The Opelousas courier., 1895-03-02

the man VINO d Dear III HIS
swill barrel. The animal, SO the story
runs, had been giving him trouble for
several nights, when Mart unexpect-
edly came upon him feasting greedily
with his head buried deep in the bar
rel Mark was unarmed, but quick as
thought he grabbed the bear by the
heels and upset him head first into the
swill. There he held him, despite all
struggles, till the poor beast was glad
to give up the ghost This procedure,
defying as it did all precedent, struck
terror into the ursine heart, and it is a
fact that bears have been notable for
their absence in this region ever since.
Like Davy Crockett's coon, they have
learned to fear this great hunter, and
not to, tempt fate bystheir presence in
his neighborhood.
ButiMart is a better man than he
gives himself credit for being His
picture o h lof himself lis entirely too
pessimistic. He is hospitable and gen.
erous, and an extremely interesting
tinker on subjects connected with
the woods. He has hunted, trapped
and fshed since. be was knee high to a
grasshopper, and a better woodsman
!, or more entertaining companion would
Sc hard to find. .sst
Aart don't mind bears, but there is
& animal which he acknowledges he
oaeE not care to meet, and the possible
proximity of which in the woods al
ways fills him with nneasiness. The
animal in question is the catamount,
q, panther, u Years .egos when Mart
wa working for Nose Ames, who
tglivedi on the road Between Saranac
lake and Lake Placid, he met with the
following adventure which left a deep
impression on his mind.
One warm, misty night in June he
left Ames' house to visit q neighbor-
ing farm for the purpose of borrowing
an OK. He had just reached the foot
of the hill after leaving the house
when he heard painting ahead ofshim
in the road. such as . large dog might
make after violent exertion. lie
looked in the direction from whence
came the sound, and the next instant
saw a large animal leap across the
road, coming toward him.
The sound Of it, painting had come to
him with great distinctness. borne on
the moist evening air, and now he
could hear it trotting toward him
through the bushes beside the road.
Instinctively, he felt for some weapon.
The road was sandy, and search as he
might, he cond find no stone OF a suit
able size to hurI against his unknown
adversary. The strange animal mean
while wasscoming nearer, and was now
only a few yards away. Moved to des-
peration, the boy seized q handful of
wet sand and threw 1T with all the
force he could command directly at the
animal, at the same time scolding it as
lie would have scolded a dog. The
strange beast jumped aside, and fol-
lowing itup Mart'sgroping hand came
ia contact with the trunk of a small
tamarack tree that had been half cnt-
through and then turned back to help
make rough fence. He seized this
new weaponaeagerlys but found thatit
3 still fast by its roots TO the
ground. A violent wrench, however,
hroAe lit loose. and roots and all he
hurled it at his unknown antagonist.
The strange animal spraDg out of
the way; and the boy, with u~nstrungs
nerves, returned to the road. For the
time being all thought Of his errand
had gone, and he turned back again
toward Ames, meanwhile keeping a
bright lookout. Presently he saw the
animal come down again into the road
behind him and follow at . distance
of twenty or thirty yards. II was nj.
most tae color affss tlss sandy Fpadl and