The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-05-16

bluff. where, for width Of something
more than hundred yards was level
ground. reaching to the foot Of the
next bluff, and, with 10 climbing now
to do, it was the work OF but few
moments 10 reach Plato.
Coming up TO him l found him sta
toned ct the end Of . huge hollow
log, ard bayins with lno1c animation
than had ever known lin to do be-
fore. 1 don't know why It was, but
as I reached his side something
stopped me, as though strorg hand
had been laid upon NY shoulder, and
my mothers warning cane into i1y
mind T turned my face toward home,
and f>r one moment ny conscience
twitted me and Icy resolution weak
! ened. But I shook Of, the spell aud
stopped to look into the hollow log.
It vas as dark as night within, and /
could distinguish nothing. I then
went around to the ether end, but
found that there was 10 hollow there.
beat uron the log and listened, but
no sound came forth save the echoes.
I could think OF nothing else to do, so
T knelt down, cooked my gun, pointed
1t into the log, pulled the trigger, and
-"bang!' rang cut OIL the mountain
air. Instinctively I sprarg from the
log, and almost simultaneously with
i 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 scramb!ing out. of the
log, which filled my whole being with
! fright. had never known Plato to
run from apy living thing before, but
he preceded me in the flight this
time. Long as it takes to tell it, we
were scarcely started when out of tie
log came tumbling 4 great, furious
hungry bear, bearing down upon us
like the shadow of an awful death. l
can shut my eyes now as I write of it,
aad feel the shiver Of fright run
through NE, as I felt it al the sight
Of that bloodtbirsty beast, nearly fifty
years ago. On we dashed, and nearer
Bruin came, the blood streaming from
his angry face, where the shot from
my gun had taken effect. On, on!
and nearer, nearer, and yet nearer the
infuriated creature behind us! And
then-horrocs The brink Of the
great bluff, was reached! Straight
downward, with not tree, not q
friendly bush to aid me-a descent
impossible, even with ample leisure
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 tlhe.;e wss the
dear old home with the maple before
the door, under whose friendly shade
I 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 descent were certain
death, and death equally as certain
was just behind me, Reloadirg my
gun was now ont Of the question, and,
Lad it not been, the shot It carried
were too small to do more than fur
ther incense the murIerous pUrsuer.
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 it all
not dreaming Of what was to follow.
The supreme moment had come,
and I was almost pa!sied with fright,
with not the strength or the resolu-
lion to raise my gun 20 strike O. 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! I knew the end was come,
aud T tried to pray. The power Of
speech, Of thought even, had deserted
me. As he sprang upon me, I
thought to close my eyes, but that
privilege, too, was denied me.
Another moment aud would have
breathed MY last, when, as # by q
noble inspiration, ell his wonted cour-
age regained, Plato met the spring
and planted his teeth in my vicious
assailant's throat. The bear clinched
with him, and I sought to turn-like
a coward--and fly Tor my life; but I
could move at best only fen feet
backward, so weak and unstruDg
was L
The struggle was fierce for a moment,
but saw that it was al over for my
dear old brindle playmate, and I re-
allied that it would be but question
of few seconds before the monster
would turn on me.
There was a crash at ny feet, a
giving way Of the earthl The ;great
rock on which they struggled for life
and death had broken loose from its
mocrings, carrying the ugliest bear
and the roblest dog ever saw, crash
ing down the awful precipice, to
mutilation and death below.
It was the middle Of the afternoon
when |, q tired, weaa, SICK and re-
pentant boy, reached home to receive
the blessings and forgiveness OF my
fond and frightened parents.
At the foot of that bald cliff, just
where he fell on the lovely autumn
day in the long ago, you can find it
now-unless impious hands have re-
moved it-a stone slab on which is
rudely chiselled this inscription:
....--- ..;-.---.- -.........
=: Sacred to the memory OF
: PLATO,
Who gate. his life to save
p: 4 FRIEND.
s5iitthin J. few feet OF where I am
rr;ti1so now snooZinr snur1v in the