The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-12-17


looked around at me with the biggest
kind Of contempt for being a coward.
About the time the appendix Of
the second dog faded in the twilight
Of that cave there was muiilcd crack
Of rifle and out come both dogs all
doubled up in a heap like waddin'
shot out Of gun, with the bear rep
rescnting the powder, close behind
EN-. The rest Of the dogs was a.
standin around the mouth Of the cave
a-snuilin at the tracks Of the dogs
that went in. No matter how much
sand a dog carries in his craw, he's
got to keep clear Of bears paws and
teeth and levy on his postscripts. He
must be lightnin on the wheel, and
that was the way my pack was. But
| never before knew what fine pack
| had. For as the cave fred its charge
right into the center Of the pack they
swung around against my legs ike SO
many crocodilc's tails. Over l went
and k-swash into the water with the
darndest lot Of dogs landin' on my
belly before could get turned over,
and the bear comm down alongside
with swash that almost drowned me
again as was a-gittin my head out
of the water. When I came up again
the bear was a-makin' wake like
muskrat for the other side of the pond
and dogs thumpin' water in all direc-
tions. But they didn't lose minute
in findin' the bank too steep for Ian
din place, aud they struck for the
other side of the pond in the rear Of
the bear. / had to swim, too, for the
bank was 80 steep there was no land
in there, and there was no tenderfoot
on the top OF it with rope ready to
toss. The water was so cold / could
hardly swim, and I had to float awhile
and pull my heavy boots off and got
pretty near drowned in doin it. For
had to cross the pond, because it
was longer swim dowc to where the
bank was low enough to get out on the
side the cave was on.
with teeth chattered half out,
landed in the biggest whirl Of dogs
and bear you ever saw. The bear was
shot in the leg aud couldn't break
away from the dogs, but he was en-
tirely too big and strong for them to
hurt. They could only keep him
from runnin away by nippin' him and
maxim him turn. And they didn't
care to hold on long after he had made
the turn, either. So had him fast
enough; that is, I would have had if
my rifle had been in my hand instead
Of st the bottom Of the pond. And
so l might if the tenderfoot should
come out Of the cave with his rife.
But he didn't come and I was in what
you call calm judicial mood, 80 as
to decide whether he was dead or only
badly hurt. Either was bad enough
for me, for / didn't intend to swim
that pond again for any tenderfoot
and to walk around in my stockin' fee,
through several thousand acres OF
briars WASH quite to my taste, either
And in the meantime the bear would
be sure to get away from the dogs, fol
they would get tired out before
could ever get back without swimmin.
But the deuce of it was it would bt
just as bad if stayed, for didn'
have any butcher knife or axe OF
horse pistols like tenderfcet general,
carry.
9TH" bear bore the countenancc o.
Il rich sucker from the east who ha
picked up Il choice line Of snaps OF
one If our burstcd hooms, and
thought night relieve him by Ian
Gin him in the small of the back Will
my pocket knife. SO | tied it ont,
stick and got around behind him
just as it prickcd the skin Of his bacl
MHo III ilOuO VI lllu Will hnllC du'
stick sailin through the brush fort,
yards away. There was nothing to d.
but run, aud the deuce of it was tn
bear seemed to be Of the same opin
ion. Whether he was a-runnin' afte
me or trying to get away from th
dogs didn't seem very material jus
then. When you're in q mess O
briars in your stockin feet and n
weapon in your hsnd, and with evel
your finger nails bitten pretty shor
you some lines don't catch fast to th
main pint in a great question. Eve
a smaller bear on three legs and drag
gin half dozen dogs along by hi
hams seems to suspend the highe
functions Of rashyoshy nation, as m
old teacher of logic used to say. S