Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-09-02
AS TO AN OLD /
BEAR STORY. |
- Thirty-Year Search for Truth
On the Sinne Mahoning.
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- lust before my remarkable father.

Isl before my remarkable father,
u Reuben Pettibone, took on the
mortal ailment that bereft the SHINE
mahOning country of its then most
shining light" said the man from over
Sinnemahoning way, The called me to
him one day and said:
'Praxiteles,' said he, the chances
are that I'll soon be leaving the sun
kissed borders of the Sinnemahone for
the stormy banks of Jordan. If had
anything to say about it, 1 don't think
I'd make the change. The Sinnema-
hone don't suppose is anywhere near
as big as the Jordan, but when it comes
to fishing, I'll bet on the Sinnemahone
every time. I've yanked some old dod-
wollupers out of the Sinnemahone,
Praxy! / remember once
MY remarkable father was on the
point of telling a fish story, but in
terrupted him:
Father said I, considering that
you are soon to exchange earthly scenes
for some other kind, don't you think
that for prudential reasons it might
perhaps be better if you did not think
up that story and tell it?'
There was mild reproach in the
gaze that my remarkable father turned
on me, but, before could speak fur
ther, he said:
LAS l was saying, Praxiteles, it
won't be long before shall close my
ears on the musical murmur of the Sin
nemahone and open them to the tenn
pestuous roll of Jordan. I would be
reconciled to the change if it wasn't
for one thing. If 1 don't find relief
from that before 1 go, my end won't
be one of peace and calm and joyful
rest. You know Nose Comfort, don't
you?'
81 told father that knew Nose.
"'Yo know he's got only one leg?'
said father.
II knew that.
"'And only one arm?
81 knew that, too.
"'And did you know that he was Ts
years old last tuesday,
81 had heard that such was the fact
and told father so.
WELL said he, Nose Comfort is the
tribuIation that is on my mind. and it
seems to me that I can't pass away until
my doubt about him has been cleared.
Let me tell you about him, Praxiteles,
him. You're a pretty fair judge of
lie, aren't you, my son?'
"'Am I?' said I I can tell you lie
the minute hear it,
can the minute before you hear it,
exclaimed the man in the red. blue.
green, pink, purple and yellow Macki-
nav jacket. You don't have to hear it
at all. by guns!'"
The man from over Sinnemahoning
way paused long enough to smile be-
nignly on the man in the many-hued
jacket and resumed his narrative.
Il told father was a fair judge, and
he told me about Nose Comfort.
Nose Comfort said he, has told me
something every year for more than 80
years, and I have never been able to
exactly make up my mind whether he
was lying to me or not The first time
ne told it to me / was sure that he was
presuming to ridiculous degree on my
credulity, for Nose was then only about
As, and he had both legs and arms.
When he got caught in a bear trap 25
years ago and was held in it by his
right arm three days before some one
came along and let him out, and he
then had to have the arm cut off close
to the shoulder, it set me to thinking
said to myself that if ever man had
the habit of lying being held in the
jaws of a bear trap three days and then
losing his arm ought to be good ways
toward curing him of it.
"'"Now is a good time" said I, ito
test that story of Moses"
so went over to see him. He was
- ~
where the arm used to be, and was the
most discouraged and hopeless-looking
mortal 1 ever saw. But hadn't been
there ten minutes before he came to
the front with that story, and never
finched a muscle or missed a world
'''"Can this be truth?" thought 1.
COR is it unregenerate cussedness?"
i couldn't answer, and came home
more unsettled in my mind than ever.
And so il went on for years. Nose told
me the story every time saw him, and
sometimes I'd have to believe it, and
then again I'd find myself declaring
that of all the lies had ever heard Nose
Comforts story was the biggest. The
thing worried me, and longed for help.
At last Nose lost some more of himself.
He sat down on a runway to watch for
deer and fell asleep. The deer came
along, found Nose asleep, and, as Nah
Ion Strubb declared, stopped and
kicked him in the stomach with both
hind feet. That woke Nose up. His
gun was lying on the ground. He made
& grab for it and caught it by the bar
rel. He gave it a yank, the hammer
struck against something and the gun
went off. The bullet plowed through
Moses knee, and they carried him
home. But they had to cut the leg off,
Then that story of Moses began
to worry me worse and worse. Nose
was past as when he lost his leg.
"'''He is past IS" said /, and draw
ing along toward the time when the
hunter that never misses his mark will
draw bead on him and bring him down.
Seems to me that if Nose tells me that
story now, with one leg off and one
arm off, and he past IS years old. 1
can't help believing it. If he doesn't
tell it to me, then my mind will surely
find peace, for then don't see how l
can feel any other way than that Nose
Is appalled, at last, and that he has
been the most unmerciful liar for the
past 30 years that ever tempted fate"
so after thought that Nose must
be getting tolerable strong went over
20 see him. He said he was mighty