The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-05-20
hank OF veal and several other daln-

| Not long after that she looked in on
Betty MarstOn one hot morning, just
as Betty was putting her cream in 20
cburn. With bysterical cries for help
the girl tumbled out OF the buttery
window at the back OF the house, and
ran 10 the meadow, where the men
were moving. She left the bear in
possession OF the kitchen, where
large baking OF pumpkin pies from
the brick oven had been set down on
the wide brick hearth TO cool.
| When the excited haymakers rushed
in with pitchforks and rakes, they
found only the empty pie-shells, out
OF which the bear had deftly scoOned
| the contents
She had upset the big dash churn and
| guzzled some OF the cream; the rest
was running across the kitchen floor
| ana out at the door rock.
| Several parties soon went out 10
| seek the bear, but no clue 10 her where.
abouts could be discovered, nor did she
| fall into any Of the snares that were
set for her. She harvested DOd's wa
tcrmclOns and Wink's lucious cantel.
| DI'F III lbf DulIfu Idl'H ldA'i bIi anu
destroyed no end OF corn in the silk.
| In the fall she took n few fat lambs
| just TO fortify herself for the winter,
which the harasscd farmers were glad
TO see set In.
Toward the end Of February bod
and Wink set out one morning on
| snowshOes with guns and axes TO go
up TO Jacks Ridge to prepare wood for
the coming sugar season. They worked
through the forenoon, cutting and
breaking up the dead maple limbs,
getting large pile ready. After
lunch they went with their guns away
over the ridge and down the wooded
valley beyond. hoping 10 find some
rabbits, and possibly few partridges.
After tramping for about two hours
they had secured only one rabbit, and
were about 10 start toward home, tired
out, when they were salutcd by fierce
growls ana snarls close at hand. The
boys were terribly alarmed. They
could not run on snowshoes, but what
ever the beast was they realized after
n moments panic that it could make
but slow progress through the deep
snow. SO they stopped 10 listen.
The grows seemed stationary, and
10 proceed from dense brush Of fall
en- hemock not far away. bod and
Wink determined 10 find out what
creature was making such fuss and
why it did not show itself.
Cautiously making circuit, they
approached the hcmlock, and after
clambcrng over brush and small
bushes. in which they frequently en-
tangled their suowshocs, they discOv-
cred that the sounds came from an old.
hollow pine stump. Through a small
hole above the roots and half hidden
by hcmlock boughs a bears head pro-
trudcd.
with the white stripe in her face,
her red mouth, big white teeth and
glaring, wicked eyes, she made very
ugly picture indeed. The boys had .
stumbled upon her den at last
Some time during the winter small f.
hcmlock had been blown down ana |
lodged across the opening under the I.
great pine roots through which, in the /
fall she had entered 10 make her bed. /
Snow had driftcd in among the hem .
lock branches, and what with fire. T.
qucnt rains and the warmth OF the /
creatures body within, had formed +.
wall Of ice, barring her exit. Her /
breath had kept Il small opening, and .
through this she plunged her head, .
now that she had awakened from her .
long sleep, 10 rcCOnuOitCr. She had /
scented them from afar, and at once f.
gave voice to her rage.
Seeing them near. she made frantic
efforts TO break through. She dug and |
bit savagely at the sides of the apcr- /
ture, making the ice and hcmlock f.
twigs fly i'm little showers. all the time /
uttcrng wild and furious cries, The |
boys feared she would soon be loose
upon them. Dropping into their guns
some small chunks OF lead to serve as
bullets, they approached rs near as
they dared and fired through the
boughs. The lead tore through the
bears scalp. and brought rcdouhlcd
rOars and hCrCcr struggling She had
now her head and shoulders out The
situation was alarming. Wink reload
ed and fred n second charge. which
took effect in the shoulder. Dod fol-
lowed il up with shot through the
head and the bear fell back into the
cavity.
Some minutes passed before the boys
dared 10 make close investigation;
hut as no further sound came from the
den. they grew brave and went up to
IT, The old bear was dead. Enarg-
ing the hole in the pine stump, Dod
and Wink entered her den, The boun-
ty on the old bears scalp. together
with her skin, brought bod and Wink
purse Of money. Youths Compan-
ion.
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