Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-05-11

L ie-Io " aS u considerable distance
above me, and the height was we'll
nlgn inaccessible. But [ was Young,
strong and active, as mountain bows |
are apt to be; and i have sometimes |
thought that if fourteen-year old /
BOY determined to climb sunbeam |
ne could almost accomplish the task. |
Ihe mountain side was covered with |
small undergrowth, and with the aid |
OF TINS | determined to make the |
ascent. folding the gun with one |
hand, slowly and laboriously I pulled |
myself up from bush to bush with the |
other, guiding my course by the |
ceaseles8 barking of Plato up above
| me. At the end of about an hour of
such toll | reached the top Of the first
bIati, where, for @ width of something |
more than hundred yards was level
! ground. reaching to the foot OF the
next bluff, and, with no climbing now
TO DO, il was the work Of bat few
moments to reach Plato.
Coming mp to him / found him sta
toned at the end Of huge hollow
log, and baying with more animation
than | had ever known him to do be-
fore. I don't know Why it was, but
rs | reached his side something
stopped me, as though 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 | shook off the spell aud
stopped TO look into the hollow log.
1t was as dark as night within, and |
, could distinguish nothing ] then
/ went around to the other end, but
| found that there was no hollow there.
: beat upon the log and listened, but
no sound came forth save the echoes.
J | could think Of nothing else to do, SO
/ knelt down, cooked my gun, pointed
} 1t into the log, pulled the trigger, and
/ -"bang" rang ont on the mountain
t air. Instinctively I sprang from the
i log, and almost simultaneously with
} the shot came an answer from within.
2 i'll the most savage, the most blood
J curdling, hideous sound. [ think, that
l | have ever heard, and accompanied
: by a noise Of scrambling out Of the
log, which filed my whole being with
{ fright. ] had never known Plato to
r run from any living thing before, but
Q he preceded me in the flight this
I time. Long as il takes to tell ii, we
! were scarcely started when out of the
V log came tumbling 8 great, furious
: hungry bear, bearing down upon us
j like the shadow Of an awful death. l
i can shut my eyes now as | write Of =,
and feel the shiver of fright run
i through me, as I felt It at the sight
OF that bloodthirsty beast, nearly fifty
/ years ago. On we dashed, and nearer
! Bruin came. the blood streaming from
Y his angry face, where, the shot from
!. my gun had taken effect. On, on.
f and nearer, nearer, and yet nearer the
II infllriated creature behind us! And
!. then-horrors, The brink Of the
# great bluff was reached Straight
downward with not tree, not 8
], friendly bush to all me-a descent
impossible, even with ample leisure
q and greatest care,
|. Far down below me smiled the ser
. enc beauty OF Happy Hollow. There
/ were tue cows. the horses, the sheep,
browsing quietly, and there was the
dear old home with the maple before
- the door, under whose friendly shade
i | had probably rested and listened tC
J the( music Of the mocklng birds fC1
- the last time. And then mothers
I warming came again before me-toc
g ate,-distinct and reproachful.
, To attempt descent were certain
,r death, and death equally as certain
II was just behind me. Reloadirg my
70 gun was now out Of the question, and,
y had it not been, the sho. It carrie
, were too small to DO more than fur
Il ther incense the murderous pursuer
% Poor old Plato stood covering by
Il my side, trembling and whining pite
D. ously, and in the bitterness of my de
er spairing heart | accused him Of it al
at not dreaming Of what was to follow
ly The supreme moment had come
= and | was almost palsied with fright
IS with not the strength or the resolu
-e ton to raise my gun TO strike a las
se feeble blow for myself.
Iv Within ten feet Of me the bear rose
oe on his hind feet to what appeared t
~ my frightened vision an almost IN
IL credible height. He was preparing
to spring! | knew the end was come
Nv and ! tried to pray. The power 0
an SpeCcn. OF tnonSnt even, hat1 ueStl'e'
!. me. As he sprans upon me.
v thought to close my eyes. but tha
.lv privilege, too. was denied me.
RI Another moment and | would hay
if brea.hed my last, when, as II by
II. noble inspiration. all his wonted cour
ad age regained, Plato met the sprin
TO and planted his teeth in my viciou
ne assailant 5 throat The bear cllnche
10 with him. and I sought 70 turn-lik
rs a cowas3 -ausi IL for ny lie; but
rd could lnayt II na~ el!.v q few fes
.th backward, - wtaA aud uustrun
re. was |.
rn The struggle was fierce for a moment
Of bat | saw that i was all over for II
re. dear old brindie playmate, AMI | K
= allied That il woaId be but q questlo
arj | fpv sargraF. lvaE..r,a rI,a I8or9 +,