The progress., 1904-07-09
A CLEVER THIEF!
K 4: Y x x x x 4
/. BY Mrs. Christine Stephens.


{. <<<*<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-
e OR the greater part Of the year ou
l little neighborhood in Penobsco
county, Maine, was kept in state o
alarm by the frequent and sudden visit
ations of large black bear, which
turned up when most unlocked for ant
in most unexpected places. 1t was al
the more exciting as no bears had beer
seen in that locality for some years
This one was so inquisitive and daring
in its treatment of human habitations
that think it must have been partially
tanned at some former period.
Its 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 rough stone arch and
set of big iron kettles. Here they
used sometimes to stay and boil sar
nearly all night after big run"
One night they had put their last
kettleful on to boil, after a 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 bed of fir boughs in one corner OF
the camp to browse, but had hardly
shut their eyes when loud shifting
like that of great dog reused them.
There in the doorway, with long
muzzle extended and head swaying
from side to side, was a big black crea-
ture with shining eyes. bod noticed
in the light of the arch fire that 1t
had white stripe in it's face. 1t
shuffled in toward the other corner of
the camp, where two pals of warm
sirup 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
ners, was pulled down from its 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 sirup had tempted
1t 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.
As an earnest of his intention, the
old gentleman kept two or three long
birch withes standing in a corner in
Ills tDtTys Dut JOu w do HUI IulPiCocCu
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 bleats, deep
bellowings, and at times loud stam-
peding 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 a 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, for the
furious Mr.. Mickey, wakened, as he be-
lieved, by the persistent and loud
humping of May baskets, pounced ont
suddenly, withe in hand. 1t was only
after nimbly circling the house several
times that the boy succeeded in making
his pursuer understand the state of af-
fairs.
By that time the bear had come to
the conclusion that the odds were too
great to contend against, for a pair of
big steers were careering about with
tails in the air, now and then making
dashes with lowered heads. A great
long-horned ram would deliver sound
ing blow when the steers left an open
ing. At last the ponderous horns
fiercely butted the bears stomach, when
she had reared to strike the sheep, and
sent her heels over head into a deep
pool in one corner of the yard.
This, with Dods sudden and noisy
attack, put bruin in panic; and re-
linquishing her hope to feast on young
mutton. she crawled through a broken
fence and ran of across the potato
field toward the nearby woods, Just as
Wink and Mr.. Mickey arrived on the
scene.
They found one sheep badly lacerated
and another with her fleece nearly
pulled on. Mr.. Mickey was so thankful
because the bear had been discovered in
season to prevent any further damage
that he did not pursue his inquiry az
TO why bod and Wink were there at
that time of night
Nobody could stop to hunt bears IN
I'll 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 Wink and his father had carefully
Wicked over for market These apples