The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-10-10
BILL CROSS AND HIS PEI BEAR


Of iht oresos slsfr. sith bis litls israi
ly lOts. lers years ago, It sss 80 miles
ifon car place 10 Toe pesrtsi CIVILIZED sti
tltneni
People wsrs vsry scarce 10 ,huse days
ssd bs.u we're very plesiy. We alec bad
wolvss, wildcats wila ullilp. viii bose
,ua eooa many Ioas i.ilei sad bis
beaded ysiloE C,iitorria hons.
TIE via cattle, bfoasht there from
spsrish AeIieo, mat to The bsst we're
mos, to Be feared. They h.d lons, sbsrp
hotus sad keen. sharp hools. Mature
bad sr.duslly helped them cot 10 these
wespons Of defense. They had grown to
be sliu spa irin OF body sod we're as sop
pie aud ssiit as deer They we're the
deadly enemies Of all Wild beasts. beeause
oil will ba,s, dsyoarst their youns,
When is, and sAHey, 10 warm SIMMER
sestSer. these csiile woali hover along
the foothills 10 b,cd', Li!ipg in the hal
loss. and would ,basis 10 osl'ov whsnav
or they saw bear on soif or even msn
or boy. u oa ioo', crossing the vide val
ley Of grass sbd blue camss blossoms.
Then there would be music They would
start up, With head aud tails 10 The sir,
and broadening ont left and right they
would draw long, bent line, completely
shutting off their victim from all approach
10 the foothills
II the unfortunate victim were 3 man or
boz on foot, be generally made escsps up
one OF the small ssh trees that dotted the
valley 10 groves here and there, snd the
cattle would then soon give up the chase.
Ba, IL 1t we're wolf or any other wild
besst ,hst could not get up tree the
case was different. Far away on the other
side OF the valley. where dense woods lin
ed the banks OF the winding Willamette
river, the Wild. believing herd would be
answered. Oat fiom the edge OF the
woods would stream right and left two
Iona, corresponding, sursiog lines, below
ing and plnngiug forward now and then
th ir heads TO the ground, their tails sl
ways 10 the cir aud their eyes thame, as II
they would set FIRE TO the long gray grass,
With The precision and discipline Of we'll
ordered army they would close 10 upon
the wild beast, too terrified now 10 Ell her
6ght or fy. and, jeaping upon bin one Of
ter another with their long hoofe, be
would in little time be crushed into sn
uureco ,oizible mass. Not bone would
be left unbroken. II is a mistake to sup
pose that they ever use their long. ehsrp
horns in attack. These we're used only in
defense, the same ss elk or deer, falling
on the knees aud receiving the enemy on
their horns, u ooh ss the Old Guard re
ceiyed the enemy in the last terrible strug
gle OF Waterloo.
Bill Gross was q 'tenderfoot at the
time OF which write. and ssilor st that.
Now, the old pilgrims who bsd dared the
plains 10 those days OF 49, when towards
did not venture and the week died on the
way, bad not the greatest respect for the
courage or endurance OF those who had
reached Oregon by ship. Bot here was
this man, q sailor by trade. settling down
IN the interior OF Oregon and, strangely
enough, pretending to know more about
every thing in general aud bears in psrticu
lar than either my father or any OF bis
boys.
He had taken up q piece OF land down
in the pretty Csmss valley. where the
grass grew long and strong and waved In
the wind, mobile and beautiful as the mo
bile ses.
The good natured and self complscept
old sailor liked to watch the waving
grace. II reminded him oi the sea, reck
on. he would sometimes sit on our little
porch ss the sun went down and tell ns
boys strange, wild sea stories, de had
travelled far and seen much, as mnch as
any man can see on water, aud maybe was
not very big liar, for sailor. after ell.
The only thing about him that we did not ,
ike outside OF bis chronic idleness was
bis exalted opinion OF himself and his un ,
con oesled contsmpt for every body's opin !
ion bnt his own.
Bill, ssid my father one day, those !
blsck Spanish cattle will get after that red !
sssh and sailor jacket OF yours some day I
when you go down in the valley toyoar I
claim. sud they won't leave a grease spot. {
Better 20 90 horseback or at least take q
gun when you go down next time.
Pshswi Squire. ! wish | had as many
dollars ss l sip't siesrd Of sll the black q
Spanish cattle 10 Oregon. Why, II they're !
90 blasted dangerous how did your mis- /
ever manage to drive them up I
here from Mexico. snyhow7
Still for sll that, the very next time q
that they saw the old sailor setting out st /,
bis snail pace for his ranch below. slow q
an indolebt % IL on the deck OF ship, |
my father insisted that be should go 90 /
or q. ieas. take agun. !,
Pooh, poohi wouldn's be bothered |
With horse or sguu, Say, pm soiu to I
bring your boys pet bear some DAY. l
And so. cooking bis little hat down over q
bis right eye sud ihrus'ins bis big hsnds
inlo bis deep pockets slmoss to the elbows
he slowly aud lFzily vhistled himself
down the gradual slope Of the foothills,
ssist deep 10 the waving ersss spd delic
ions Wild flowers, and coon wss lost 10
sight 10 the srest waving sea-
Two things nsy be here written down.
lie xouldnt ride . horse, becsuse be
conldn'i, and for the sane resson be