West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-05-01
Refused 10 20 to Camp Meeting with
His Wife and was freed by q Bear
IN Consequence.


same she says. Yves gwne to take front
seats when we git thar and we's gwine TO
mix with other folks aud let the Lawd know
tina, we've got souls in our bosoms Better
be gi,,n ready
"lt was Jest the season to watch wild bees
aud line 'em to tree" explained Zeb
sand I'd iggered on putin In the day ut
that. told the old woman so and asked
her 10 GO ON alone and she turned on me
with:
:" 'leb White II yo reckon to chca, the
Lawd and come out all right yo'll ri, left.
Nobody ever did in all this world II yo
steal his day sunthin will shorcly happen
to yo.
" But we want honey in the fall don't
wel' says |.
"'Wha,'s the good Of honey II yo lose
yor soulp'
'Nobody's gwinc TO lose his soul on
account of hun,iu up bee tree
'Mebbc not. Mebbe he'll Jest break
his neck or leg or wildcats will claw him
or bars roll him about. The Bible tells
about the fate OF the stiff necked and obsti.
nate but yo won't heed 1t. Jest 20 right
along ar,er yo'r wild honey zeb White and
I'll 20 u camp meetiu by myself. reckon
YOU find out the power of Providence befo
sunJown.'
''She went away without another word 10
me and FUR half an hour was a good mind
TO folIer on. didn't feel right about IL tall
and my old dawg skunk away from me as IL
he was ashamed of his master. ! didn't
want To give in however and bmcby shct
the doah and srolled off To look fur bees
away but befo reached II stopped TO look
| nt big chestnut tree with holcr in IT,.
That holler was big 'nuH fur fo men To
stand in and | was lookin In and wonderin
why had never seen the tree bcfo when /
heard sunthn movin behind me. I wheeled
about and thar was a whoppn big bar
sncakip up on me. could tell by the look $
of his eye that he meant bzncss and IL was
no use To Try To bluff hiIa One Jump
carried me into the holer and he rushed
and jest missed me. ] had no gun but I did
hev my knife along and when the bar tried
10 foller me into the tree | slashcd him 70
or five times. lie was no fool. lie seen
had the advantage and he Jest backed off
and sol down TO wait. kept purity quiet
for an hour thinkin he'd git discouraged and
go away but he had other plans on hand.
| When I stuck my head out and waved my
arms and yelled at him, he growIed few
times but he didn't cum foot higher.
"At first looked upon him Jest as q
common bar but bimeby begun 10 wonder
II he hadn't bin sent TO punish me for
dodgin the camp neeiin and breakin the
Sabbath. The idea kinder scared me but
made me mad as well and two hours had
gone by befo made up my mind To any
thing. Then thought 10 crawl out and
make fight for u but that yanmint was on
to me like a streak Of lighinip. lie Jest
missed my head with blow of his paw and
] was satisfied that he had me boxed up.
II was ten o'clock in the mawnin when /
jumped into that boiler and at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon ! was hungry and thirsty and
feelin mighty serious about things AZ that
hour sheep and calf cum wanderin along
together and clus behind en- bawg, but
though the bar licked his chops and looked
after them he didn't move away.
'Tl was plain that I was in bad way"
continued the old hunter, 'But didnt see
what could do about it. I was in the
holier and the bar outside and thar was no
show fur me 10 come out till he went away.
II cum sundown and il come night and he
was still thar saw I was in fur all night
and went 70 sleep. woke up once and
saw his eyes shinin but he let me alone. I
was awake soon after daylight and he was
right thar. Not to worry you with pariick-
lers ! passed two nights and two days and a
half in that hoier tree and at last Ia hey
given my left arm fur a drink Of spring
water to say notbn abou, my hunger. I
was no longer a match fur the bar. I was
weak and aighiy and he'd hey a big advan.
/ tagc over me. However I was tryin 20
work up my courage to crawl out aud do
the best could and hey it over with when
Abe Holden, who was lookin fur his lost
mewl, cum that way and The varmint made
sneak My voice wasn't much stronger
than a baby's bu, I managed To make Abe
hear and be pulled me ouI and helped me
home. The old woman sot on the door
step singin a hymn and as we cum up she
looks at Abe and says;
Z" Good eyenin Mr.. Holden. Kia take
i that yo'r OLD woman Is prau2'
=" Fairly pearl fairly pead. Mrs. White
he replied.
q" And 20 pear to hcv stranger with
yo,' she goes on.
q" No ma'am. It's Zeb yO'r old man
" Tndeedl The last saw Of my old
man he was gwiae out to End bee tree
Did he find itp'
4" lie found a holler tree ma'am.
| 4" 'Yes?'
I" And a bar
+" And the bar has kcp, him in that tree
since Sunday mownin.
+" 'Shooi Mr. Holden wculd 20 mind