Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-12-02


ened several hours later by the sound
Of blows. The cow and one of the
calves were in the shack. The souaw
was welding the ak at the shed: and
on going out there Donald and Jimmy
scarcely recognized her!
From a granting, apathetic old
creature, she appeared transformed
into gleaming-eyed fury. They were
afraid Of her, she looked so wild and
dashed to and fro with such agility.
She had chopped off the rafters Of
the shed roof at both ends, where they
rested on the log walls Of the shed.
but supported them by two props I'M
derneath. AS she worked she sang
some sort Of savage chant over and
over, ending it every time with an
eldritch whoop.
The lads were wholly at a loss to
| know what had come over her. or
what she was doing in such a mood.
She appeared entirely forgetful Of
their food, nor could little Jimmy In
| duce her to turn her attention to
| cookery.
During the afternoon she set both
youngsters fetching stones from the
foot Of the crags a few yards away,
and these she piled on the roof Of the
shed. In a word, the squaw was set
ting a bear-trap probably after the
manner of her tribe. The task had
reused her from her overfed apathy.
armfuls Of stones, and fetched large
ones herself, till weight of several
tons had been piled on the splits of
the shed roof.
The squaw had left the lame calf in
the shed, tied at the far end Of it, and
would not allow Donald to lead it out:
but the other calf was with the cow
in the shed. At sunset she set the
door Of the shed ajar, and the boys
now began better to comprehend her
stratagem.
For If the bear entered at the door
Of the shed to seize the calf at the far
end, he would have to pass between
the two props, the bases Of which she
had set on round sections of a pine
log. The props stood so near together
that the grizzly's body would displace
them, causing the logs to roll out
| ward.
AS night drew on they retired to
| the shack. and remained quiet there
without light or fire.
Toward midnight the COW began to
low. The bear was coming. After a
time they heard it snuffling near the
door, and again a great fear fell on
little Jimmy. But he dared not cry.
Not long after this they heard a
savage roar accompanied by a clat-
ter. A moment later there was a ire
mendous crash, followed by hoarse,
awful outcries and roars of distress.
Old Mizzkook ran out and danced
about the shed, singing and whooping
in savage glee. Her trap had sprung.
But Donald and Jimmy were think
ing Of their poor lame calf
They dared not go near the shed,
however, even after it had grown light
the next morning. The grizzly con
tinued its outcries at intervals all that
day and through the next night, moan
ing, groaning or roaring in anguish.
1t must have died a horrible death
under that weight Of stones. But the
outcries were music in old Mizzkook'e
ears. She danced and sang in un-
bounded delight, nor when the bear
finally expired was she averse to feast,
ing off its flesh.
Her stratagem had at least saved
one cow for them; and in praise of her
fidelity, such as it was, It must be
said that she remained there until
McDougaps return in October, when
he removed his boys to Juneau
Alaska.
They left old Mizzkook In posses.
sion Of the shack, and also Of the
cow and calf.-Youth's Companion.