The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1899-07-08

was a shrewd hum0r in his black e e.
| His mother sighed. She vas think
ling OF stout Isif's fate, and the raven :
visit had filed her mind with dread
forebodinR.
However. after breakfast was over.
abe told Use that she might put on her
eider.lined jacket and scarlet eleth
hood. and 90 with her brother J he
child needed no second bidding, and by
the time Jan was ready ehe Was pre-
pared for the journey.
Mind ant. let nothing befail your
sister. Jan. en- Joined the widow. as he
children. hand in hand. walked away
| from the door, the hoy CARRYING n
sharp hatebet in his hand, the only
weapon he had. Lead her carefully
over the ice. and return as early a. you
can
'sYes. yes. will. replied Jan. We
will get back by noon; and don ssorry,
mother. Zdop't believe the rasen
meant my thing. g
They skipped away. talking and
| laughing merriiy. Their moth stood
aud watched them as they went across
| the snow.feld watched them until
she could distinguish no longer Jams
green spencer or / lse'a scarlet hood. aud
then. altering a sigh, she returned To
her household Iabors.
The place where Jams traps we're set
WIS M some distance from the hut. lie
bad several set indeed near the SEA,
for sens. and only the second day be-
fore he had been lucky enough 10 find
a big fellow I'm one Of them.
but the traps he was going TO visit
this morning were set for wolves. are
| tie foxes. and smaller animals that
sometimes we're seen in that cold north
cru land.
These traps we're nothing like those
with which the boys of New England
are familiar.
Jan did not have a single steel trap
/ In his possession. His traps were made
mostly 81 lee, something after the prin-
ciple Of the colleague aud the figure
four combined, or perhaps more like
big boN-iraps.
lie had spent Ave days in the early
winter IN making them. For bnlt he
used fish for seals, and for foxes moth
ing less than cheese made from old
Mans milk.
The preceding day and night snow
had fallen aud IL lay pretty thickiy on
the Ice, but In many places II had blown
of and the children had no trouble In
advancing.
After having passed half n mile or
So they turned around a elf and lost
sight of the cottage. The traps were
IA half.milc further on. and they pro-
cer,led toward them In as direct man
ner M they could. only turning from
their course Co avoid the deep drifts.
aud usually finding a path over the Ice
that WIS free from lee and slippery as
glass In some plnees, however, this
path was so narrow that they could not
walk abreast.
When they had nearly arrived at the
traps Jan noticed several large tracks
Ia the soft snow lie paused moment
Ia examine thcm,
Keen as Il Young Eskimo. he knew
a. once that they we're made by bear.
aud also that they must have been left
there since the snow stopped falling,
Perhaps the dreaded animal had visited
his traps. lie might even he there
then, and would II not be dangerous to
keep on?
The brave boy looked around with u
sharp, eager eye. but he saw nothing OF
any animal ia sight.
He stood and listened. thinking the
bear might already be close at hand.
Nothing was To he heard Possibly
Bruln had wandered far away by this
time, and NJ the thought Jan concluded
20 go on
II was only few steps now To the
traps. or, as they might bc called. lee.
houses where he hoped at least to find
u foN ar a marten entrapped
They had all been securely set. and
with bait that was peculiarly attractive
to the fur-hearing animals Of that re.
glon The first one hc arrived ~ he
touud undisturbcd, Hut the second
Al, that one was sprungl lie knew Il
even before he saw the fallen bar
There must he something In il. then
lie ran forward Ia hts great excite.
ment, leaving llsc to trudgr along more
slowly. The trap was occupied
He lifted up the block OF lee that
formed the entrance. end there lay a
great gray fen. looking gauut aud
| fierce, but harmless enough now. for il
was c"ld as as''ge.
While engaged la SHINING the dead
animal, he heard an eNclamati ton from
| his sister,
Jan looked up, There stood huge,
white, shaggy creature. much bigger
than the largest dog he had ever seen.
"kun this way, llsr." he cried. in
| great alarm. Its a btari"
The girl halted IN her tracks. locking
piieously at Jan. She recognized by
jsn's voice. and hy the word bear.
that a terrible danger threatened them,
aud for the moment she was paraiyred
with feat
Not ~ Jan. lie rar to his sister.
Rraspcd her arm, and pulled rathcr
than led her, a. he rushed back To the
trap.
The bear al this gave a loud xnif. aud
advanced toward them, gross Ing say.
agelN
Ian had heard many stories ot the
strength aud fereeity 81 this polar ani-
nal, aud Of ,,oursr knew the fun danger
they wero exposed to
rs the great hcasi trottrd toward
| them Ia s.aEtsrfts tts, his Eaf..h.s .st..4 a.,