Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-01-15

than the rest m ,da the underbrush
rustic audibly with its motion Her
heart gave n most uncomfortable leap,
and she straigh,wIy thought OF the wolf
which her husband hal spoken OF.
But, wolf or shadow. it fed away with.
ont msnaciug her; and she came in
safety to the last ctbiu between her
and home.
Here the neighbors we're asleep, and
she bad to arouse them ia order to
beg another piAe-knot. The ono
which she had got at the previous
house was by no means burned out.
but she feared lest it should fail be-
fore tho end OF her journey. The
sleepy neighbors we're astoni,hed at
her appearance. They threatened to
detaiu her by force, when she refused
their invitation 20 stay nil night with
them. But Mrs Buckler was by this
time good deal "workod up" as she
afterward expressed herself; and she
treated their kin persuasions with
scaut courtesy. She almost ran from
the house; but in her apron. among
the sweet apples. she carried the ex-
ira pine knot. all the same.
To ward off unpleasant thoughts,
she kept picturing in her mind the way
the children would enjoy the apples in
the morning. She also thought of the
remonstrances, tempered with ill-con-
csaled admiration, with which her
husband would greet her return. Her
blood quite glove again as she
Thought Of the lofty fashion iu which
she would make light of it all. just
at this moment she saw, in the middle
OF the path before her. largo black
bear, watchin3 her curiouir,
Her heart stood still, and 81 her
self instantly followed his ex nple.
Then she reflected that she must up
pear calmly indifferent, if sho would
hope to escape. Slowly she moved
forward again, waving her torch; and
the bear, stepping ont OF the path,
watched her steadily from among the
uaderbrush as she went by. Then he
stepped back into the path aud fol-
lowed her
Her first and most natural impulse
was to run like the wind for hom., but
this. after one startled leap forward,
sae checked with mighty effort OF
her will Size walked on with swift
bat steady steps, watching the bear
out of the corner Of her eye, but all
tho time clutching obstinately at her
apronsul of apples. The bear, very
slowly, kept drawing closer aud closer,
bent upon attacking. but evidently de-
tered by dread of the torch.
But the torch. meanwhile, was burn-
ing low; aud Mrs. Buckler, in her ex-
citement, failed at first to notice this.
She was holding tho pine knot over
her shoulder, as sort of shield
ngninst her pHrsuer. When, with
stalking at the knees, she realized that
it WAS on the point Of hickering out,
She tried hastily 10 light the other;
and in the effort some OF her trealured
apples fell out OF her apron, and rolled
behind her on the path.
As soon as the bear CO. TO tnese
apples he stopped -"a began "eVour-
a.. H., .-.d the keenest relish.
auny!" thought Mrs. Buciuer,
with suddon tightening OF her load
of terror; "it's not ME hos after, but
the sweet apples T. and straightway all
her old courage returned.
She pausol, and took time to light
her new pine-knot deliberately aud
well. Then she hurried on; aud it
was some minntes before her pursuer
was again at her heels.
And nov, SO sulliu are the revul-
sious OF woman's feelings, she was
concerned only fIr the sweet apples
They were the chil1ren's apples; and
it went sorely against her grain to let
bear have any of them. Not until
he had come most uncomfortahly
close could she bring herself to again
propiiiate him; a2d then she doled
out but three OF the precious green
globes, dropping them on the path be-
hind her with slow reluctance.
The animal took perhaps quarter
of minute to dispose OF this uig-
rardly contribution. AMI then cme
on again with a sort of hopeful conf
lence.
"Nol" declared Mrs. Blu eklcr, firm
ly, lyon amt goin' to have another
onel" and sue fairly bFoSo into ran.
But when that heavy, sham5ling gal
lop sounded close at her back. her
resolution weakened. and she dropped
n couple more ont of the apron.
While the much gratiied bear delayed
to eat these, she rounded turn of
tue road, and was elaldenel by the
sight of her own window glimmering
some two hundred yards in front.
Calling her husbands namo two or
three times Mt tho top OF her voice.
till sue saR him ding Opeu the door