Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-12-01

sneaking back to say:
Colonel, they all said yc was n queer
sort Of a c%ritter, but this last circus
beats my time. Mebbe yen tell me
what it's all about|
"And maybe I'll pump 1G bullets in
to you as soon as | get hold OF my RI
fle!" | gasped. Potts, you ought to be
killed out Of hand. 1t won't be murder
to wipe you off the face of the earth
"Bekase of that bar trap" he asked.
Eyes, of course. You knew where 1t
was and never said a word to me. III
hadn't struck the chain with my foot,
I'd have walked right into it."
eyes, I'd sorter forgot bout that
trap" he unused as he scratched his
ear, 'but it's all right, amt 1t? Ye
didn't walk into it, and can't see why
ye should kick up sich a row. Lordy,
but We seem to be q mighty pertickler
mani"
1t was a bit Of a Job to get my rife
free Of the jaws, and I then dumped
the old trap into a ravine and warned
Potts that If he showed his face in
camp I'd fusillade him. He waited
| for two or three hours and then came
in with an injured expression on his
| face and started up the fire for supper.
BY that time l had got over my desire
to shed his blood, but l couldn't over
look his carelessness. We ate and
smoked and sat around in silence, and
next day would have seen the partner
~If~~ <1l-noI.11 fDw cv1,, hrJf fnp IN in.
| cident Of the night. Soon after mid
night a grizzly came skulking around
| and almost stampeded u mules, and
| Potts showed his gameness by blufling
the old fellow back into the thicket
without waiting for me. This broke
the ice and made us friends again, n
It was agreed to give old Ephraim a
hard run for it next day. When morn
ing came, l had about taken old Potts
under my wing again and was secretly
glad that I hadn't reached him with
my club. AS soon as breakfast was
| dispatched we started out. The bear
had left tracks as big as a house and
in going away had headed along the
mountain. We could reasonably hope
to hole him up somewhere within a
mile, provided he had satisfied his
hunger and got home in the due sea-
son. When we finally came to a likely
spot, I went to the right and Potts to
the left to investigate an opening In
the rocks. l made a slow advance,
realizing that the bear might be in
ambush behind any Of the big bowl
ders. and l was crouching alongside Of
one. with neck stretched out, when
there was a whiz and a spat, and l
was blinded for a moment by particles
of stone flung into my eyes. Potts was
carrying a rifle that day, and as it's
bark followed the spat of the bullet
knew what had happened. While l
had my hands to my eyes I heard him
shout at the top of his voice:
"Hey, colonel, I've got him-got him
fur sure!"
Half a minute later he stood beside
me, prepared to finish off the game"
1 think he was really surprised I'M per-
haps considerably disappointed when
he found a living man instead of a
dead grizzly, and he hadn't a word to
say. He sat down near me on a rock
and it was five minutes before had
my eyes cleared enough to make him
out. Then l brought up my Winches'
ter and said:
"Potts, I'm going to shoot 16 holes
into your jackass carcass! Where &c
you want the first one?"
$50 IT. was We instead Of a b'ar?' he
Queried In reply.
at was, and you knew it was. You
meant to murder and rob me. you Ole
villain! Talk fast, now, for you haven't
got 60 seconds to live"
"Look here, colonel" he protested,
but only mildly, "it was a mistake any
body might have made, and. bein ye
wasn't hurt, l don't see why We should
kick up Dan'l. Fact is, colonel
go on! Go on! You have 20 sec.
onds more" l said as he halted.
"Waal, the fact Of it Is I'm goin tc
quit. l never was out with one OF ye
newspaper men before, and dang my
hide if ever l want to be ag'in. The
boys said ye was a crank and a kicker
and that I'd soon cut my job, but ye
talked smooth and give orders ful
plenty of grub, and l was willin te
take chances. Howsumever'--
"Howsumever what, you nearsight
ed, sluint eyed, dunderheaded poi
hunter"
"Howsumever, colonel, the boys was
right, and, bein l can't do nuthin tt
please We. though l have tried my best
l guess I'll resign. and ye kin run the
circus yerself."
Next day we started the outfit fol
home. Potts might have reconsideref
his resignation, but l wouldn't give
him a chance. l couldn't stay up Their
alone, but it vas death to stay will
him. We made the journey of so mile!
without a word. When we reached
home, l paid him off and said:
"Potts, you-you-you are an unhuni
idiot"
"What fur, colonel?" he innocently
asked.
because you can't help it."
"Waal, mebbe l am, but if We coult
only have held on to that crankiness O.
yers we'd have got at least four bars
and five or six lions, to say nuthin O
wolves and wildcats. Day to ye, colo
mel. Awful sorry ye can't help ye
meanness."
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