The Cairo bulletin., 1907-05-13

Egrounds he knew Of What did 1t
lmatter that he had SO much farther
Ito carry his load home? Chestnuts
were s1.75 a bushel and Saturday
Ieame only once a week.
But when the sun was leaving the
sree-tops above him and getting tam
Ef,led up among those 10 the west, the
IDoy began TO realize that he had
rather large job on hand TO take
lshat two-bushel bag nearly full OF
Iauts home before dark. In fact Ii
see med to be an actual impossibility,
for he could not even lift the load.
I.oath to leave his hard days work
behind, he resorted in an absent
minded sort OF way to the boys
remedy for all difficulties. his peck
lats He found there nothing more
promising than a lot OF stout linen
| cord. and, rather as pastime than
From any serious purpose, he began
Ito knot this into rude harness, one
| end OF which he attached TO the bag
lof nuts. II was no use. Tug as he
would at the other end, he could not
| draw the bag any distance.
Gruntl grunt! grunt!
II occurred TO him that the pigs
were disappearing pretty rapidly. as
| though afraid Of something. No one
was near him and the last OF the
herd al 1t disappeared from sight in
| the woods was scampering In unmis-
taxable panic. What did 1t mean?
Grant, Grunt! Just behind him;
but this was one of quite another
tone; it was not pig. Turning hast
fly he saw a young bear. about two
thirds grown. looking curiously at
him through the bushes.
Some boys would have been terri
bly, frightened; but this sturdy little
fellow had 1t from the lips of old
hunters that black bears are seldom
d: ngerous unless threatened or very
hungry; while cub Is about as
good -natured and playful as a pup
DIV. Perhaps the bear had had SINH
lar instructions in regard to boys.
At least neither undertook to re-
treat, though neither yentured any
closer. The bear was between the
boy and his homie; very likely the
boy was between the bear and his.
But meetings of this sort become
embarrassing and, to vary the situa-
ton. the boy finally did retreat lit
tie way, although II took him farther
back into the woods.
The bear at once advanced. and
the boy retreated farther. This
brought the bear to where the bag OF
chestnuts stood, and being of an in
ouiring disposition, he smiled over II
a few minutes, and then cuffed 1t
with his paw 10 see II Y we're alive
II fell upon its side. and the bear re-
tired somewhat startled at this unex-
pected movement; but he finally re-
turned and began a rough and tum-
BILE fight with his dumb adversary, as
kitten would attack ball of yarn.
Then he bounded away again.
Now, 1t so happened that In his
antics he had got tangled in the
string harness, so that when he
sprung away the bag sprung after
him. Here was a pretty kettle OF
FISH.
Bruin gave another leap forward,
thei. fairly turned tail and ran
as only frightened bear can run,
the bag in hot pursuit. and the boy
in the rear of both.
Neither the boy nor the bear no.
ticed In which direction they were
going until they dashed out of the
woods into the meadow back of the
bows home. Just as they reached the
edge the bag caught against a log.
held back an instant, and then went
with a bound that landed 1t upon the
bear.
Bruin resented this; or, more like
w. thinking that his time had come.
he resolved TO die fighting. For just
one minute the air was full of bear,
bag. growis and chestnuts; and then
a black streak into the woods showed
where the bear. at last freed from
the strings. was making hasty
homeward trip.
After he was gone. the boy came
up and began to gather up the chest
nuts that we're spilled in the short
conflict. BY dark he had them all
carried to the house; while the bear
was probably al home recounting his
curious adventure to his friends.