The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
CAL SHEPPARD, W00DSMAN
4 CHIRICIER or THE HEMLOCk
BELT FHO mas PASSED AWAY.

said Archie Meyer OF Harrisburg. until was
on my way to tho West Branch country on n
trading trip last month and as | looked on Cal
as being necessary to my comfort. convenience
and success. l returned sorrow(uy home
without having even reached NV destination.
] had great recolections OF Cal ShOrnards
genius. IN and ont OF camp. and l couldn't
sec how was going to ENJOY myself without
him, although he had passed the mark OF four
score years.
Cal Sheppard lived in tho mountains Of
Cameron county and was certainly one OF tho
queercst and most original OF backwoods
characters.
The Snnemahoning and West Branch
country is full Of "reminiscences Of him. enc
day he found one OF his oxen dead by the side
OF the railroad. Tho OK had been killed by the
cars. Cal sent bill In to the railroad company
for the value OF his OK. and demanded a settle
ment. The company paid no attention to him.
Then the glass insulators on the comnnny's
telegraph poles began to rattle to tho
ground one after another as fast as
they could be replaced. along that part OF
the line. Their appearance left no room
for doubt that they were being shattered
by rife balls. This continued disturbance
OF inhalation nterfered seriously with the com
pany's business. and the manager at last had
Cal Sheppard arrested on q charge OF being
the cause. The arrest was made. but the EVIL
dence vas insufficient to warrant n conviction.
and he was discharged. The insulators con-
tinued to fall as regularly as ripe nuts In
autumn. Then It occurred TO the company
that perhaps Cal Sheppard ought to he paid
for that OK the cars had killed and It was paid
for Somehow the insulators ceased breaking.
Gal Sheppard was great practical Joker
The failure OF one scheme to reach the culm-
nation he planned was ono OF the regrets Of
the old woodsman's life. Dan Barr lived along
ono Of the main roads Of that region. He had
a tame hear which he kept chained in front Of
his house. close by the road. The bear was
ugly and continual nuisance. Laroy Lyman.
tho greatest bear hunter OF all that country.
had often complained about the hear.
One night Dan Barr heard the report
Of rife so close 70 his house that he
suspected that his bear was in some way
mixed upwithit He sprang out Of bed. ran out
of doors and found that his suspicious we're
correct The bear Law dead. and examination
showed that rife ball had gone through its
kidneys. Cal Sheppard lived n couple OF miles
from Dams. Dan threw the bride on his horse.
mounted and rut him on tho dead run for Calls.
Hc said to himself on the way:
80 II cal shot that bear. which ~ course he
did. I'll either kctch up with him pikin' it for
" Dan said he wasn't more than ten minutes
getting into Calls place. The house was darker
than Lgylt ban banged a. tn" door and by
window and wanted 10 know what was up
The head belonged to Ha!HMd Dan was knocked
speeches. for Il moment. Then he said
=" OF course YOU know that my hear IS shot
and now want to know what YOU don" it for.
~ Me- exclaimed Cal What in thunder do
know about your darncd old bear:
"uf course, Dan couldn't answer tho cues;
cyi4"nc' was agatns his inward H. 49,.
Hut who could lone It. q! = he ask ID
"p.m said 2h4t ca! h thonFh, it oycr@wh"
u" woods. II" il canlprd Lack IN las sh"nty.
I've he"rd him say HAT bear o youra wa. "A
cal WIS pretty sure that Inroy hadn't killed
III" bear. but h" saw a chance tol liz joke on
in the woods. nnI the old hunters son Milo was
with him, as Cal knew. l.ar0y Lyman was
s to r;2 a mHn an" ID m%n @ of rS3SG m
I" MAX" follow r"nrmhrr that he was around
ii that fellow gay" offence. This Cal Sheppard
! knowel. Cal used 10 say, with IS queer
grin, that II pan Barr got i IN NJ heat that
+" the Shauty without waitn' minute; aud
w"ildn'r do anything to ban ouy I-st show
hun quick enough that he didnt s"oot the
bear. hut knowyi tina, Milo wouldn't take it
very peaceful Tx. havln' ms lathur wok" NJ
KILN a durn worthless old tame bear am,
mo-, than lInr'y would pitch In and giy, Dan
Barr tho completes drc--iu' OUT that mprta!
mal ever got among them Siuu"manon" head
waters. Hul | Il lc~t lay back al ENJOY tn" lun.
mchh" uut suspicion a "ctl" strong on Iarov
~, Tn" result "i Ea!S in-iuuations, was that
man shu' the bear. and h" d"iarcd that h"
would g. that very night To tn old hunters
shan IN get satisfaction, "a tod Dan that
the ehamty. and II hey went back 10 Dams. put
III" h"rs" ny. and started through the woods
for laInv Lyman shauty.
80 Tn" woods was dar,;cr than the inside Of
II bear d"n.' Cal used 10 say, and il made Dan
pm and bow smethin sorrowful to tramp
20 to the ;honIy, ana D9n hanE"d tho
wrn: in. Dan was kind o SURPRISED 10 So"
M.i"; ' ,musa ! nab4t HaI no,hin about lI,Io
pitched IN 10 .aror no, lop!. and told him he
had com" 70 get some. Satisfaction for i.aroy'-
S" %r hnn rr Of hi" @"n ior rS @n To '9.e
f. Dan that h" didn't know nothin' about the
k,!,in, Of the b"a;;, and Dan cooled down;
h"t un the poo'est kind. and was Ie.t huggn'
myself eyer the way my Joke was comm I"
and comI see Dan D' nIns ys.r Wien o T"
sIucohed Milo and spilled th' fun. He wouldn't
let Milo tan D2n'T !ankrt for Inn, and all my
mine. Me and Dan tramrci ha'k through the
said Il word m0r-'n to snort ont wunst in "A
while: " It's poOtv Gurn hard TO have to i pcrt
u neighbour He might a-bern thinkin' %
l.aroy Lyman. hut my idrr has always been that
Dan SuSpiriOurd me with KILN that bear
Gal Sheppard had hunted and trapped in
the wood OF that region more than sixty years
1t was his inyariahlv habit. when h. visited
town to ride in on an OK. He went barefoot
winter and summer. One OF his hc"tS was
missing. His story OF how he came to lose il
was that he was On the trail 81 n deer onc1iay.
when he tr0l close to a ra'tlcsnako and the
snake nipp"d him on the heel. Cal was in a
great hurry. So he whipped out his knife.
Scri or the heel anl went on Artcr the deer
After h" had Killed the deer he dressed his heel
ami it got well.
- II don't look quite ns poo'y as t'other un,
Ca! used I" say, bat il kin cover Jest a. much
ground.
Cal Sheppard never wasted any time by
getting his meals AZ Il hotel when h" was in
town. II" hul a tab" mad" to III on his oN's
shoulders. and. whenever he wa, hungry h.,
woul takc from his pockets food ne had
brought along, set out meal On the table in
front O.; him, aud eat as h" rode.
'Nl"UPari had u nagglUg and shr"wish wife
-wE!rN was not - toe wnnderoi ~, a Cats
DISPOSITION WIS not Such a. 10 cultivate a
grui!e temper in wife. one day they wore
returning from town in a cart To- which ono Of
Cars oxen WINS harn"s-eI, Cal had tarr.rd a
uil" .uu ionE A. the app.nlark, and tn" Journey