Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-08-27

home durin' the night before. But Gil
he said no, he didn't lay it TO his pap.
"Pap wasn't In them parts jest
then, DanI, says Gil. so didn't lay
It to pap says he. NO. Itwas old 81
that thunk Of
"'Old 81 was campin' not more'n two
mile from me, and had my ideeS about
him. SO ! jest says that my pork had
stuck TO him some way and got out o
my bailiwick.
"'But II was mebbe a good thing fer
me that thunk leetle furder before
goin' to old Sis and demandin' my pork
back. I thunk a lettle furder, and
then says what was thinkin' about?
"Old 81 would quick enough fas-
ten on 20 the pork all right. but he
never would have gumption enough to
head up bar'l like that bar'l was head
ed, after doin' Of it. 'Tain'J old ST. !
says.
$50 I Jest sot down and thunk that
the best way To find out who the smart
thief was would be fer me to hide and
watch for him, and 50 did.
"'The second day % watchin'. DanL
see a big bear come slouchin' out
Of the brush nigh to the cabin. and
there hadn't no gun! Me, liyin' along
the headwaters, KNOWN the hea'-
waters as to bear. and bein' there IN
the woods without gun! was mi y
and was sorry, for thought mort
as well as not gather in nice lot o
bear while was watchin' to see who
stole my pork, and there didn't have
no gun.
"I was jest on the pint o gittin'
up and pitchin' into the bear anyhow.
when I happened To think that II tie
pork thief came along he'd more thnn
likely have n gun, and that Of courtr
he'd knock over the bear. 50 that when
jumped out and took the conshrned
thief by the neck while he was londin'
himself with my pork nR'in, I'd have a
nice fat bear and n good pelt. besidcs
gittin' the pork thief So laid low
and said nothin'.
"'The bear, he nosed around q spell,
and then elm one o' the corner poles
o. the cabin 10 the roof, edged along
to the chimly, and then let himself
down the chimly right into the cabin.
didn't suspicion the bear, even then,
Dan'l, says Gil, but snenked up to the
winder and peeked through.
"'Say. you could tumbled me over
with chippy birds feather was 40
nabbergasted over what 7 seenl The
bear was n workin' at the pork bnrl.
and good deal quicker than ] could
done It myself he unhended ti't
bnr1l Yes. sir. Dan'l! Took on the
top hoop and lifted out the head -
the bnr'l!
"'Then the bear took out two nice
hunks OF pork. lie sot there and eat
them while was lookin' at him. Then
he licked his paws and his chops, took
out another hunk q pork, laid II ON
the floor. headed mp the bnr'l Ms sflick
M boss cooper could done IT, took
the hunk o. pork under his arm. skun
up the chimly like monkey. dropped
TO the ground ms easy as nothin'. nnd
trotted of into the brush, GRIMM
enough 10 make feller crazy, before
could say bool
"Dan'l,' says Gil, then was glad
didn't have no gun. IfTdakilled that
bear says he, I'D felt all my life as
II the mark o Cain was branded onto
my browl' sayshe
"And jest ns mild as could be. Reuben
without ever teeterin' his chair level
says 20 Gil:
"'Don't knaw but what you mnwt ms
well have the mark % Cain on your
brow says he, AS To have Anania' nud
sApPhiry stamped all over you palmer
than the brands on an army mule, says
Reuben.
81 didn't say nothing, but jest thunk
what kind o things 1t must be that
Jekel, or old Jorum, Or even Eli's sam
mowt be able to tell about headwaterG
bears when they got to goin'."