The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
AS TO AN OLD BEAR STORY.
A THIRTY YEAR SEARoH FOR TRUTH
ON THE SINNEMAHOHING.
Snoae Comfort HAD Been Telling the story All
That Time to Rcuben Pcttibone. nnd the
Latter Hal iBren Unable tn settle Els
nnnhin-A hrnthheh Annenl EnnnnM cred.

Ahhh vi ~
me 10 bin one day and said:
"'Praxitolcs.' sid he. the chancos are that
I'll soon be leaving the sun-kissod borders OF tho
Sinnemahonc for the stormy banks OF Jordan.
If l had anything to say abont II, ! don't think
I'd make the change. The l don't
suppose is anywhere neur as big ms the Jordan,
but when 1t comes TO fishing, I'll bet on the Sin
nemahono every time. I've ysnkcd some old
dod " ollupers out of tho Sinncmahone, Praxyi
l remember once
My remarkable father was on the point Of
telling Il fish story, but i interrupted him:
Father said l, considering that you arc
soon to exchange earthly scenes for some other
kind. don't you think that for prudential reasons
II might perhaps be bott-r II you did not think
up that story and tell itf
There was mild reproach In the gaze that my
remarkable father turned on me. but, before
could speak further. he said:
was saying, Prtxite)cs. 1t won't be long
before l shall close my ears on the musical muir.
muir of the Sinneniahone and open them to the
teinpcstuuns roll OF Jordan. I would be recon-
cilcd to the change If 1t wasn't for one thing. II
! don't find relief from that before l 90. my end
won't be one of peace and calm and joyful rest.
You know Nose Comfort, don't your
II told father that l knew Nose.
"'You know he's got only one legi' said father.
"Ikncw that.
"'And only one armT
81 knew that, too.
land did you know that he was 70 years old
last Tuesday
~ had heard that such was tho fact. and told
father so.
"'well.' said no, Nose Comfort is the tribu-
lation that Is on my mind, and It seems to inc
that I can't pass away until my doubt about him
has been cleared. Let me tell you about him,
Praxiteles. and then l will ask your judgment
-. l.., N.,'s, N ratt, fntr tnH,r, If , Ito
aren't YOU, my SOM
Am IL said /. I can tell q lie the minute I
hear itv
can the minute before you hear i'll ex.
claimed the man in the red. blue, green. pink,
purple. and yellow mRckinaw jacket. You
don't have to hear it at all, by guns!"
The man from over Sinnemahoning way paused
many-hued jacket ana resumeu his narrative.
Il loid futhcr | was a tair judge, anu he told
Nose Comfort. said he has told me some.
thing every year for more than thirty years. and
mini whether he was iying to me or not. The
first time fo tod 1t to me | was sure that he was
dulity. for Nose was then only about -. and he
HAD uUin legs AID arlIs. When h" got cLGEht in
a. p 70 5 r tr bs iT9hn'y army , SSrapS d ago r bsio wss s "s;s
one came along and let him out. and he then had
To have the arm cut Off ciose to the shoulder, 1t
Il man had the ha bit. of lying being held in tho
jaws of n bear trap three days and then losing
his arm ought to 70 u good ways toward curing
"'"Nowi is n good time. said 1, ito test that
$50 | went over to see him. He was nursing
his arm. or. rather. the place where the arm used
less looking morlal lever saw. But | hadn't been
there ten minutes before he came to the front
missed a word!
"'"Cen this be truth =, thought l. "or is it
unregencrate cusscdncss T.
- couldn't answer. and came home more I'M
settled in my mind ,nan ever. AMI SO it went
I r. sa ,St him. lima and 's Sometimes Nm 81 I'd have 70 tbS believe cit it,
on tn n again ia md myself declaring that Of
Slt tie wal Iies II, ! bad b;1ss sTsF h fSerd ib Nose So Gqnf0 ms'
and l lorsei f9r hep. Az last Nose lost some
watch for n deer. and fell .sleep. The deer
s s,Ha, sl dssis found s,S MSss r snS PEis anai Fl Rim M IN lSp
up. His vpn. Was ~ Wing on the ground. lie
made a grab for it and caught it by the barrel.
