The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1900-08-24
ISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY, AUGUST "A, 1900.


than ! was likely to get at the hands.
or rather claws. of the bear.
You'd IA been mighty smart and
slipped down the tree on the opposite
side from the bear. wouldn't you?
That shows what you know about II
bear You can have fifty feet start
and he'll climb your back stairs in just
one and tlirecQllarter> seconds. l
wasn't that variety Of squash. IL was
over POO yards to the next tree, and
that was n low one. where he might
claw me down if ! was lucky enough
to reach IL. A griZzly standing on his
hind legs is mighty high. and his
burned claws add another loot onto his
lnng arms. and when he stretches
them out you've got no idea how they
reach. All he's got To do is to get one
hook into YOUR meat and you're hi>'n.
There was only one thing to do. and
of him. They're just like wild cattle
on plain. IL you run from 'em they'll
make IA bulge on you sure, but il YOU
run at 'em and wave your coat YOU
stand a show of Scarin' 'em off. There
was only one thing IT, do. md that
was to ride him, for Swearin' at him
didn't have no more effect on him than
it does on you when you make IA rank
miss on Il tirst-rate shot at deer,
"There was no time TO lay out any
fine plans, for the ants bit worse and
worse and came thicker and thicker.
So | ran out on Il long limh and the
bear followed me out there and looked
up and showed his big white teeth
and seemed 10 say Amt you got
some more lead 20 feed me? I'm tired
of waitin so long. lgave him my hat
for change. and as it fell 10 the
ground he dropped his head and began
| w CildW WI w. bCl''C 'lS iid" " 'IhISN
to show any disappointment, because
IA bears favoritc teethn ring-a mans
skull-wasn't inside of it. | just drop.
ped square a-straddlc of his back.
What are you lookiu' so queer
about? You don't believe it, eli =:
Well, now. | amt a.tryin' to make
out that | was particularly brave. 1t
was only Il stroke Of genius. There
wasn't any courage about it. 1t took
more bravery to stay with the ants.
! There was millions Of 'em. and | just
had to ride out OF there. 1t was the
only way TO beat the grave. or course,
Il man must be s0metllin' Of Il bare
back rider and know how to keep his
bearn's-no joke intendcd-but when
you get in such scrape as that there's
nothin' else to do, especially for the
bear, for he had ridden 50 many hun
tiers that | thought change would 0L
beneficial to his constitution. You
might not have been as good rider
as | was and probably would have got
off at the first pile of rocks we sailed
through. But you'd have mounted
him Just the same as | did because
you'd had to.
Ibid he snort? Not much. lie
had no time for that. Did you ever
watch a fly sittin' on an arrow when
you let 90 the string? That was
about my fix, only | didn't drop off
Fact is. | didn't dare to. for he wasn't
scared enough yet He started fast
enough, but when | got IA good griI
with each hand into his wool, dug my
heels into his tlanks. and h0llered
Git out o here, you son Of gun he
shot out like one of these rifle balls
you hear tell of that gather speed Sc
fast that when we went under The first
tree didn't have time TO unload him
and catch onto a limb and swing u[
again, as had meant to. That would
have been. a dandy trick to play him,
for il he'd ever taken Il notion to come
back he'd Il found the tree. A shoOtin
star might as well try to find the cloud
it went through before it busted.
"In about half "a second Somethin
green whisked past. 1t wasn't in my
eye, for you never saw nothn' greer
in that when it came to a question o.
bear. I'm green on theosOphy and /
few other fine p'ints Of religion. bu
not'n bear, thank you. 1t must "a
been another tree, but l want yer.
particular about StOppin' to find out
so on journeyed. Just as we CLEARED
!, that, somethin' gray went a.swimmin
around on all sides with thOusant
quails a.whizzin', squelin', and dart
in around my head, and the durndes
rattle you ever heard. 1t sounded a.
,, il the lightnin had struck all th'
crockery and turned the flies loose
1T might have been rock pile w
went through, but wasn't particular
= enough to get off and look. just thel
! l saw a couple Of brown spots ahead
with somethin' behind that looked
like the tail Of ii coyote. and then twt
!. strcaks Of brown went past us from II
front, but they fell behind SO fast
couldn't tell, but l rather guess the.
:, was coyotes.
' Just then there was another flasl
!. OF green and then regular cloud nf !
n swimmin' around me, an such a rippil
8 an tearin' OF clothes an the awfulles