Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-06-09

had wooden hinges which were apt to
creak, and he did not close it after him.
1t was a warm, dark night near the
last of May, Stealing out on tiptoe, he
approached the pen, but saw no animal
about it. The pig and fowls were now
quiet. ..... ~
AS he stood listening, he heard, a
sound little distance off in the clear
ing, as if some creature were digging in
the earth. At once he surmised that
bears or hedgehogs or badgers we're
scratching up his newly-planted seed
potatoes-a thing which had occurred
on several previous nights. He there
fore crept forward, and quietly got be-
hind rick of partly burned logs, at a
distance from the house, and lay in wait
there for some time, trying to catch
several times moving about not far off.
Meanwhile was having an adventure
all by myself in the house.
For awhile after Hudson went out
lay and listened. Hearing nothing,
fell asleep again, but probably only for
few moments, for Immediately l heard
what I supposed to be Hudson coming
back into the house.
I heard him stepping about and the
floor creaking under his weight. 1t was
too dark to see anything, but was on
the point of speaking and asking him
what he had discovered at the pen, when,
with what seemed an odd shutting sort
of step, he walked along to the bunk,
and trod heavily on my left foot under
the blanket. The touch of his foot gave
me a strange sensation, and I felt in
stantly, rather than knew. that it was
not Hudson!
Whoever or whatever 1t was, it ap-
peared to stand still in the dark for some
moments, then took another step on the
bedding of TIA bunk. -,
lay breatk;ess, terrified and not dar-
ing to stir. Was it an Indian who had
attacked and perhaps killed Hudson out
side, and had now come in to murder
me? My heart thumped hard, but did
not STIR, and q whole awful minute
seemed to pass. .sHNl EDS
Suddenly, I felt on my face curious
putt OF air, q warm breath thatshad a
singular, fresh, wild kind OF smell. 1t
came again after 4 moment, hotter this
time, as if nearer. ! could scarcely keep
myself from crying out in terror.
! Again and again It breathed in my
face, close to my mouth l was so
frightened that l turned cold all over.
It came into my mind now that it was
some large animal shifting at me-a
grizzly bear or a panther that had killed
Hudson, and then come into the house
in quest of our meat.
l dared not move. l expected every 1n-
slant that the beast would seize me by
the throat. 1t continued shifting at me;
then suddenly l felt its rough tongue
touch my face. d"
scarcely know what prevented me
from screaming outright and attempt
ing to spring up; but it was probably
fortunate for me that did not. The ami
NAL may have thought me dead or
asleep. If had stirred it would prob
ably have seized me or cuffed me with
its paw. It is s1id that wild beasts vii!
rarely lay hold Of sleeping person OF
a dead body.
After shifting at me thus Familiarity,
the creature moved little to one side,
and heard it's tongue scrape on kettle
which had held porridge, and was set
on a low shelf few feet from the bunk.
It had stepped of the bed-blanket, and
again l heard the boards of the floor
creak under its weight.
1t walked slowly down to the other
end of the room, Gathering over the
frying-pan. bucket and several tin
dishes near the fireplace. A moment or
two afterward heard low, deep growl
and rustling noise, as if the beast had
raised itself and was scratching against
the logs Of the house wall. Plainly It
had found the meat which hung there.
heard its jaws close, graphing one OF
the quarters, then the creak1ng OF the
floor again as it walked out. /
listened awhile, then shouted to my
brother. Hudson! Hudson!" l called
out. then listened again. was afraid
that he had been killed. There was no
response. shouted again, and imme-
diately heard footsteps running to the
house. He had heard my first outcry'
but instead of replying, had started to
run. A moment after he rushed in, ex-
claiming:
whats the matter with you, Lever"
There's been a grizzly or a panther in
the house here!" cried.
"You dreamed it" said he, laughing.
"No, l didn't dream it, either!s' l ex-
claimed. "Just you light up and look at
our meat" 5... i
Hudson struck match and held 1t
near where the quarters had hung.
Great Caesar!" said he. Zone Of
them is gone, sure!" He seized his gun
and ran out. ill.,
Quite ten minutes passed before he
came back. He had been unable to trace
the animal; and in point of fact, we
never knew exactly what sort of beast it
was. 1t is likely, however, that it was
a grizzly bear.-Youth's Companion.
as close together as thew can he nlaced |