Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-31


ditch; then gave his mouth a wipe
and glanced thoughtfully at the sky.
"Fer liberty" said he, with decision.
Same thing my father died fer"
Not to this day have I forgotten It.
the answer of old D'ri, or the look OF
him as he spoke. was only reckless
youth fighting for the love Of peril and
adventure, and with too little thought
of the high purposes Of my country.
The causes of the war were familiar to
me; that proclamation Of Mr.. Madi-
SON had been discussed freely in our
home, and / had felt some share in
the indignation Of D'ri and my father.
This feeling had not been allayed by
the bloody scenes in which, had had
part. Now began to feel the great
passion of the people, and was put to
shame for a moment
"Liberty-that is grand thing to
fight for" said I. after brief pause.
Swap my blood any time fer thet
air" said D'ri. 81 can fight sassy, but
not fer no king but God Almighty.
Don't pay t git all tore up less 1t g
fer suthin' purity middlin' vallyble.
My life amt wuth much, but, ye see,
hain't nuthin' else"
We rode awhile in sober thought
hearing only sough Of the wind above
and the rustling hoof-beat of our
horses In the rich harvest Of the au-
tumn woods. We were walking slow
ly over a stretch Of bare moss whens at
a sharp turn, we came suddenly In
sight of a huge bear that sat facing
us. I drew my pistol as we pulled rein.
firing quickly. The bear ran away
into the brush as / fired another shot.
"He 8 hit" said D'ri, leaping of and
bidding me hold the bit. Then, with a
long stride, he ran after the fleeing
bear. I had been waiting near half an
hour when D'ri came back slowly, with
a downhearted look.
"'T ain no use," said he. "Can't
never git tibet bear. He g got flesh
wound high up in his him quarters. an
he g travellin' fast"
He took fresh chew of tobacco and
mounted his horse.
Terrible pity" he exclaimed. shak-
ing his head with some trace Of linger-
ing sorrow. Ray" said he, soberly,
after a little silence, when ye see
bear lookin' your way. ef ye want i'm,
always shute at the end thet's toward
ye."
There was no better bear-hunter in
the north woods than D'ri, and to lose
a bear was, for him. no light affliction.
Cant never break bears neck by
shutin' i'm in the him quarters" he
remarked.
I made no answer.
might jest es well spit n is face" "
he added presently; "jest eggzac'ly."
This apt and forceful advice calmed
a lingering sense Of duty, and he rode
on awhile in silence. The woods were
glooming in the early dusk when he
spoke again. Something revived his
contempt of my education. He had
been trailing after me, and suddenly
felt his knee.
'Tell We this, Ray" said he, In Q
kindly tone. EFF ye wan t git bear
got t. mux i'm up q leetle for'ard--
right up n the neigh borhood NV Is
to'c's'le. Don't dew no good t shute
Is hams. Might es we'll try t choke
i'm t death by pinchin' is tall"
We were out in the open. Roofs
and smoking chimneys were silhouet-
ted on the sky, and, halfway up hill'
we could see the candle-lights OF the
red tavern. There, in the bar, before
blazing logs in great fireplace, Tor
the evening had come chilly, q table
was laid for us, and we sat down with
hearty happiness to tankards OF old
ale and a smoking haunch. I have
never drunk or eaten with a better
relish. There were half dozen or 80
sitting about the bar, and all ears were
for news of the army and all hands
for our help. II we asked for more
potatoes or ale, half Of them rose to
proclaim it. Between pipes OF Vir-
ginia tobacco, and old sledge, and
songs of love and daring, we had a
memorable night. When we went to
our room, near IL o'clock, I told D'ri
of our dear friends, who, all day, had
been much in my thought.
"Wus the letter writ by herr" he in
quired.
mot a doubt Of It." .,.
"Then 1t g all right" said he. "A
likely pair O. gals them air-no mis-
take"
"But think they made me miss the
BEAR" I answered.
"Ray," said D'ri, soberly, when yer
shutin' a bear, eff ye want i'm, don't
never think O. nuthin' but the bear"
Then, after a moments pause, he add
ed: Wont never hev no luck KILN
bear eff we dom quit dwellin' so on
them air gals"
l thanked him, with a smile, and
asked If he knew Eagle island.
Ben all over 1t half dozen times"
said he. CIT ain no more n 20 rod
from the Yankee shore, tibet air island
amt. We c'u'd paddle there In a day
from our cove"
And that was the way we planned
to go-by canoe from our landing
and wait for the hour at Paleyville,
Yankee village opposite the Island.
We would hire a team there, and con-
vey the party by wagon to Leraysville
We were off at daybreak, and going
over the hills at lively gallop. Cross
ing to Caraway pike, in the Cedar
meadows, an hour later, we stampeded
a lot of moose. One Of them. great
bull, ran ahead of us, roaring with
fright, his antlers rattling upon bush
and bough, his black bell hanging to
the fern-tops.
Don never wan t hev no argument
with one O. them air chaps less ye
know purity nigh how t 8 comm out," /"
said D'ri. "Alwus want gun es well
es a purity middlin' ca-a-areful aim Oh
your side. Then ye re apt t need a
tree, tew, fore ye git through with 1t.
After a moments pause he added:
Got t. be joemightyful stout tree, er