The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-07-14
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Bill Blake and the Bear !
Also Two Girls Who Seemed to Need
< No Protection.

QUARTER of a ceatury ago, when
~ the valleys and bottom-lands of
Pennsylvania were decked in the abun-
dant growth of timber which was ma
lures heritage, any self-respecting log
iObber, if his attention had been di-
srected to the desolate Kettle Creek
region, would have turned up his nose
disdainfully and passed on to3greener
fields, says a Williamsport Pa.) cor
respondent of the n. Y. Sun. But the
days when a contractor could choose
his place of residence are practically
past, and so it was that Hank" Bell
man was reduced to the extremity
last fall of erecting his shanty and
starting operations in the heart of the
dungle-hke forest overlooking Kettle
Greek. The camp is fitted into a lit
tle patch Of clearing ground far over
Che mountain top, Al narrow turnpike
inds up to it from the highway hum
dreds AZ feet below and beyond it, ex-
tending m8o the rness, grea
W9fasmans aN has been doing H
te Directly surrounding the shanty
Che trees have moi all been removed
and on the frosty ginter nights Rnen
the snbsY hangs ia great layers upon
the heavy branches and the sair is so
crisp and keen that sound travels
through it with as much precision. as
though shot from megaphone, the
panthers and catamouIts climb up
into the tan timber and wake the
Numbering echoes of the forest, as
wei as the boys in the camp, with
bheir wild and dismal howlings.
One of those. nights came about
month ago The panthers and Wild
cats yelled more furiously, it seemed,
than they had done before during the
winter, and added to their woeful wall
fngs was the voice of the north wind
Jas it tossed the snow against the
weather-beaten sides of the shanty.
For that night the shanty was good
enough for the boys. When supper
was over and the storm showed no
signs Of abating. they az gathered to-
gether il the big lobby" which is
home, club, society and Sunday school
to them, end prepared to make the
best of a night indoors. Now these
Vgoodsnlen are not the sort of men who
can spend an evening over d book Oh
enjoy themselves at any tame diver-
sion, and On this night even jack
poker had no charm for them. The
fact IS that they were Just In the mood
to listen to one Of Bill BlaiSe's stories
1T was Blake who, 81 d eoid winters
night ten years ago. entered a dive"
IN the Pigs Ear district of Potter
county and, with d revolver in each
hand. forced the landlord and guests
out into the street after which he
filed up on The best whisky in the
house. Then, when the proprietor re-
turned with a posse of armed help,
Blake barricaded himself in the cell
lar and would neither emerge nor al
low anyone To enter until entire im-
munity was promised By the Blow
vile constable.
.Say, Bil said one of the woods
men. what tarnal cussedness ever
possessed you IS leave the good job
You had in the Slate Bun camp last
fall and come up to this peslSy hoie?'
Bill Blake pnfEed contempt atiyely at
his pipe for a moment after which he
said.
even mebby I had a purity good
reason. IS wanted to tell@
Then he laughed quietly. Nobody
spoke, and when Ri3i had finally gone
over the details ID IFS own mind, he
continues
You see I'D never have gone to the
Slate Run. job is the 6rst place but
Tor one thing Down at the city
where + had lovely suit as coach
man far rich lady, 4 got Knocked out
in a love aHair You needn't grin,
shorty kept myself purity spiek-
an-span on tnat Job, an IF 70 say
Sc, they want many han'a0ae rib-
boa singers dtiRin down the pike
Wall who the gal was dont matter.
sn M haiu't no ones business who