The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-04-12
JOHNNY BARSAND'S GREAT
WOLF FIGHT.

From early boyhood Johnny Barssnd
vas Of importance In The new townstip
Every where, at ali times. to whomsoevei
.ould listen, Johnny would relate the
,ory Of bis fathers killing 3 bear,
There was nothirg extraordinary about
hst. Almost every settler could-if hs
1hose-boast Of killing several bears. Bu'
he circumstances Of the Barsand besr-hupi
we're peculiar. Mr.. Barsand had seen tw,
,esrs beside tuckleberry swamp and sho
whole handful OF buckshot at them
rhis, too, was no spt cial wonder.
But BethVel BArssnd had then foolIshly
logged himself In the swamp, AID extricat-
sd himself only through extraordinary In
<.Iuity ard rare endurance after several
hours Of struggle. After resting bit, be
.till had sufficient strength and persistence
20 drag the heavy bear two miles home
through the rough woods.
Nor was this all the story grew. johnny
rad always insisted that his father killed
both bears with that one shot. And the
o, IT year hunter found the bones OF q
bear 10 thicket Of this same hucklsberry
swamp. Johnny at once declared that
hese wsre the bones Of bis fathers other
bs,r. Perhaps half dozen wounded bears
had escaped different busters, and died IN
that swamp. But everybody agreed that
he bonss might be these Of Bsrsand's
other bear. 30 every body adopted tn.
iiory ~ johnny told II, and II became tn.
principal fixed legend Of the county.
That 10 largely why Bethuel Barsabd
~ss elected the 6st supervisor Of the new
.osa hip, and afGerward held various hon
nAtle puslic Offices. lie was, sesides, the
npst successful and Intelligent farmer
mong the nrst settlers, rapidly making
h, Bsrtand place the best farm OF oil thai
-egisn. While others huntsd bears ano
,,her game, be worked iudustriously vi
~ eye single to improving Bis farm, only
hooting such casual game ~ came abou,
lis clearing
Naturally with such heroic parsntage. |
md seeing the effect Of fame upon his
q hsr's fortanes, Johnny meant TO be .
zero himself II be ever had . chance.
But chances for heroism are scarce. BE
uairsd h,s fathers CUR, which his father
sd altered for him from dnt-lock TO per-
us.ior, and with 1t, BY the time he was
txtetn years old, he had killed fox, por.
uplpe, mink, ION, lynx, deer, wild turkey |
I'D various other game, even cub bear.
But many other pioneer boys had done
. much or more. Why 10 1t so difficult
or ambition 10 escape from the common.
laeei Johnnyl great grievance vas that
ortune did not give him fair chance.
Thsp's that big coon Killed last fall =
Why, l thought / dog killed it--caught
stesli our corn put In Johpny's older
istsr, Marian, who often panctared bis
otcsit with jadicIous nssdle.pricks.
OF urse the dog killed IT.. retorted
hnny, v.inly tryipE to reed In bis sis-
ri's d,mure countensncs whether abe
,east an thirg isvidioas. Don't We mos,
lwa,s Hill c,obs With doss But bad
0 hslp Ponto, II b. 10 strong dog. Tue
% vss tbs biggest ever killed 10 the
,.nty w u then. Well, iolks hardly bed
Ims TO spask Of Il when Esa Dim killed
, ju.t The least nile bigger, and spollsd
" sgofy. Then that WILDCAT that I so,-
THAT you go.' ! thought Jerry Dratt
q, down the tree, and his deg aud osrs
hook the poor thing.
Well, IL vas mire. | tresd IL. asd ia
svs kilkd it without asy help u Jerry
sdnts me lust when didn't ~ant any
ody to iatsiisre.
hAybs. But u M fnbsr that yot bad
n~ tresssr les cisv.u % Ragged that
q rear 40 hcsr- m.nsIbg q. And you
OF ,uch . fcis e. riss w ilDpd for .
eet Ard p sid r~M . rsslar boy
AIsr :. u, AL . wildcat with . cisb
hen yor isisgsa.
w,ll want sfr.id 10 snyssy; and II /.
aver sss chsi cs 10 DO soms lhins unoon-
'ot shs1's be AFRAID 70 try.
A mile and half back Of the Bsrsasd