The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-05-12

boy determined to climb sunbeam
he Ceuld almost accomplish the task.
The m0untain.side was covered with
small undergrowth~A with the aid
Of this l determined to make the
ascent. Holding the gun with one
hand, slowly and laboriously I pulled
myself up from bush to bush with the
other, guiding my course by the
ccaseless barking Of Plato up above
me. At the end OF about an hour ef !
such toll reached the top OF the first
bluff, where, for width of something
more than Il hundred yards was level
ground, reaching tn the foot Of the
next bluff, and with no climbing now
to do, 1t was the work OF but a few
nyRpSats to reach Plato.
HDtpg up to him l found him sta.
tiol at the end Of a huge hollow
log. and baying with more animation
than l had ever known him to do be-
fore. don't know why it was, but
as / reached his side something
stopped me, as though a strong hand
had been laid upon my shoulder, and
my mothers warning came into my
mind. | turned my face toward home,
and for one moment my conscience
twitted me and my resolution weak
ened. But l shook of the spell and
stopped to look into the hollow log.
1t was as dark as night within, and l
could distinguish nothing. l then
went around to the other end, but
found that there was no hollow there.
l beat upon the log and listened, but
no sound came forth save the echoes.
I could think Of nothing else to do, so
l knelt down, cooked my gun, pointed
it into the log, pulled the trigger, and
-'bang" rang out on the mountain
air. lnstinctively l 'sprang from the
log, and almost simultaneously with
the shot came an answer from within,
in the most savage, the most blood
curdling, hideous sound, l think, that
have ever heard, and accompanied
by noise of scrambling out Of the
log, which tllled my whole being with
fright. | had never known Plato to
run from any living thing before, but
he preceded me in the fight this time.
Long as it takes to tell it, we were
scarcely started when out Of the log
came tumbling great, furious hun
cry bear, bearing down upon us like
the shadow of an awful death. lean
shut my eyes now as l write Of it, and
feel the shiver OF fright run through
me, as | felt it at the sight OF that
bloodthirsty beast, nearly fifty years
ago. On we dashed, and nearer Bruin
came, the blood streaming from his
an yry face, where the shot from my
gun had taken effect. On, on! and
nearer, nearer, and yet nearer the in
furiated creature behind us! And
then-l0rrors! The brink Of the great
bluff was reached! Straight downward
with not a tree, not friendly bush to
aid me-a descent impossible, even
with ample leasurc and greatest care!
Far down below me smiled the SER
enc beauty of Happy Hollow. There
were the cows, the horses, the sheep,
browsing quietly, and there was the
dear old home with the maple before
the door, under whose friendly shade
had probably rested and listened To
the music OF the mocking birds for
the last time. And then mothers
warning came again before me-too
late!-distinct and reproachful.
To attempt a descent were certain
death, and death equally as certain
was just behind ME. Reloadlng my
gun was now out Of the question, and,
had 1t not been, the shot 1t carried
were too small to do more than fur
thcr incense the murderOus pursucr.
Poor old Plato stood covering by
my side. trembling and whining pite-
ously, and In the bitterness OF my de.
spairing heart l accused him Of 1t all,
not dreaming Of what was to follow.
The supreme moment had come.
and vas almost palSied with fright,
with not the strength or the resolu-
tion TO raise my gun to strike a last
feeble blow for myself
Within ten feet OF me the bear rose
on his hind feet to what appeared to
my frightened vision an almost In.
credible height. He was preparing
to spring! knew the end was come,
and tried to pray. The power Of
speech, Of thought even, had deserted
me. As he sprang upon me, l thought
to close my eyes, but that privilege,
too, was denied me.
| Another moment and would have
6reathed my last. when, - II BY .
noble inspiration, all bis wonte1 cour'
ave regained, Plato met the spring
and planted his teeth 10 my VICIOUS
assailant's throat. The bear cI'ncneo
with him, and 1 sought TO turn-l'kc
a coward-and ny for my life; but |
rould move at best only few leet
backward, so weak and unstrunv
was /.
The struggle was derce for q moment,
hut I saw that IL was all over for my
dear old brindle playmate, and ! re-