The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-17
SHERIFF KEDGRAVE.
STORIES OF A DISTINGUISHED BRIT
lsH COLUMBIAN.

The Gloomy Anniversary of His Friends
Death--How the nenr Returned Bull
lct-The Sheriff Isn't n Doctor, hut He
Stamped Out Smallpox Epidemic.
Lying in the picturesque valley of
the Columbia river in British Columbia,
with tho Selk;rk mountains on one side
hnd tho Rocky mountains ON the other,
bs the town Of Donald. on the Canadian
Pacific railroad It used to be known
jAs "wide open town." but ii is now
IA sedate little place of nearly 1900 in
habitants. 1t Is tho meeting place Of
divisions Of the railroad, and from that
reason takes ON o commercial impor-
tance that other towns Of the same size
along the railroad lack. It also has an
hdded importance from the fact that it
lis the homo Of Sheriff Redgrave, the
chief official Of all that country around
for great distance.
Sheriff RedGrave is distinguished
man not only because he holds the chief
office thereabouts for many miles, but
because ho has notable past He has
had many fierce campaigns with the In
dians, has fought his full share of dead
|ly duels with desperadoes, has drop
lped' his man on moro than one occa-
sion, knows what roughing it means in
"a country tho widest of the wild, and
for years before such thing as a rail
road vas thought Of in that country was
10 marked man.
Sheriff Redgravo is always amiable
land almost always cheerful. Once
year, however, he is manifostly trou-
Ibled and downcast It is custom in
Donald on these occasions to wait until
"a goodly collection of citizens have ar
rived, and then this conversation usual
lly ensues:
GOOD morning, sheriff. You seem a
little troubled this morning. You look
blue. Nothing gone wrong, has there?"
some one will say, and tho sheriff will
mako this response:
"Oh, no." with an apparent effort to
throw of his careworn look, nothing
lis the matter, bat the fact is this is tho
anniversary of q very sad day with me,
and / never can shake off its remem-
lbrance.
"Indeed?" some one will say, and at
that invitation the sheriff will tell this
story Of an eventful day in his career,
one that annually fills his soul with sad
mess:
"It was just 30 years ago today that
/ was up in the Carbon country with
tho dearest friend ever had. He was
noble fellow, one that / would have
gladly given my life to any day were
there occasion 70 do So Wo were walk
ling through gorge ono afternoon. and
lby lamentabls oversight had only one
lgun with ua Ny friend had that. Sud
denly we came face 20 face with IN
enormous grizzly boar, ono Of tho old
time bears, tremendous fellows. such as
we used to havo in these mountains
The bear was angry. and I think had
been stung by some bcs He showed
fight, and saw mt glance that IL was
either his life or one or perhaps both OF
ours. He came right for US, roaring and
determined to kill us.
my friend was nervous man, and
could see that he was littlo fright.
lcned. Now, you know Nat never lose
my nerve, and so i said TO him that /
Thought he had hotter give me the gun
and let me kill the bear so as to make
sure Of the job. he agreed and seemed
TO be glad TO have the responsibility OF
his hands. The bear came straight for
ms. and took deliberate aim. He had
his mouth open. and aimed TO shoot
him there and let the bullet penetrote