The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-16
TED BRADY'S SHOT.


bravery
Ted Brady from the first was fearless
young rover of the woods, and, gun in
hand, he was often to be seen In the forest,
either in search Of game or setting traps
for the smaller animals that abounded In
the locality.
During one Of these excursions into the
woods the boy had the fortune to capture
a very small bear cub, which he carried
home without trouble He raised the cub
by hand and had a great deal OF fun with
him as he grew older. At last he became
the pet of the household, and often he
would follow Ted into the forest.
At the approach of night, no matter
where Jack was, he would turn his face
toward the cabin and in one corner Of it
was sure to find a sleeping place till morn
ing.
with the uprising Of the Indians, led
by Pontiac the Ottawa chief, one Of the
bravest and most relentless Indians Of his
day, the whole frontier passed from the
sunshine of peace into the shadow Of war.
Post after post foil before the strategy
of this red king Of tho forest, and at last
not one Of the many forts along the lakes,
with the single exception Of Detroit, flew
the Britith flag.
In consequence Of the war the frontier
Of Pennsylvania was in danger Of the
tomahawk, and the borders Of Virginia
and Maryland were threatened
The Bradys heard of tho coming storm
some time before 1t reached them.
1t was reported that Indian spies were
abroad In tho land, spying out the weak
nesses Of the settlements preparatory to
a swoop upon them, and one day several
were seen in the vicinity of the Brady
cabin.
Ted had been trapping along little
stream near home for some time. The boy
who was stout and quick for his 10 years,
though not very large had become an ex-
pert in trapping the fur bearing animals
Of forest and stream, and his stock Of furs
was known to be the best and most valu-
able Of any in the neighborhood. On some
of his visits to the traps Jack, tho bear,
went along with him, but for the most
part the animal went whore he pleased
and Ted did not see much Of him.
Michael Brady, the father thought that
the whole frontier should be made ac-
quainted with the true situation regarding
the Indian uprising, and as he had picked
up good deal Of reliable information he
deemed 1t his duty to spread the news.
Therefore he set out on his mission one
day, intending to be gone nearly week.
Watch the house well F" said the Celt
"Know everything that approaches it., and
on no occasion open the door to anybody
but Jack" =...
"That's pretty sweeping, father" said
Ted, looking up from the trap he was
mending on the floor.
81 know it is, and want my instruc-
tions carried out to the letter. These In
dians arc the most cunning fellows on
,,la oil aoft t,,o -.
on the whites to carry out their designs.
Jack Ia all right, and SO are the near
neighbors, but don't open the door to any
one you do not know"
For three days after the settlers depar-
turo nothing occurred to break the monot-
ony Of forest life
Now and then rumors came to the set-
Element of Indian battles, but these were
reported to have taken place 80 far away
that tho people began to laugh at the
stories and to conclude that perhaps the
Pontiac uprising had been greatly exag-
gerated.
Ted attended to his traps as usual, and
Jack, after roaming about the forest,
would come home at sundown, and Mrs
Brady, IL Ted was not In, would opentthe
door to him.
One evening the boy went out to his
traps. He had that morning carried them
to new trapping ground, and he thought
best to take another look before leaving
them for the night.
The night promised TO have the light of
tho full moon. Tho sky was perfectly
clear, and the crisp leaves that Uttered the
ground gave forth musical sounds as they
cracked underneath the boys feet
That very day Ted had taken the rife
apart to give 1t a thorough overhauling,
and every part had been inspected and OIL
ed. With the weapon slung over his shoul-
der the Irish boy tramped through the
woods found tho traps all right and aft
err seeing that the Triggers were well set
turned and began the homeward trip.
by this time the sun had gone down, and
the long shadows of dusk were falling be-
tween the trees. But over the hill on his
right rose tho full orbed moon, and more
than once Ted stopped and watched 1t in
its stately ascent.
But he was expected home by his moth
er before night came fairly on, and think
ing OF the Indians he quickened his gait
and ran nimbly over the trail.
He had reached a little stream near the
cabin and had set his feet on the footlog
for tho purpose Of crossing 1t when he
caught sight OF something moving toward
the cabin.
He could see the house through IN OPEN
ing in the forest. The moonlight fell
around it, revealing 1t In the little clear
ing with uncommon distinctness.
at Ia Jack going home said Ted, with
a SMILE when he had watched the NOV
ing object little while Hes been of
on another excursion and is just getting
In"
Then he thought OF surprising the bear
with one Of his shrill whistles and placed
his fingers to his mouth to sound IL when
he suddenly stopped.
The bear had stopped too.
Not only this but the next moment Ted
Brady's heart took leap into his throat,
for the animal rose on its hind feet near q
tree and remained standing full minute
as straight as an Indian.
While jock was capable Of doing great
many tricks and could walk on his hind
feet with considerable dextcrity, Ted had
never seen him get up with such grace OF
movement.
Tho bear appeared to bo looking
straight toward the house from the tire,
where he stood, and Ted, who jumped
down from the log and sprang to tire
near by, looked on with boys keen curl
osity.
Maybe it's another bear" rushel
through Tcd's mind, "And what II it ism i
bear at allr'
The boys own thought startled him.
He was not close enough to get very
good look at the animal, and in order to
do SO he crawled along the ground to au
other tree, from behind which he took an
other look.
By this time the bear had dropped to
the ground again. and all at once Ted saw
that 1t had o cut ear, which was just what
Jack had had for three years
Once more Ted was in the act Of wits.