The Van Buren press., 1893-08-19
SiLAS AND THE BEAR.
The Funny Incident Of . Boosters 0rsa
Fright.

Fright.
LOAD your gun for bear" said DR.
Foote, one morning nearly q hundred
years ago. LOAD your gun for bear,
Silas, for we shall depend upon you If
we are attacked" And he smiled 3
rather sly smile as he turned to fix the
fire.
"Dear mew said Mrs. Foote, you're
not really going to cut wood up on the
hill where they saw two bears last
week."
"Why notp" said DR.. Foote. "Silas,
here, can take care Of the whole party"
And with that he smiled again.
Silas was the hired man. He was
fond of talking big" By his brag you
might think that he was the bravest
man on the Unadilla river or in all
York state, for that matter. He told
stories Of his fights with wildcats,
wolves and bears, in which he always
came out ahead by a hairs breath.
81 tell ye, little more an should
have been everlastin'ly chawed up" he
would say, "but finished him"
For all that he did seem little nerv.
ous that morning while he loaded his
gun for bear, which made DR., Foote's
smile broader than ever.
They soon started for the woods, DIR.
Foote and his grown son, and Capt.
Brown and Silas. who boasted all the
way what wonders he would do If they
should meet q bear. You would have
thought he was going on purpose for
bear hunt. But when they got to chop
ping he took pains to keep rs near as
possible to where the horses were
hitched.
They had been at work some hours,
and Silas had grabbed his gun half q
dozen times, thinking he saw bear in
the distance. when all at once they all
saw one, real, live one, and, Is they
found, very hungry and cross one.
He smelled out their dinner-baskets.
and was just helping himself to the
contents, when DR.. Foote sent bullet
into him. II that bullet had killed him
there would not have been any story.
But II did not, and he made rush
for DIR. Foote, and for some time he
kept things very lively. The hired
man stood looking on, at first too
scared to move; but when the bear
rose and dealt DR.. FOote . dreadful
blow on the shoulder, Silas managed
to break the spell and run. He did not
wait to see that Capt Brown shot the
bear dead next moment. He did not
notice that DIR. Foote was soon on his
feat again, He ran with all his might
TO the horses, and throwing himself
upon one, dashed away to bring help.
He rode up to Deacon brakes and
! shouted: Turn out! turn out! There's
a bear killed four men" The deacon
rushed out, crying: "Who9 WhereP
Who?" To which Silas replied: "Capt.
Brown, DR.. Foote and his son, and my
sey!"
"Good land!' said the deacon, as Silas
ealloped away. II only hope the rest
amt killed any wuss'n you bel" and he
started down the road the way
Silss had come and soon met t4e
others, who were not killed very
bad. though rather worse than
the boaster. They were able, at any
rate, to laugh At him we'll for his fright
and after that, some one was sure tc
striks in with: Turn out! turn out
There a bear killed four msn! and that
always settled him.
Eighty years afterward Grandpa
Foots, who was little boy when thii
happened, used TO tell the story to hi
grandchildren when they came to him
They wanted to hear It every time they
came, for grandpa told 1t far bette,
than / can. They always nestled ane
uudeed each other when Silas shouted
.srurp out! turn! There bear killed
four msa'"
They smiled when Deacon Drake
rushed out and cried: "Who9 Where
Who?" And though they had heard Il
40 ,aauy times, they always laughed a
the boastsy's reply: Captain Brown
hector Foote and his SOD, and myseV!'
-Eudora 8. Bumstead. In Youths Com
DapiQp,