The suburban citizen., 1900-08-11

fectively at the mountain
side and spoke to his father,
who was taking his after-breakfast
smoke: Bob Turner told me last
week he'd give me six bits and board
TO chop the late cuckle-burs out of his
cotton"
you've got a right to work If you
want to. ] can tend TO things here"
4 few minutes later Peter Is fol-
lowing a dim path up the mountain,
with a heavy hoe on his shoulder. The
AIcCalls lived on a little farm IN a
valley of the Colorado River, in Texas.
On reaching the top of the mountain,
Peter saw that his two dogs, Trap and
Watch. knowing he would scold them
back if he saw them soon after start
ing, had sneaked away and were
ahead Of him. They were running
back and forth among the cedar thick
cts, smelling and hunting busily, as
if affecting that he had told them 10
do so. He laughed, and let them go
unscolded.
A little later he heard the dogs bark
ing, and soon he saw young bear run
across an open space but Il few yards
ahead, and disappear in the direction
Of the river.
The dogs had not yet seen the bear,
but were on its trail. Shouting to
them, Peter started after the cub, in
tending 10 use the hoe for a weapon.
From time 10 time as he ran he caught
glimpses Of the bear through the ce-
dars. He soon came close to the prec-
ipice that here overhangs the Colo
RADIO. and then he saw the little bear
disappear over the edge of the cliff.
There he found a steep, narrow path
leading down TO ledge some fifteen
feet below. The bear had vanished
Shouting again to the dogs, Peter went
cautiously down TO the ledge. which
was about yard and half wide
and about seventy-five feet above the
Colorado River.
Peter walked along the ledge until
lie reached a part 50 overhung by the
cliff that he could not stand upright
So he went ON his hands and knees,
pushing the hoe before him, Turn
ing a corner, he saw that the ledge
came TO an end not far beyond; but
between the corner and the end it was
ten or twelve feet wide and about
thirty feet long making a comfortable
platform. Back Of the wide place
were three well-woTn. oily holes,
which told Pete he had discovered a
bears den.
At the end Of the ledge was a large
piece Of rock. 1t had fallen from
above, and stood on end against the
wall. One Of the holes was partly
behind this rock. There Peter saw a
young bears nose come out and quick
ly go back. Dropping to his hands
and knees. he peercd into the hole,
bur saw only darkness. Then he
pushed his hoe-handle into the hole,
but could not feel the bear.
The dogs now came running along
the ledge on the scent, and began to
bark az the hole whore the bcar-cub's
nose had appeared. Peter was en-
couraging them TO crawl in and at
tack, when a full.grown bear, the dam
of the young one, emerged from an.
other opening.
In his eagerness to capture the cub
Peter had forgotten that cubs have
parents. He now saw the angry she
bear between him and the only way
OF escape. Raising the hoe, he stood
on the defensive while Che dogs, see,
ing the big bear advancing, rushed al
her fiercely.
The old lady seemed to be an ex
perienced and cool fighter. She sat
down near the outer edge Of the rocky
floor and suddenly reaching out hel
left paw, knocked Watch over the
cliff. Poor Watch uttered despalrlnl
yelps as he plunged down, turning
over and over.
Peter leaned over in time to see tho
dog strike the water. and disappear
He quickly came up, however ant
/ after swimming round and round. ant
hndinc no landing place, turned anC
started for the east bank one hun
dred yards distant.
When the bear struck Watch TraI
rushed In, but a blow from her paw
sent him rolling over the rocky GOol
toward tile wall. lie sprang up. ant
rushed at her again. recklessly. Ther
the same paw that had Knocked
Watch off struck lin, and Owe. til,
cliff lie went whirlng.
Peter heard rhe failing dog strlk,
the water, but had no time 10 look
because the victorious bear was nov
advancing toward him. He retreatet
TIL his back was against the faner
rock at the end OF the ledge, where
~ STOOD On guard with uplifted hoe