The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-11-12
Es Feat Of
an Amateur.
Y sister Florence has won
considerable success rs IN
amateur photographer. Last
By F. w. Crissman.

N amateur photographer. Last
year. with a mountain
pcene showing q herd Of deer grazing
at the timber-line. she took a prize
Eiven by IN association OF amateur
photographers.
She ruined walking suit in climb
ng.. crawling over sticks and stones
Ind through dirty wash-outs. but the
brize was twenty-five dollars and q
second. best diploma. and the glory
well. I must say that Florence was n
little hard to live with for a few days.
She Is naturally modest and good
hatured enough. though. and was re-
duced to the ranks in due season.
Black Rock Ranch. our home. with
lots of children. Is q pure democracy.
hit least in principle. or late. however.
Florence has really performed feat
(so notable that We cannot ignore her
e claim to distinction. The worst o. it
b. she has never once Dragged OF her
Performance. and when the subject Is
mentioned by any one. She turns II
aside with an mir Of being bored. and
hays 1t was nothing but what any
amateur with a camera would have
done. Such 4 thing Is not to be be.
kievcd Of every one. though. dnd 1t Is
3just this air Of calm superiority to
praise that Ferd. Fanny and I find
hard to get along with.
We have read and heard that people
who have performed heroic actions or
notable achievements become very
humble and modest at home when
their deeds have received public recog-
milton. So It Is with some hope Of re-
fduclng Florence to her normal status
that undertake to tell Of her advcn.
|ture exactly rs 1t happened.
Last August Florence. Ferd. Fanny
md went rs usual to Shoshone Peaks
for the raspberry picking. In these
excursions we drive q stout spring
wagon. and carry a tent and 4 canning
outfit.
High up among the Juniper bush and
shrub pine Of the Shoshones grow
9elds Of red raspberrIes-berries half
as big as q mans thumb. juicy rs
Strawberries and luscious to the taste.
This fruit Is so abundant that birds
and beasts do not visibly diminish
the supply.
Our berry emp Of m evening. with
Its glowing pine-wood fire. Its big heat.
ing kettle giving out the odor Of sim
snes;ng fruit. and two berry-stained
yirls moving about among pots anG
5ars and packing crates. Is q pleasant
place for Ferd and me: and the girls
epjoy II as much as we do.
Florence and Fanny help In picking
berries, although Florence always car.
Iries q camera under her arm. She has
khns secur"d excellent photographs. at
close range. OF pine-hens. sage-srouse.
wbistling hares and other mountain
birds and animals. One day she got a
ane snap shat OF an elk which trotted
by within few yards Of her.
There are a good many bears In these
mountains. but as they never attack
people unless directly provoked. we
do not fear them: and rs landmarks
are perfectly defined all about our
camp. we take no pains to keep to-
vether. Each one Of us. in fact. can
do better work alone.
Thus it happened that Florence was
hlone when she encountered a big
grizzly at close quarters. She was a
half-mile or so from camp and sitting
ut rest with two buckets filled with
berri's, when she heard great splash.
ing OF water In the channel of q small
brook near at hand.
The sounds came from some rods
below. and she jumped at the conclu.
MON that an elk had come down to
brink. as the day was very warm. So
she took her camera from Its case,
Ind slipped down into the crooked
" hitch.like channel.
As she could see no animal there
she stole softly downstream. stepping
upon b0ulders which were thickly
strewn In the shallow little runlet
The crooked ditch deepened as she nd
ranced. and the suns rays beat no,
npon the stones at the bottom.
After several turns Of the brook. she
kame suddenly upon the object Of hei
Dearch-not an elk. but m enormous
grizzly bear. wallowins in a pool OF
water held by dam of boulders. The
water came to its mid-sides. and the
animal houDdered about. cooling Ii
pamhed hide In this refreshing bath.
On catching sight Of Florence. tht
grizzly gave a grunt Of surprise. ant
eeared itself upon the boulders to star,
ut her; and there the animal stood
after q shake Of its loose skin. uneasy
ut the presence of an intruder. yet ap
pareItly neither angered nor afraid.
Naturally Florence feared danger a
such close quarters. but she knew tha
running would avail her nothing II tn
bear chose to attack. Pluckily. there
tcre. she stood her ground. at les
than fifteen steps. and took two o
fhree snap shots In quick succession. o
At least as quickly as she could rol
the cameras film into position.
Then. as the grizzly refused to retir
and still showed no disposition to q,
hack. Florence began leisurely to bacl
.hway. She had made but a carefu
fstep or two when she heard d racke
I'm the bushes almost above her head
land an instant later. Just behind hei
hnother bear descended the precipitou
hank Of the channel. He slid dow
e~rkvard and ali0hted with n snlas