The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-26
A MODERN DIANA.

Nogapuck, a little hamlet about TWENTY
five miles southeast OF this place; and in
all that section of country the most noted
exterminator of the genus Ursa Is
'Phiney," otherwise Josephine Stafford.
She rightly, too, deserves her celebrity as
a modern Diana, as incidents hereinafter
narrated will amply prove. "'Phiney"
Stafford is a genuine child of the noun
iains. Tall, we'll formed and supple, with
red cheeks, midnight hair and eyes to
match. and with burden OF but twenty
years on her shapely shoulders, she is as
handy with the rife as any rugged noun
taineer of the sterner sex. She lives alone
with Der father in plain little cabin, five
miles over the mountains, south of Noga-
puck. Her mother has been dead many
years.
Three years ago "Phiney" proved to The
mountalneers that she was possessed of
ingenuity as well as pluck when after
bear, although in West Virginia such ex-
citing sport is usually left TO the men and
boys. Bear has been unusually plentiful
all summer as the season for breeding has
been an unusually propitious one. Shebears
with cubs had been frequently seen up on
the wooded heights, but none in the
vicinity of Joel Statford's cabin, so
'Phiney allowed her beehives TO remain in
the open some distance from her home till
late September believing them to be in no
danger from bears. which are extremely
fond of honey. Hence she was greatly
surprised and incensed when. on return
ing from Nogapnck late one afternoon,
she found that two of the hives had been
knocked over land depleted of their
treasures of sweetness. Instantly and
rightly. too, she knew the depreciation had
been committed by one or more bears. and
began tssking her ingenuity for plan 10
get even with the robbers.
When her father re urned home from
down the slope an hour later, and she told
him of the depredation, adding that she
would get square with that bear, he simply
smiled and said encouragin ely, 81 bet YOU
will, honey" For an hour or two the sad
faced girl sighed frequently and poudered
deeply on the subject of how best to SQUARE
accounts with bruin. At last happy So
luton of the problem presented itself to
her mind, and it so filled her with Joy thar
she began to sing rollicking song Cd
Joel Stafford smiled approvingly and in
CURED the cause Of her sudden change of
demPanor.
Dad, l knows how to git squar with
that bar. Will yol 60 with me in the
mornin' ?"
The ndulgent father readily consented,
and considerably did not further question
the girl.
Early the next morning the girl with her
rifle. and her father with an ak and &C.
companied by the faithful dog Blunt, went
through the woods up the mountain side
for mile or two. she explaining her plan
of suuarlnG accounts with bruin as they
went They halted in what was decided
to be favorable place, and proceeded to
build figure A. bear trap. This is made
of stout poles in the shape of the figure q,
unon the apex of which is placed one end
OF log, the other resting upon the ground
The trap is baited upon the free end of the
cross-piece of the figure. which. if slightly
collapse and precipitate the log upon the
game. 'Phiney baited her trap with a
niece of meat literally smeared with honey,
W hich was brought along for the purpose,
and Joel Stafford said the figure AZ was a
"gnod 'un."
'Phinev Stafford the next N orning early
comrletpd her house hold duties and then
tran. accompanied by her dog. With beat
ing heart and expeciant face she hurried
up the slope, and trembled with Joy as
looking over the bushes when near the
trap. she could not see It's top, and by that
knew it had fallen. She ran ahead and
was overjoyed to see that the failing log"
pinned a fine and still living bear 10 the
ground. The dog Blunt advanced, growl-
ing fercely, and with the hair bristling
upon his back. 'Phiney uttered an excla-
nation of triumphant joy. and then APP
proschng closely upon the imprisoned and
Injured animal, placed her rifle TO her
shoulder calmly and put heavy bullet
into bruins shaggy head, which ended the
cRptiye's struggles.
The smoke Of the weapon had not yet
cleared away when, with loud grOwl and
distended jaws. the large female bear
dashed out of the bushes into the open
space and advanced upon the girl. That
-As. ,fz1 -
life. Her rifle was OF one barrel and
muZzle- loader, and she knew that she
would not have time TO load it before the
brute would be upon her. But trusty dog
Blunt came to her rescue at the risk of his
life and tiercely assaiied the bear, which
paused in its progress TO battle with it's
new enemy. 'Phiney grasped this advan-
ground near by. With the keen blade
raised above her head she advanced upon
the infuriated bear, which was endeavor-
ing TO catch the dog in its death-dealing
embrace.
'Phiney Stafford knew that her struggle
was for life and that of her dog, which had
at last been caught in the Oear's paws.
That brought affairs to crisis. The brave
girl, casting aside all fear. rushed upon
brUin and buried The shining blade in its
skull. With an awful growl the brute
sank to the earth with the dog Rugged to
IT'S breast linen the girl knew no more
for some time. When she regained con-
seriousness her eyes opened upon tragic
scene. Directly before her lay the bea +
with the ak still sticking in its SIX ull. while
in its murderous paws the dog lay dead
Tears gusbed from 'Phiney's eyes when
she thought that trusty Blunt had assisted
to save her life at the expense of his own
Sadly the girl went and informed her
father that she had TWO dead bears up the
mountain.
Joel Stafford expressed both surprise
and admiration as his daughter narrated
her exciting adventure on the mountain,
but when he learned of the pathet lie and
heroic death of Blunt his face visibly sad
dened. With the assistance of Joe Mount,
next-door neigh Dor who lives two miles
from the Staffords, the dead bears and
the dog were brought down the mountain
that afternoon. Blunt was tenderly laid
away under nearby spreading oak, and
there were more tears shed at his funeral
than flow at that of some mortals.
The death of Blunt transformed Jo-
sephine Stafford into an avenging Mem e.
sis, until now she is called the cham pi on
bear hunter of the county.-St. Louis
Globe-Democrat
The Duchess and the Parrot.
The Duchess OF Buckinghamshire,s efficy
In WAafmingfar hhev