The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-08-10

heard a growl behind me an turned
round quick. Lands O. rattlesnakes'
boys, what sight met my eyes! Ihar
was a big, ugly-lookin' cinnamon bar
standin' under an apple tree an a-look-
in right at me. Wall, III bet those
beautiful locks of mine stood on end
like porc'pine quilts. They want no
use feelin' for gun, cause knowed 1
didn't have any, not even jackknIfe or
weapon of no kind. 1t was leetle hot
ter proposition than wanted to tackle
Jest then, so babe Mr.. Bruin hasty
farewell an made for the fence.
"But now, boys, come the trouble in
earnest. 1t was an easy eno'2h h matter
to get over that fence, but when II come
to gettin' back, why that was diff
ferent thing. seen I couldn't do 1T
nohow, an so jest stood an turned my
back to the fence an waited. Bruin
was within three feet of me then. an he
riz up onto his hind feet an stood thar
movin' his head about in a, threatenin'
manner an motionin' at me with his
big, ugly paws. The moon was shinin'
out bright an clear above us, an as he
stood thar between me an it he was one
of the most skeery-lookin' sights ever
seen. He didn't appear to be narvous
or disconnected in the least, an made
up my mind I wouldn't be narvous
either. So, lookin' straight into his face
an reckonin' the distance, picked out
a spot on the big feller's under jaw an
give him such kick with my big cow
hide boot at he yelled with pain.
"You can bet didn't wait to see the
result, but l jest took it across that
o'chard as if the devil was at my heels.
Lordy, how my feet did welt the
ground! At last I seen hole in the
fence whar board was gone, and at 1t
I went; reached ii all right, an was
Jest about half way through when
heard shuffiin' an pantin' behind me
at made my blood freeze up in knotty
leetle Jumps. Boys, did you ever know
a bar could bunt? Well, have had the
fact drilled into me in purity forcible
way; for what knocked me through the
fence at such a lively gait that night
was nothin' more nor less than that
bars head. I was knocked into heap
on the outside of the fence, an thar l
laiA huggin' the ground an shiverin'
an expectin' every second to find Bruin
on top of me.
"Wall, I was purity sore when I got
back TO the camp, but I didn't say moth
in bout that an the gals put up nice
leetle story, tellin' me how when they
saw the bar. they was so skeert they
couldn't say nothin' an jest ran back to
the house. took in everything they
said, an the next night when they asst
me if I wanted to go long down with
EN- an explore the old mine, l was jest
tickled to death to get the chance. We
took an old mimi lamp with us, an
when we got thar started in ahead
carryin' the light. The old drift hadn't
been worked for years, an dirty water
was drippin' from the roof an GOVERN
my best coat as I CROPPED my way in,
never doubtin' at the gals would fol-
Ter. l had only got a dozen feet or so,
an was jest turnin round to see if the
damsels was gettin' on all right when
l stumbled over somethin' an went
sprawlin'. The light went out in the
furry an the fust thing knowed they
was deep growl at echoed through
the mine an somethin' had hold of me
by the bootleg.
''It was pitch dark in the hole, but a
flood of moonlight 10 one side told me
whar the openin' was. With an awful
effort l jerked my leg free an scram-
bled to my feet with the intention Of
maxim n dash towards that food Of
moonlight. Wal, had only jest nicely
got onto my feet an turned around
when I felt somethin' shoot between
my legs an tip me back. / clutched
wildly in front of me an got my both
hands imbedded in the shaggy hair of
Bruin-for knowed right well by this
time what it was. The bar shot out
of that drift at an almighty rapid gait,
an I didn't dare drop off for fear of
buttin' my brains out against the sides,
so jest laid fat an Rugged tight,
watchin' for good chance to make a
leap.
''Wal, I kin sit here now an laugh
with the rest of you, when look back
at it; but you kin bet they want no
fun in it fer me jest then.
Right outside the mouth of the drift
was q little decline, an at the bottom
of it was pool of water that was made
by the leetle stream fowin' out of the
mine. was all ready, an as soon as I
seen at was out in the open air again.
[ jest slid off, easy as you please. from
the bars back an struck right in that
pool of water. Wow! But 1 did get
nice duckin' an no mistake.
''The first thing done was to cuss
myself for bein' such blamed fool as
to drop in that water, an then pulled
myself up onto my feet an proceeded
to look myself over. Never lettin' up
on my cussin' for a minute. mean
dered back to the camp an jest sneaked
in an went to bed without sayin' moth
in to nobody. 1t was little late when
| got around the next mornin', an ledge
my surprise, fellers, when went be-
hind the fence an seen one of them
blamed gals feedin' an old bar outen
a tin pan!
i seen how the whole thing was in
second. Them gals had been maxim
game OF me all the time, an the bar at
mad been maxim me so much trouble
was nothin' but tame one at wouldn't
nurt nobody. Fust had a notion to 90
n an get my shooter an put an end to
the 'tarnal thing for spite, but con-
ciuded 1T was best to curb my temper
an let 1t go. The fellers had all gone
10 work, an knowed if waited until
:ney got back they'd be onto the thing
an have an awful leg on me, so 1 jest