The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-10-19
DIdck a.
I1Aduent'dre.
FED BEAR MATCHES.

lie was venerable and intelligent
man and had been a great traveller.
and he kindly undertook to while away
an idle hour by telling reporter of
the true inwnrdnoss of California life
in the foothills of the sierra.
"As TO your question about grizzlies" I"
he said, "1'll tell you my first ana rnth-
or remarkable experience with one of
those varmints. was kid, not yet
twenty. and new TO the region of the
Sicrrns. having come from the East
but a few months before. ON noon
light night early in April was gently
mcanderlng home on muleback. I
was unarmcd with the exception OF
n pocket knife, for I had foolishly lent
my pistol TO friend early In the day.
had almost reached the ranch. hav.
ing only short stretch of ground 20
pass. had heard the settlers alludc
respectfully 20 old Ephraim. They said
he was the iicrccst in the spring, after
his winters slcsta. He's always an
ugly customer, and after u man has
had wipe OF two from his talons
there Is seldom enough left of that
man TO tell the tale.
"On this evening I speak of was
dead tired. MS | had been riding all
day. I had almost fallen asleep on
my mule. when-my word! how that
mule did jump! Standing ahead. MS
large as life, ON the bank OF little
brook, was big grizzly. lie grinncd
at me and growlcd in Il way calculat-
cd TO agitatc the nerves of Ajax, the
fellow who dcncd the lightning, much
more those of a tcndcrfoot, as l was
then.
81 had heard enough TO know that
IL turned tail. that Is, the mules tail,
] could leave Ephraim behind me; but
on the other side of him was home,
and l had my share of grit even then.
l had heard of the notion entertained
by some people that man can master
the most ferocious wild creature by
looking him in the eyes and ndvanc-
Ing straight upon him. Even green
horn would back out of such an ex-
pertinent with Ephralm. the most fcro-
clous of all wild creatures.
my pocket n large box filed with fric-
ton matches, those made with plenty
OF birthstone for use In Il strong wind.
An idea occurred TO me, and l pattod
and encouraged the mule, who trem-
blcd so that thought she would drop
down under me. and urged her boldly
right i'm the face of old BURN. When
a
dozen matches and threw them right
into his open jaws. Never was there n
more sudden change from malignant
ferocity 20 the most abject cowardicc.
The huge brute actually covered and
shook with terror equal 20 that OF
the mule herself.
"rhls was something altogether out
side OF his experience. j suppose he
thought he had struck a prairie fire
on mulcback. Even the mule saw the
situation and gained courage. She ad;
vancod, and l kept continuous show
er of burning matches. Luckily Il
rather strong wind blew from me and
carried away the fumes. In fact, this
is what brought the varmint TO me.
| TO cut things short, old Eph turned tail
and ANONYMOUSLY fled.
Now. stranger, l might proceed to
relate further how l stuck TO the heels
of that old grizzly, and kept setting fire
| to his fur until he was entirely burned
up. but in this skeptical age 1t may
be well to suppress some of the facts
of the case. for fear of being doubted
Liverpool (Eng) Mercury.