The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-09-23
FRIENDS; COURTESY FOR ALL; FEAR FOR NONE


b0rs weren't SO scarce we'd have reg.
ular Old-fashioned husking bee, with
pumpkin pie and baked beans and pan
dowdy. And I've found a dozen red
ears already.
Il was just going to answer him
about the red ears, for our acqualnt.
ancc began at one OF these same husk.
ings. where he and Tom Jones were
going around kissing all til: girls,
with rcd ears OF corn for authority,
hut the banterng words were silenced
on my lips by the shrill cry that
reached my ear through the still air.
Silas heard it, too, and dropped the
basket Of corn he was shOuldcring to
empty into the cart. Without word
we both rushed from the shadow Of
the corn stalks, and looked for En0ch.
III live to be hundred years old
shall never forget the sight l behcld,
and even now l can feel the cold wave
OF dispair that seemed to swallow me
up, and blot out the sky and land
scape from my vision! A great black
bear, gaunt and hungry, had stolen
down from the mOss.skirted noun.
tains, and seized on my little blue
eyed, golden'halred baby and was
bearing him away up the Craggy hill
where her hungry cubs were in wait
ing. saw those golden curls lying
bright as sunshine against the shaggy
coat OF the bear, and heard my poor
baby's cries OF fear and distress as the
clutch Of his cruel captor frightened on
his tender little body.
"With a white face and rigid as
marble, Silas leaped past me, and
snatched the old queens arm from the
corn shock. Crashing through the
bushes and rank underground he
went, and though the bear had good
start on him, l saw that Silas was
gaining In the race. A bear walks
fat on the sole OF the foot and cannot
move very rapidly, and the hind legs
and fore legs being nearly OF an equal
length, lcaping is practically out Of
the question.
"On fiat projecting cliff well up on
the side OF the mountain, the bear
stopped and faced her pursucr. She
sat on her Launches and held my baby
with her forelegs close against her
breast She was resting moment to
gain breath for the nearly pcrpendic-
ular ascent, at the summit OF which
among the broken her den was proba-
BIZ situated. Enoch lifted his head,
and seeing Silas, called out In his
shrill, childish treble, Papa! papa!'
"Silas was within twenty PAGES Of
the bear when l saw him halt and
bring the gun to his shoulder and run
his eye along the glistening barrel.
There was no better marksman in the
county than Silas. had seen him
many a time shoot the wary chicken
hawks on the wing and admired his
precision, but thls-oh, this was dif-
fercnt--and my heart stood still with
terror. have said that our little
child had been taught very early to
obey, and to this fact Silas trusted
as lie spoke loudly and distinctly,
'Enoch, my boy, drop your head.
Drop it as low as you can and keep
still. Papa is going to fire the gun,
listen and see il you can hear 1t.
"My little boy caught the steady
and controlled command, and let his
head fall down across the black arms
OF his captor. There was one second
OF awful suspense, and then sharp and
clear the old queens arm rang out
and through the smoke saw for an
instant the golden curls OF my child
red with blood, and then l closed my
eyes and knew nothing more.
"When I came to myself Silas was
beside me chaflng my hands, and
EnOch, with his frock torn and his
face dabblcd In blood, was Justify call
Ing for mamma to wake up and see
the pity red paint on babY's hands.
"'Why, my dear little woman; my
poor Martha, said Silas, as l burst
into . hysterlcal 1t OF weeping, q
didn't think you would give way SO!
Sit up and see your boy, none the
worse for what he has gone through
He shall ride under fine bear skin
robe when we 60 sleighing this winter
The old gun did Its work we'll, and
put a dozen shots right into Mr.
Bruins brain. Why, Martha, you're
not going to cry again! Well, II thai
isn't just like woman!
| "Yes, that is the very gun there il
the corner. Margaret has got a vel
low ribbon tied around II to hold tn,
lock on. Your great-grandfather Sc
a store BY that gun, and we'll he nigh.
yes, yes, my dcary, well he might"
Three members Of the cabinet Da,