Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-01-26

"What shall we do, Sam?" I gasped,
grasping his rough boyish hand in mine.
"Closc the shutters as quick as VIC
can, he whispered, and in q moment,
Utmost, we had fastened tho heavy
wooden, inside blinds, and thick dark
ness shut ont the faces of the wonder
ing children. Then / snid in low
voice, Children don't move or stir
there's bear in the yard"
The children only too well knew
their danger and save soft rustic MS
some little one crept nearer IN older
brother or sister no sonnd broke the
stiffness except Sans step MS he stole
into the tiny woodshcd and fastened
the bncli door with its heavy bur.
Then he mounted guard Mt the front
door, where, through chink, he
could watch the movements OF the
bear.
An hour passed thus. Every mo-
ment the feeling of horror grew moro
unbearable.
Once Sam came in to say the bear
was still roaming around, but had
made no movement toward the school
house.
Another uneasy half hour passed and
MS l snt revolving hundred wild plans
for our delivernnco Sam again crept
softly to my side.
"He is getting restless" he wills
pered, ''and I'm afraid il he comes
nearer he'll find out we are here, and
You know the lower panel of the door
Is cracked and it won't stand much
pushing, SO I'm going to slip out the
back door and 60 through tho bushes
and get help"
"Oh, Sam i" I gasped, "dont; he'll
henr you and then" paused, shud-
dering at the thought
"No, he won't, snid Sam resolutely,
''the bushes will hide me; and sec
here" thrusting something cold in my
hand, "there is my pistol. I've car
ried it in my pocket all the term, with
out You knowing it. If he tries to get
in-he cant anywhere except in front
fire this right in. his face. 'Taint
likely you'd kill him unless you hap
pened to hit him in tho eye, but you
might brighten him of. 1t nin't more
N half mile cross lots to Mike Null
lens, and I'll he back with him and n
gun less n no time"
"Oh, Sam |" shuddered, 'I can't
fire pistol 1 don't know which end
goes off"
Was there shade of contempt in
Snm's voice rs he showed mo which
was the business end of the pistol, and
told me how to hold it? If there was
1 was too cowed to resent it.
With many prayers for his safety,
let the brave boy out of the back door,
and barred it behind him, then sat
down to my weary whiting. Suddenly
l heard loud snufiing Mt the front
door, then heavy steps, and low growls
making circuit of the s.hoolhouse,
then "thump" on the front door
that msdo it crack, and the growls
grew louder and angrier.
A time of terror followed-th bear
ran round and round the house, shak-
ing the doors, dashing his great paws
through the windows, whose heavy
inside shutters held fast, and roaring
with the pain of the cuts tho broken
glass gave him.
AT last the sagncious brute seemed
to realize that the only weak spot in
orr defense was the front door, and
concentrated oil his fury there.
All this time the brave children had
made no sound. AS for me-thoush
knew that unless help came quickly L
or some of my little charge must sure
ly perish-I YVES never calmer in nv
life.
Without emotion I thought of my
distant home-I saw the golden
fruited hop vines-the grape vines
swing in tho woods-the maple trees
before the house-the June roses in the
fence corner-I wondered what nv
sisters were doing, and I wondered If
my mother sat in the Boston rocker
knitting.
/ felt vague regret that I had not
mended the tear in my dress that
morning instead of reading n novel
until the last moment.
Some of my Sunday school lessons
came to my mind-nmong them the
story of the bears that devoured the
hooking jewish children. But nv
dear little children were not mocking.
nor wss such very wicked girl if 1
did read novels instead of mending nv
clothes and sometimes went to sleep in
church
And then flood of self-pity came
over me, and hot tears rained silently
down my cheeks. Then "split, crash, :"
the rotten panel had broken. 1 flew
to the entry door-the bears hideous
head was in the hole, and he was try
ing to crowd his body through. A
feeling of despair came over me, then
sudden nger-should quietly sub
NIT to terrible death for myself, OF
the little ones in my care?
Desperate rage overwhelmed all
other feeling, and gresping the pistol
l rushed into the entry. just then
another piece of the door few off with
hard crack, and the bear roared with
almost human triumph.
Until now perfect quiet had reigned
inside, but one child, frantic with re-
pressed emotion, shrieked wildly. A
wave of fenr swept through the school
room, and the children ran around