The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-06-03
4 CLEVER THEFT
q: 4: K 4 4 X x 4 4 4 4
BY Mrs. Christine Stephens.


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e OR the greater part of the year our
little neighborhood in Penobscot
county, Maine, was kept in state OF
alarm by the frequent and sudden visit
atious Of q large black bear, which
turned up when most unlocked for and
in most unexpected places. 1t was all
the more exciting as no bears had been
seen in. that locality for some years.
This one was so inquisitive and daring
in it's treatment of human habitations,
that think it must have been partially
tanned at some former period.
It's first appearance was about the
end of March, when bod Nerrick and
Wink Dudley were making maple sugar
on the side of Jacks Ridge. They had
a little camp in the lee of the great
naples, with a roughly stone arch and
a set of big iron kettles. Here they
used sometimes to stay and boil sap
nearly all night after big run"
One night they had put their last
kettleful on to boil, after hard
day of rain, which at the last had
turned to snow. The sap did not evap-
crate rapidly, and the boys were tired
out. They built new fire about nine
o'clock, and threw themselves down
on a bed of fir boughs in one corner OF
the camp to browse, but had hardly
shut their eyes when loud shifting
like that of a great dog reused them.
So fh1 .
muzzle extended and head swaying
from side to side, was big black crea-
ture with shining eyes. bod noticed
in the light of the arch fire that 1t
had a white stripe in its face. 1t
shuff1ed in toward the other corner OF
the camp, where two pals OF warm
strip stood.
With hoop of terror the boys leaped
from the boughs and bolted, nearly
running against the bear in their
frantic haste to get out Of the camp,
and did not stop until they reached
home.
On going to camp early the next
morning, they found the pals over
turned. What had not been devoured
of their contents had run down through
the wide cracks of the camp floor. Part
OF small ham, from which the boys
had fried savory slices for their din
hers, was pulled down from it's peg by
the arch and eaten, and the boughs of
the bunk were scattered about the
camp. Outside, great tracks in the soft
spring snow showed their visitor to be
a bear. Probably it had just come
from the long fast of Information, and
the odor of boiling strip had tempted
it to the camp.
bod and Wink did not see the bear
again till toward the middle of May.
bod had determined to hang May
basket for Lucy Jane Mickey, despite
the dire threats of her father, who had
given out word that. any .youngster
caught galloping over his onion beds
on such a "tom-fool's' errand" would
be flogged.
Az an earnest of his intention, the
old gentleman kept two or three long
birch Withes standing in corner in
his entry. But bod was not impressed
by these formidable preparations, and
sailed forth one bright moonlight
night with Wink.
When nearing the Mickey place, the
boys heard a great commotion in the
barn-yard, which was at some distance
from the house plaintive beats, deep
bellowings, and at times loud STAN
reding of sheep and cattle about the
yard. Dropping their May baskets on
the doorstep, bod and Wink ran down
to the yard to discover the cause of
such commOtiOn.
Its BEAR" exclaimed Wink, peer
ing between the high bars.
"Our bear!" cried bod. There's the
white stripe. Run for Mr.. Mickey"
Wink rushed to the house to awaken
the owner, while bod gathered stones
and hurled them with all his might
promiscuously at the flying combat
ants.
In the meantime Wink narrowly
lodged the promised flogging, f0r the
furious Mr.. Mickey, wakened, as he be-
lieved, by the persistent and loud
humping of May baskets, pounced out
suddenly, withe In hand. 1t was only
after nimbly circling the house several
tines ina: the boy succeeded in making
his pursuer understand the state of af-
fairs. ::
Nobody could stop to hunt bears un-
til planting was over. In the mean
time the creature broke into an old out
house of Mr.. Dudley's, where there
was a large lot of Roxbury russets,
that wikk and his father had carefully
picked over for market. These apples
I were brirg ing high price at that sea-
son, and Nere reckoned on to pay taxes
for the year. But the bear had little
pity for the burdened taxpayer.