S.""Ehsn ih ss,a l"S Mdss "H E MSat s %Hi they nHs ss s1''si
him home. But they had 10 cut the leg Off.
Then tina, story OF Moses began TO worry
, mo worse and worse. Nose was past rs when
, "'"He is past 10 said /, and drawing along
=. toward the time when me huntsr thht never
!. bring him down. S ems TO me ,ha, il Nose tell:
0 me that Story now: with one Z on and one arm
|, On; and he Pa st 20 iol ysGTI 20" "In; | &c can mt 7 i heap n ne
J nina viii surely tini pc &c, Ior then | don't see
D how ! en- feel ,ny Other way nan Ina nose II
!, unmrrciful liar for the past thirty years tina
n ever tempted !atc!"
! toieraole strong ! went over TO see J. m he sait
"'' Nose is d liar, s"id ]. With only on
e leg and one arm, and he past 20. lie darcnt rlsi
c telling that story again.
!. got up to GO. fc, linz, a great load off m!
n mind. ior now l thought all dodbt was removed
II bat had no sooner got out u my cnllr Nlcll
: drnpped back INTO i, FOR Nose had begun th
change. and Just rs solemn AZ il he " re pre- ,ch
: ing II iancrdl sermon, This story was IL boa
e. as sso hs t ipi,; II thi;r 1HG is M%.o t%iG ,e 10 s., niS fs"G m;
l. how he had caught one of the hears wan on
n n ha hnsdl6Dy TIL, MSt 's.T Ss rinHs sHo Ibo i irs "" on, ii Of is'i n y
- other Two that hnt ri!ri themselves on him
J just as he had shown m" thirty years tc ore
""'YoWs Sc" ia, wien Nose .irst began tcllins
Il mo hat :, DRY. along about the close Of the war
d by the thfoAt with his rig..l, hand ana kicke'
:; the othor two TO Gcnth with MS l,it 'oot IT. ~
II mn, trap. when We would come It. dat l]n..r.s
t. ing 'oini il" his storF, T." Z" sop ~" ~ - Inn.
lNcn.bcr that it ars With u!y rIgul hand
le ,n,kcd IT, besr-'nii w"y- l.ii 1 ms 10y 10y
:, hand" ami then hed 20 on anI flush tie sror!
Ard it happened that the leg Nose shot OF wa
the left onr, and so when he told me he slor
1t ,ns times | vent TO cGr nh, m after 'h Ia xo an
n canli 10 where ne klckcd mo ucNTS' ne Won
H. SAY to ulc, as ,ool and collected as Gonlu In
10 "Rcuten. | kicked tn everlasting breath out
them Two bears with my Lett leg. so you'll, has
10 t. cr"Is, me for askinE yon 10 let me show 70
10 with my risht one how ! done il, being Ms IN
"A eft one is planted up yonder on The ri6gc."
"'And this unsettled me moro and more. an
- Two been saying To m, sci ever siace that
1 Nose was lying he woul NJ be so unc ommo
n. concentrations ~ TO excuse himself for having
To ,sr his loft arm to choke thr bear with, ,becau,'
he Didn't have any right arm, and for calling h
or right leg into service in kicking The other lwo
drall bclaIse his left ono was g~Onc-wOuld ht
n. Thtg, again. there's unrcgrnnrH'" ctsscdnes
nd There's n lot of IT in tho comfort family. Iii
h. Nose rot IL. or is that story truei
~ $50 lcrE | am. Praxitc.cs, f,oundcrinG in u
certainty and doubt. 1t doesn't seem 10 me III
old Jordin roll il / have 10 p IS away with IL
mind u settled about Nose and his story;
he want. you 10 30 with me and see Nose. lie
tell the Story, and you can Judge AT once rs
VIII thor il IL true or whether i. isn't. ! dor
lis care, now, whether it is or whether II isn't.
'es wihl o KNOW sYHhItnimG Suro ,yitb n i lad On n