Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-19

Ot beneCotcnCe ut the top ~ ms hedd.
Id enjoy 1t oil the more when I did
hcv it. One day I went of cutttn' tim
Der an stayed till mos night. Comm
home I got t thinkin' o tibet ham, an
made up my mind I'd hev some fer
supper. The more l thought NV it
the faster l hurried, an when l got
hum I was hungrier n I'd been fer a
year. When l see the OF bears tracks
an the empty peg where the IAN had
hung l went t work an got mad.
Then I started after tibet bear. Track
ed i'm over yender up Cat mount'in."
Here Alb paused. He had a way Of
stopping always at the most interest
ing point to puff at his pipe. 1t looked
as il he were getting up steam for an
other sentence, and these delays had
the effect Of continued in our next"
Kill 'im?" Uncle Eb asked.
Licked him." he said.
Huh" we remarked incredulously.
Licked 'lm." he repeated, %chuckling.
Went into his cave with a sled stake
an whaled 'im-whaled i'm till he run
fer his life"
Whether it was true or not I have
never been sure even to this day. but
Abs manner was at once modest and
convincing.
should "a thought he'd a rassled
with ye," Uncle Eb remarked.
Didn't give I'm time," said Alb as he
took out his knife and began slowly
to sharpen a stick.
Don't never wan T. rassle with no
bear" he added. but hams is too
source here n the woods t. hev 'em
TUX away fore ye know the taste Nv
EN-. amt never been hard on bears.
Don't seldom ever set no traps. an l
amt shot a bear fer more'n ten year.
But they've got t be decent. II any
bear steals my vittles he's goin' t git
cuffed hard"
Abs tongue had limbered up at last
His pipe was we'll a-going, and he SEEM
ed to have struck an easy grade. There
was a tone of injury and aggrievement
In his talk of the bears ingratitude.
lie smiled over his whiting as we
laughed heartily at the droll effect Of 1t
all.
"Q'ye ever hear O. the wild man at
roams round n these woods| he asked.
"Never did" said Uncle Eb.
ave seer i'm more times n We could
shake a stick at" said Alb. crossing his
legs comfortably and splitting into the
fire. kind o. think he's the same man
folks tells NV down n Paradise valley
there-'at goes round n the clearin' aft
or bedtime"
1.-THE night man" I exclaimed.
Guess thet's what they call i'm"
said Alb. "Curus man.! Sometimes I've
he'd a good squirt at i'm of n the
woods. He's wilder n n deer. an I've
seen i'm jump over logs half as high
as this shanty Jest as easy as ye'd hop
n twig. Tried T. folier i'm once err twice,
but tain no USE. He's quicker n a will
cat"
what kind Of a lookin' man ia hep
Tip Taylor asked.
"Great. big, broad shouldered Teller"
said Alb. "Six feet tall II he's nm inch
He'd q kind Of a deerskin jacket on
when I seen i'm an breeches an mecca
sins made O. some kind O hide. l recol'
lee M day ! was over on the ridge
two mile er more from the saltwater
goin' south. l seen i'm gittin' a drink
at the spring there In the burnt timber
An II l amt mistaken there was a real
live panther playin' round I'm. II
'twan't a panther twas pesky nigh II. |
can tell ye. The crittsr go me fust and
drew up Is back. Then the man got
up quicker n . dash. Soon 3 he set
me. Jesmimsy. didn't they move! New
er zee no human crittsr run a. he did
A big tree he'd fell cross q lot O. brust
sight a his path III be sol dunnsd u