The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-08-20
1t Might Have Been a
Pheasant or a
Pig.

Mystery!
Was it a pig. a pheasant. a dog. or a
bear which held up the Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General OF the United stat 4
during his vacation IN the mountains Of
Virginia recentlyT
P. V. De Graw asserts that. despite
the presence In unlimited quantities Of
wild animals in the woods about Nimrod
Hall. he is sure-at least almost sure
the animal which peered over the jagged
edge OF rocky crag at himself and a
companion while the two were taking
an early morning constitutional recently,
was not member Of the brufn family
Furthermore. he says that he and MS
fair companion did not run, but that
they, instead, searched about for a short
Jlne, 10 discover further evidences Of
the grizzly beast which Eazed naIevo-
lently down upon them, and then sflently.
stole away
Dangerous Animals.
According to Mr.. De Graw. he was
taking a walk before breakfast one
morning in company with one OF the
guests Of the hotel where he was stop
ping. During the course of the stroll
many ferocious and dangerous animals
crossed the path OF the two. but as the
place is famed for Just these diversions.
and as Mr.. De Graw has already spent
two vacations at this spot. he went
boldly forward, with no fear OF the in
habitants OF the rocky wilds
Among the more harmless Of these
blOOdthtrsty creatures which leIft zest
20 the Assistant Postmaster General s
jaunt vas pheasant. It loudly tapped
It's wings and then subsidized. This was
most antalizing. for though Mr. De
Graw was too modest TO say so, he Is
known to be an ardent lover of animal
life, and it was IN his mind to study the
pheasant at close range.
Therefore, he made some slight effort
to trace the route taken by the bird It
was while engaged In this pastime that
a rusti!ns was heard in the underbrush,
which startled the fearless Government
official but only because it came so
suddenly 1t ceased as suddenly as il
began, and then, without warning, while
they were looking in the direction from
whence the sound had come, a pair of
green, hungry eyes, and a shaggy, un-
kempt head appeared just above them,
not 200 yards away.
Lady Thought It Bear.
Since Mr.. Dc Graw was taking his
own time and going into interesting de-
tails, the listener was diplomatic enough
not TO ask whether the start for the
hotel was decided upon at just this
point This is a question which can
only be answered by the Fourth As
sistant Postmaster General.
The next point touched upon by the
narrator was concerning the discussion
Of the affair after the two had reached
the hostelry The young lady who had
been with Mr.. De Graw is positive that
/ the creature was a bear.
And now comes Mr.. De Graw's ex-
rlanatIon of the publicity given to the
| Incident. It seems that Col. o. G,
Stealey, who represents the Louisville
Courier-Journal in Washington, and
who. like the hero OF this tale, has
spent several summers at -Nimrod Hall
| had a mad on" Mr.. De Graw because
the latter forced him TO sing at a re-
cent informal gathering at the hotel,
and that he took this means of retaliat-
ing.
"Yes,' said Mr.. De Graw, Il must ad-
NIT II at the joke Is on me now, but
take II from me that the worm fully in
tends to turn. and when he does,
CaIaraf ETpo lev xf-ffI knOuv II -