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

1
the summer, the boys hoping every
day that their father would come back.
Donald got out the scythe and put up
little hay in the meadow. They also
planted a patch of potatoes. Thei,
cows now gave but little milk; but as
the season advanced they gathered
berries.
Neither Indians nor wild beasts had
troubled them thus far, in summer or
winter; but one day in September Of
that autumn they heard their three
cows and their calves bawling in a
frightful manner at a distance up the
meadow, and on running to learn the
cause Of the commotion, beheld a ter
rible spectacle
| An enormous animal, the like of
which they had never seen. had killed
one OF the cows, and was carrying it
away to the woods. The calf followed
after, bleating pitifully. The other two
cows stood at distance, believing
loudly.
To Donald and Jimmy the huge an
imal seemed to be white, or nearly So
1t was probably "silver- tip" grizzly
bear. 1t seemed to them to be larger
than any one Of the COWS, and its
strength must have been prodigious.
for it carried the body of the COW.
large one, with apparent ease.
The fear inspired in Jimmy and
Donald by this savage incursion can
not be easily described. Awestruck.
they stared at the white monster. then
ran back to the shack to call old
Mizzkook. The latter, rousing from
her slumbers Of repletion, issued forth.
and on seeing the great tracks Of the
bear in the black loan Of the meadow.
was at no less to comprehend what
had happened.
"Neesquoom! Neesquoom!' she
muttered. in some excitement. and
babe the boys drive the cows to the
shed and shut them up.
Nor would she permit them to be
turned out the next day, but assisted
the boys to cut and fetch dry grass
and water from the creek for them.
The calf had not come back.
i Nothing further was seen Of the
bear for a week or more, and they
had turned out the COWS again, when
the silver-tip made second descent
on them, killing and carrying off an
other COW. A calf, too, was disabled;
and the foray was made so near the
shack that the boys saw the bear ap-
proach and heard it's terrific roar as it
rushed upon the little herd.
So frightened, so filled with horror
was little Jimmy that he shrieked
and ran to hide himself in the farthest
corner Of the shack. Old Mizzkook
came forth, and stood mumbling. roll
ing her eyes, granting strange execra-
tons. Donald, who was old enough
to think of defending their property,
longed for gun; but they had moth
ing in the way Of weapons save dull
scythe and a duller ak.
For another week they were not mo-
lested-while the bear found the cow
sufficient for his wants. Then one
night they were walked by the mourn
full lowing of the cow and calves, and
looking out, they saw the huge pale
specter of beast standing at the door
Of the shed. The grizzly had come for
more beef.
But the log walls and door appeared
to puzzle the animal. 1t ran to and
fro, swinging its head, snorting and
shutting, and presently came to the
shack door. One blow Of the bears
huge paw would have crushed it.
The boys covered in their bed,
shivering with fear, but the squaw
kindled fire, and as soon as brands
were blazing, she threw one out at
the little window on that side. The
bear snorted and retired to a distance,
where it stood for a short time, as If
in establishment, then came round near
the cow-shed again. Immediately the
COW resumed her plaintive lowing.
The bear stood up and paved the
walls Of the shed, and would probab-
ly have torn the structure down, put
the squaw, opening the shack door,
threw brands at him. The huge beast
went away, but returned toward morn
ing, and but for the squaw's firebrands
would have secured the cow At sun
rise it shuffled away up the meadows.
Not once during that long night had
l the boys closed their eyes; but they