The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-18

L
had the feeling that things were away
off, but L couldn't place what was the
matter, until 1 looked at the square of
moonlight on the floor that came
through the window, and was near TO
screech like a tOmcat, for there was
monstrous black shadow bObbing back
and forth in the patch of light. 1 drew
on my bank for all the sand l had and
raised my eyes. BY all the Mormon
gods! My heart fairly knocked my ribs
loose. Nicely framed in the window
was the head of a grizzly, and I'll take
my oath it wasn't over a size smaller
| than a beer barrel,
- Now thinks /, if I can only get
that gun before he sees me. and if the
| cUssed thing will only do the right
thing by me this Oncei
so out 1 steps, and the first rattle
out of the box 1 stumbled on a few
| dozen of the purchases Ag had brought
home, and down them and me came like
an earthquake. 1t scarf the bear so he
drew back; no use trying to work a
sneak now. / jumped for the holster
| numbered, and turned the gun loose
for general results. l guess every load
| went off, from the noise, and she flew
| out Of my hand and vanished behind
me. LOTdi The place was full Of
! smoke and the plumber that was scat
| tered around so you could neither see
nor walk, and that bear was swatting
the door in q fashion that showed he
was going to give US a call any old
| how, and I was plumb distracted-for
the life of me I didn't know what to do.
Don't make such a damn noisen
| growIs Aggy.
You'd better get out of that 1
III
minute!' But he didn't pay the least
/ attention.
Just before the door went down I
/ broke for the cock-loft; it was the only
| spot that seemed to hold the teeniest
/ bit Of safety. I elm up the wall like a
| hopper grass, but l had no more than
| made it when my friend was in the
| house. Twas me he wanted to see too,
apparently; for he never noted any
| thing else, but headed straight for the
/ loft. had kind of hoped the other two
/ would amuse him for a While, but it
wasn't TO be. With the door down. the
moonlight streamed in so it was most
as light as day.
| Keep your big feet off met says
| Ag, very indignant, as the bear walked
Oh him It's a great thing not To know
who you're talking to sometimes.
| and reaches for the loft. He could just
nicely hook his front toenails on the
| beard, and when l saw that / would
4 have sold myself out hide and hair and
good will of the business extremely
! reasonable. Here's where my esteemed
| friend Hydraulic Smith gets piped out
/ thought, and tried to meet my finish
like a man, but there was something
! about winding up as filler for dirty,
smelly bear wrapper that took all the
poetry out Of the situation.
Il saw that Aggy had got on to the
! state of affairs at last; he was crawling
! backward very cautious, and he had a
looked Of panied surprise on his face
that beat anythink I'd ever seen on the
phiz of man or beast before. For all
was so scarf that L was sweating
| icicles couldn't help but smoker. How
sCmever, at that moment brother bear
threw his weight on the board and she
snapped like toothpick, and my merry
| smile took a walk Lord, ] was in
| desperate fix! He had only to keep on
pulling down boards to the last one,
( and then, of course, I'd come down with
| it.
Something had to be done. grabbed
a sack Of flour and heayed il at Kim;
/ the sack caught on a splinter and
/ ripped, so beyond covering him with
/ powder it had no particular result. He
/ did stop and taste the -four. but hea-
vens, he had lots Of timel There wasn't
any good in that.
/ But as L reached around for another
weapon my hand struck the can Of al
cohol, and right then I had genuine
! three-X inspiration. I pulled the plug
! from the can and poured the spirits
! down. The bear howled murder as the
| stuff ran into his eyes, and Lurking
| himself on his hunkies, he began to
/ paw and serape Il out. There was my
| chancei 1 fumbled through all my
| pockets as fast as my hand could travel
no matches, Then cussing and pray
| ing like steam engine. l tried ii again
! found a handful in the first pocket;
dropped most of 'em. being so nervous,
! but scratched what was left and
/ chucked 'em on Mr.. Bear.
Great Moses in the bulrushes
| Events began on that instant. i've
seen a cyclone and an earthquake and
| a cIoudburst and an Injun outbreak
| and a Democratic convention, but roll
'em into one and that bear would give
EN- cards. spades, big and little casino,
a stuffed deck and the tally-board, too.
and then beat EN- without looking at
lis hand. Isl
! II simply can't begin 10 tell you all
the different kinds Of pure, unadulter-
| ated hell he raised with the stock Of
/ curiositles Aggy had bought in town.
And the looks of him! White with -four
half way. spouting flames and smoke,
and apparently three times as big as he