The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-03-03

down with metaiilc rug Oh WIG ~
1t was one of those little match boxes
which woodsmen make by stopping
the end of an empty 45.calibre cartridge
shell with one of A calibre. Joe
grabbed it ''Why didn't think OF
that an hour ago!' he cried. Il
In few minutes he had broken and
cut pile of branches from the hem
lock windfall and gathered all the dry
wood he could reach. At the touch
of match it leaped into flame, and he
added larger and larger sticks until
the fire burned with confidence and
strength.
As soon as the blaze shot up the
bear drew back. With stick Joe
pushed the burning brush nearer to
him, forcing him to shrink back still
farther. Then he piled on more fuel
and watched the flames devour it, IN
the certainty that the bear would not
charge upon him while the fire burned
between them. and that the heat was
slowly thawing out the clog. For
half an hour he fed the flames with
every combustible thing he could
| reach. Then he crawled to the other
end of the clog and lifted with all his
might. It came up with a sharp
crack. Joe took hold of the chain
with his hands to ease the pull OF the
trap on his leg, and slowly hitched
himself along till he could reach his
rife.
He drew a long, deep breath and
sat moment with the rife In his
hands, quietly watching the bear.
Then he carefully wiped the snow from
the muzzle, crawled out little farther
to one side, where the smoke OF the
fire could not interfere with his aim,
and slowly drew read just under one
of those little black eyes. The roar
of the rifle echoed wide through the
woods, and the hairy black mass tot
tered moment and settled down IN
its tracks without sound.
There was now nothing more to
fear from the bear, but Joe had still
to free himself from the trap, which
by this time was causing him almost
intolerable agony. He hitched him.
self along to a young birch tree and
Iaboriously cut from it section for
lever. He crawled to the butt Of the
fallen hemlock, and using it for ful
crum. tried, without success, tt
force down the springs enough to opel
the jaws.
He next got more wood, replenishet
the fire and held the end OF the tral
in the flames till the curve OF tn
spring was red-hot. Then he ham
mered it nearly fiat with the butt
his rife. Turning the other end t
the fire, he heated and hammers
that in the same way, but even the
the jaws would not let go.
When both these plans had failed
Joe stopped and looked the trap owe
carefully. AS he turned 1t bottor
mp, he noticed the nuts which he'll
the springs to the jaws, aud he re
membered that his father always cal
: ried a small wrench for just such a
emergency as ne was now facing. 90
| had no wrench, but he had somethin
which might serve the purpose.
Turning his foot till the bottom
the trap was eApOSeu, 10 hSio '.
: muzzle of his rife almost against Il
nut and fired. He threw anoth'
Q cartridge into the chamber and fired
Q second shot and then still anothe
II This time the nut and the end OF u
Q bolt were cut c,eanly off. The bed
n the trap dropped from the jaws, al
n Joe stood again on his two legs, ne
p vous and sore and tired, but free.
81 didn't stop to skin the bear
n said Joe, when he told me the stor
v est took me nearly two hours
hobble into camp, and it was on
u three miles. But dad went do'
to after the pelt next day. 1t was
We extra good one, and we got $50
10 it."
= Then he added, with a grin, I'D
- made me pay for the trap, though a
A the larrigans. / burnt hole IN the
.. Said it might teach me to be m'
a careful next time. Youths 20
- ,,anion