The Morris County chronicle., 1905-09-19

The sounds were so much like those
made by hogs that at first he felt sure
it must be some stray porker that had
come along. and he angrily shouted,
"Whee, there! Whee, you beast!" as
he climbed higher in haste, to save his
honey. But as his head rose clear of
the brow of the crag he perceived to
his CONSERVATION that the creature was
no hog, but large yellow bear also
that there were two others and that
all three were filing themselves from
his honey buckets, several of which
they had upset
Catching sight of Ansers head at the
same instant the largest bear rose sud
denly on its launches and stared at
him in surprise its jaws slavering
honey. Then, appearing to resent the
interruption of it's feast, the animal
growled and dashed forward to the
very brink of the rock, the hair on it's
foreshoulders bristling and it's small
eyes rolling furiously.
Ansel had no effective weapon at
hand; even his honey trident was stick
ing down in the chasm. There was
nothing he could do but descend a few
loops on the rope as rapidly as posi-
Bile. He was at an utter loss what to
do next, however, and stood still.
But, meanwhile, the bear, after peer
ing over the brink. ran along the top
of the cliff for little way, then ran
back and in doing SO passed under the
forked pole above mentioned, on which
the rope was held out. There was
scarcely room for the big beast to
pass under. Its back grazed, and
scrambling on. it drew pole and rope
along on its shoulders bearing the
latter on with it for several yards,
when it dropped back on the cliff with
a heavy jerk.
Il couldn't well see what was going
on up there" Ansel said to me, in de-
scribing his sensations. "When I felt
myself going, thought at first the
bears had rooted up the crowbar, and
that my seconds were numberedT'
The rope was strong and withstood
the jerk, but Ansel received consid-
erabl shock when it dropped or slid off
the bears back He fell two or three
feet.
my heart nearly came into my
MOUTH he told me- 81 didn't know
what would happen next and hung
on there still as mouse, for some mo-
ments."
Presently he heard all the bears
champing again, and after time
climbed cautiously up a few loops,
where he could just see them over the
brink of the rock
From this uncomfortable situation
Ansel covertly watched large part of
his honeycomb disappear into the
maws of the hungry and highly appre-
ciative bears. Thers was no doubt
that they were fond of it. They swal-
lowed it by the pound. And although
greatly disappearing, he was in no po-
sition to object, or even to expostulate
Not content with stufing themselves
to repletion the provoking animals
oyerset all the buckets, and even rolled
in what was left of the contents on the
dry messy rocks. They smeared their
snouts and jowls, then rubbed them
along the moss, as if from pure wan
tonness in such exuberant sweetness.
Then suddenly the largest bear, as
if its skin were tickeld by the honey
or beset by parasites, threw itself half
down beside the crowbar and began
rubbing smartly.
With every rub Ansel could feel the
bear move and sway the rope, and
again his heart ''nearly turned over"
lest the bear should actually rub the
bar out of the crevice For an instant
he was minded to climb rapidly up the
rope and try to run past the animals,
but he knew that these big cinnamon
bears were not to be trifed with.
Suddenly it occurred to him to use
the bee smoker. 1t was below, set in
a crevice of the crags, but he climbed
down and got it. Then charging the
he ascended near the brow of the cliff,
lighted it and pegan working the puff
fer. Fumes at once rose and We're
borne back to the bears sprawling
amidst the honey, Tor the draft of air
up from the canon was detected over
the brink of the cliff
Seeming brimstone the lazy brutes
scrambled to their feet. sniff
tng One of them even rose to his
launches, snutiiing and wrinkling up
his well smeared black muzzle. After
shutting suspiciously for some moments
all three turned and shuffied stifly and
surlily away to little distance. Here
they paused. shifted again. then set off
at clumsy gallop, to put a greater
distance between them and these high
ly Objectionable odors.
The bears had made mess of his
days work, but Ansel was only too
glad to come out Of his adventure on
such easy terms. Youths Companion.
The Voice of Sincerity.
fNN.s III