springer
saw was O'Rourke making rapid head
way down hill in the direction of a clump
of pines, and loudly crying: "Bear in
the cabin, Tom, run y
Springer dropped bis load and follow
ed, both climbed trees and awaited devel-
opements. The bear came out in time to
see them ascending, and came and sat on
his launches at the foot of the trees and
eyed the two men curiously. He remain.
ed two or three minutes and then leisure
ly retraced his way to the cabin and en-
tered. "He'll eat everything and spoil
everything" said O'Rourke, and Sprin-
ger nodded an affirmative from his tree.
The bear could be heard at work in the
cabin, and Springer suggested that they
descend and run away, but just as they
were going to do so, Bruin came out with
box under his arms. The two prospec-
tors were greatly perplexed, as the box
contained nearly fifty pounds of sticks of
giant powder. Springer at once inquired
of his partner where he had put the dyna-
mite percussion caps, after taking several
sticks of powder from the box in the
morning, and O'Rourke, said he had put
them in the box on top Of the giant pow
der, which had been left open. This
state of things was somewhat alarming to
the two miners. but they felt sure that
the caps must have been knocked off the
box by the bear and were out Of harms
way, if the animal did not enter the cabin
again and tread upon them with his
great weight. The bear dropped the
giant powder to the ground just outside
the cabin, and began rolling the box over
and over and soon had his snout in ill.,
There was no particular danger in this
frolic on his part, provided the caps were
not in the box, because the powder does
not ordinarily explode except from heavy
conclusion.
Presently he began to pass out the
sticks of powder with his paw. The
scared miners had scarcely thought of the
results that might follow this proceeding
when terrible explosion occurred, and
both men were blown out of the trees
When they recovered their senses they
found themselves at the bottom OF a
guch into which they had rolled. They
were badly bruised and severely cut
about the face and legs from contact with
the rocks in their descent down the side
of the gulch, but we're able after time
to get around. They climbed to the site
of the cabin and saw not a yestlge OF 1t
remained. Their supplies and bedding
were totally demolished and obilerated.
Before leaving the scene for civilization
they found one of the hind feet of the
bear. They brought it back with them
and also the burro, which fortunately,
had been grazing mile distant when the
singular catastrophe occurred. The fact
of the powder being very oily and sweet
to the taste is supposed to have invited
the bear to take possession of it, although
the prospectors say he must certainly
have devoured everything specially agree
able to him before he found it. The
bear bad evidently just emerged from bis
winters sleep. Both en- assert he was
monster.
A lady in Hong Kong engaged Chinese
cook. When the Celestial came, among
other things she asked his name.
"My name" said the Chinaman. smiling,