The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-08
1 who are required 70 hunt for II On theft
Bonded Knees, the 'srraslinE Arbutus.'G .fs
The hunters Foe.

\ Some years ago 1fipling wrote a poem.
which aroused the whole literary world.
Its political Significance was what gave
II peculiar zest, but ind erneath It's poll.
tics and versificatlon there was sub.
stratum OF reality. "a Nj AZ III
Hslrf ono looks Into. Kipling's poetry ~
/ his prose, much OF its power may be attri.
ibuted to the fact that both are based On
truth Mr.. Kipllng 80 often touches the
heart because he deals always WI tn facts
and reproduces thena He does not havs
to do With things OF which he knows Moth
iilg. \ i3if $9 iii 81
ID But 10 return. 5ss The special poem refer.
red to was about n bear. the kind that
stands up straight when heardly5 pressed,
and folds Its paws as II in prayer. Then
and there says tho old I'renchman In II
troduccd as the exponent OF Mr.. Kip
ling ideas, is the time for those who are
fighting the bear to&take good heed TO +
themselves, for that is the time that he
Is really the most dangerous.
The old Frcncliman Is bland and bait
tle-scarrcd. from a struggle In which he
underestimate the savagery and cum
ming OF his opponent. One is apt to COM
slider him. Pigment Of Mr.. Kipins's
imagination. created to emphasize the
point which he Wishes & to make. In
reality he was a Canadian French trap
per. who was known by the name Of
}Bh't iste, and who. as he sat weaving
grass mats and carving funny little wood
en- animals for children, always wore
white helmet with a white linen frlll
which hid his face and neck. II any
one asked him why lie had on these un-4
usual articles OF attire he would make 4
reply: '',ro keep do SUN oft.'' But II I
a man from foolhardiness or inexperi.
ence made light OF the dangers OF bear
hunting. b. iste would point to his face
aud lifting the frlll to emphasize his
statement. would bid tina t man beware,
n For he was gay and needless once this
blind Ba tste. a skilled bear trapper, until
his black hour came. 1t came. when.
with three mpanions. he had encamped
somewhere between the northern and
southern tributaries OF the Missouri and
the Saskatche wan. Es It was the trap
pers gala hour when the camp fire blazed
high. the supper had been eaten. and
Ba'tiste lay a little apart from the others.
listening to the stories that were being
told. with his hand under bis head.
After awhile. one OF the trappers yawn-
ed, and rising. muttered something about
going TO bed and started for his canoe.
Just then came an hides cribabe stckenlng
thud and then a shrek for help. The
men who were left, saw the trapper who
had risen. rushing into a willow thicketa
on the edge of8which Ba'tlste had beea
lying. while Ba,tiste himself had disc
appeared They seized their rifles and
sprang forward. Al At first they dared
not shoot; when they finally did 50. and
drew Ba'tlste from under the inert black
furry mass that was crushing his lie
out, he said: 3s t3sS
what have you done to the fire? It
Is all dark and cannot see. He never
saw agnin--either freight or sunlight.
The trappers took him to the nearest
post and the surgeons tended him. but
! they could not put back the eyes nor
restore the features torn away by the
black bears cruel claws. the bear that
| stands up like n man. lssf az iF5l
SO when the spring came. Ia 'tlste went
Ito his sisters at : fort Of the Hudson
! Baytcompany. They procured the helmet
and the curtain for him and taught him
how to pass the time in weaving mats,
Ard 50 1t transpired In the course q
events that he was seen by kipling and
Furnished an Inspiration, the expression
OF which set both English people and
|. Americans to thinking and gave dbl.
ltional fame to one OF the most talented
men of letters OF the present day,