The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-12-23

THE GRIZZLY ON TABLE ROCK.
queer but immense gray creature sham.
bling through the snow and being at loss
what to call 1t, | thought q well directed
bullet might disclose It's identity and so
threw up my rifle and let drive.
My friends would have felt perfectly
justified in calling me fool could they
have seen me make that foolish shot and
have seen the big gray monster turn
around and disclose TO my astonished gaze
the unmistakable head and hideous fangs
Of grizzly beari l had never seen one
before, except in u cage, but there was no
doubt whatever about this one. And he
left me not long In doubt as to his inten.
tions either when he wheeled about with
a snarl and a growl and took the trail in
my direction. W
The blood was oozing from q wound In
his flank, but that was nothing more than
q flea bite to his bearship, though good
excuse enough for revenge. looked about
me and saw to my horror that was be-
tween him and the edge Of the cliff, which
at this point descends sheer 5000 feet
Projecting over the edge Of the precipice
was an immense rock like the bowsprit Of
a ship and some l6 or 90 feet in length
1t may look like an insane move that
made tracks for this perilous position, 8, 900
feet above the valley floor, but there
seemed nothing else to do unless l went
straight toward the bear. l remember
that felt then that my time had come
and wondered confusedly what Alicia
would soy and do when perhaps days or
weeks later, she should view my mangled
remains at the foot Of the great cliff How
ever, l ran for all was worth, and, as !
ran on, mechanically elected the empty
shell from my rifle and slipped In another
cartridge. It was a six shooter, and l re-
solved II only for Alicia's sake not to die
until had given grizzly the full benefit
OF every shot He was shuff1ing along
clumsily, but relcntlessly, and was close
upon me as l slipped over the bank. If /
had carried out my hastily conceived plan
OF going out on the protruding rock, |
should not have lived to tell this story, but
just as l reached Its base l slid down into
orevice behind and little to one side of
it.
That unintentional move saved my life,
for, seeing me go over, my pursuer rushed
hercely after and could not restrain his
impetus until we'll out on the rock. 1t
was extremely slippery, incased as 1t was
In ice, with sheet of snow atop, and he
had hard work to keep his footing, and
as he stood there, growing terribly and
shifting his position uneasily, yet looking
down and all around for me, a germ of
hope came into my mind l saw that 1t
would not take much to send him crash
ing down upon the rocks at the foot of the
cliff, and trembled lest he should get off
the rock before had given him a little
jolt l could see him quito clearly, as he
wasn't more than 80 feet away, and that
instant also he saw me. wedged into the
crevice back Of him.
He tried to scramble about and reverse
his position, but as he turned drew bead
Just behind his shoulder and sped bullet
there. His situation was precarious enough
at the first, but now In his frantic strug-
giles to turn about-and perhaps made gid
dy by the two wounds-he swayed consid-
erably. Into the Ice sheet and the snow he
sent his crooked claws making desperate
efforts to regain his balance, but another
ball crashed into his ear and that settled
him. Over he went, clawing and fighting
the empty air. whirling down, down,
through space, until he was dashed with
terrible shock upon the rocks 5000 feet
below
dared not look over for fear I might
share his fate, but after prayer OF thank.
fulness at my escape l slowly crawled to
the brow Of the precipice. The old man
met me soon after and had TO support me
over portion of the downward trail,
was so unnerved
After detour OF several miles we finally
reached the base OF the cliff over which
grizzly had fallen, and there we found
him, very much used up bear. His skin,
however, was not SO badly torn but II
later served as a rug for our cabin floor,
though 1t was long before Alicia could look
upon 1t with composure.
The bear meat, the obi guardian said,
was tender and oothsome-probably from
the pounding 1t got-but Alicia and !
could not bring ourselves to taste 1t. In
fact, though our hearts sang with joy and
we were thankful for our blessings with
the true Christmas spirit, yet we could not
do justice to that Christmas dinner. Even
the pudding, which the old man declared
a conspicuous success, was neglected, for
my little wife did nothing but shudder,
and, throwing her arms around my neck,
whisper, with her lips close to my ear,
dearest, shall never let You out Of my
- 4. L..