Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-01-14
lie Feat Of
an Amateur.
BY F. w. CriSSnan.
Y sister Florence has won
considerable success as an
amateur photographer. Last

" amateur photographer Last
year, with mountain
scene showing a herd of deer grazing
at the timber-line, she took a prize
given by an association of amateur
photographers.
She ruined walking suit in climb
ing, crawling over sticks and stones
and through dirty wash-outs, but the
prize was twenty-five dollars and a
second-best diploma, and the glory
well, must say that Florence was q
little hard to live with for few days.
She is naturally modest and good
natured enough, though, and was re-
duced to the ranks in due season.
Black Rock Ranch, our home, with
lots of children, is pure democracy,
at least in principle OF late, however
Florence has really performed a feat
SO notable that we cannot ignore her
claim to distinction. The worst of it
is, she has never once Dragged of her
performance, and when the subject is
mentioned by any one, she turns it
aside with an air of being bored, and
says it was nothing but what any
amateur with a camera would have
done. Such a thing is not to be be-
lieved of every one, though, and it is
just this air Of calm superiority to
praise that Ferd, Fanny and l 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 rocog-
milton. SO it is with some hope Of re-
ducing Florence to her normal status
that l undertake to tell of her adyen-
ture exactly rs it happened.
Last August Florence, Ferd Fanny
and l went as usual to Shoshone Peaks
for the raspberry picking. In these
excursions We drive stout spring
wagon, and carry Il tent and a canning
outfit.
High ND among the juniper bush and
shrub pine Of the Shoshoras grow
fields Of red aspbcrries-berries half
as big as mans thumb, Juicy as
Strawberries and luscious to the taste
This fruit is so abundant that birds
and beasts do not visibly diminish
the supply.
Our berry camp Of an evening, with
its glowing pine-wood fire, its big heat
ing kettle giving out the odor OF sim
mePing fruit, and two berry stained
girls moving about among pots anG
jars and packing crates, is q pleasant
place for Ferd and me: and the girls
enjoy it as much as we do.
Florence and Fanny help in picking
berries, although Florence always car
ries camera under her arm. She has
thus secured excellent photographs, at
close range, OF pine-hens. sage grouse
whistling hares and other mountain
birds and animals. One day she got a
fine snap shot of an elk which trotted
by within few yards OF her.
There are good many bears in these
mountains, but as they never attack
people unless directly provoked, we
do not fear them; and as landmarks
are perfectly defined all about our
camp, we take no pains to keep to-
Sether. Each one OF us, In fact. can
do better work alone.
Thus it happened that Florence was
alone when she encountered a big
grizzly at close quarters. She was a
half-mile or so from camp and sitting
at rest with two buckets filed with
berries, when she heard a 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-
sion that an elk had come down to
drink, as the day was very warm. So
She took her camera from its case.
ana slipped down into the crooked.
Gitch-like channel.
As she could sec no animal there.
she stole softly downstream, stepping
upon boulders which wcra thicl,ly
streW1 in the shallow little runlot.
The crooked ditch decpened as she aG-
vanced, and the suns rays beat hot
upon the stones at the bottom.
After several turns Of the brook. she
came suddenly upon the object of her
scarch-not an elk, hut an enormous
grizzly bear, wallowing in a pool o.
water held by dam of bould2rs The
water came to It's mid-sides, and the
animal floundered about, cooling its
parched hide in this refreshing bath.
On catching sight OF Florence, the
grizzly gave a grunt of surprise, and
reared itself upon The boulders to stare
at her; and there the animal stood,
after a shake Of its loose skin, uneasy
at the presence Of an intruder, yet aD-
parently neither angared nor afraid.
Naturally Florence feared danger at
such close quarters, but she knew that
running would avail her nothing If the
bear chose to attack. Pluckily, there
fore, she stood her ground, at less