Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

to climb. or I might not be here to tell my
story, and when I got just as far up it as
l could l hung across limb and painted,
poWerless to do anything else. The old
mother bear by this time was below and
the way she was tearing around and try
ing to get up after me was enough to make
anybody go crazy. I chung to the tree,
fearful that she would shake me out, and
waited in mortal terror for her to do her
worst After while I saw that she could
not get me, and began to regain my cour-
age. Or If not my courage, my wits, and
| fixed myself a straddle of a limb, where
I felt safer"
I'm the meantime the cub had joined its
mother, and the old bear gave me up for a
few minutes while she licked the hurt place
on her baby and fondled it just as any
other mother would. My, but 1 did want
my gun now, but could see it down on the
ground, as far away as Bagdad, for all the
good 1t could do me, and I had nothing to
do, but hold on the the limb. was about
twenty feet above the bear. just the right
distance to make her anxious to get me,
and every now and then she would leave
off licking her cub and make a wild charge
at the tree and try to come after me. She
scared me every time. too, for she shook
the tree, and tore the bark so with her big
ugly teeth and claws that I did not know
what would happen. After long time the
cub lay down and the mother lay down be-
side it, and / couldn't help but think of the
two as mother and baby, and presently
got to thinking about my own mother, and
what she would do If somebody had tried
to shoot me, and she had caught him at 1t,
and she could do what the bear could do to
me If she caught me.
II remembered, too, how many times she
had talked to me about the things that
had killed without cause, and how l had
laughed at her for being so tender hearted,
because. as I said. they were dumb ami
mails and couldn't feel like human beings.
I remembered how she cried when shot
meadow lark one day and afterward found
a nest with three little dead birds in it.
Oh. yes. 1 remembered everything very
clearly up that tree, just as they say peo-
pie do when they think they are drowning.
And the more l remembered, the more J.
began to think that If the bear did get me
and carry me home for supper for herself
and her family. 1 would be getting only
what 1 deserved.
Il don't know whether the mother bear
had any idea I was repenting or not, but
after three long hours of keeping me up
the tree she followed her cub off down the
mountain. 1 was too badly frightened to
come down for another hour, so would be
sure she had gone. and then, just as it was
getting dusk, l slipped down as quietly as
l could. grabbed my gun and ran all the
way to camp. I had made up my mind
not to tell anybody about the bear, for I
thought they might organize a hunting
party and go after her, but I was not
over my scare enough not to show it, and
I had to tell them that l had seen a bear,
but 1 refused to tell them in which direc-
ton. or anything about 1t. l was con-
WINGED in the tree that was entirely to
blame. and 1 did not propose to have that
mother bear and her baby suffer on my
count. We left the mountains in two or
three DAYS. and when I got home told my
mother the whole story, and as n proof
that / was going to turn over new leaf,
I gave my gun to her and told her she
could do what she pleased with it,
And what did she do with it?' asked
Frank.
Can vou guess?"
"Gave it to somebody else or sold it?'
suggested Frank.
$50 somebody else could use it as had
done?" said the professor, holding up his
hands in protest. mot a bit of 1t; she
hung it up in my room, where might see
it all the time. and know how harmless it
was if only the owner Of it were gentle
and kind and would not use It in taking
the life of beings that was as dear to them
as his own was to him."
The professor arose from the little seat,
and Frank got up and took his gun.
Il don't think I'll go after the squirrels
today he said hesitatingly. and the pro.
fessor's face beamed more than ever.