The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09
IT WAS THE BEARS
4 FAULT, HE SA Id
Els Sans Boy Jim Tells Why He
Did Not Cot Those Saplinsh.
Back In the Knob Country,

LACKANAIEN, Pa, June T!--Iner6 am 3
nothin' / kin r~ecolleot Of that ever stlrred
the Knob country up more than this here
did, remarked the man from that i'm
failing stretch Of territory outlying back
OF LAokawack. SNot that there was any
thin In II pertlo1y that the bearS done,
but BECAUSE OF the amazin' doin's Of Els
Sans boy Jim. Consumed IL folks back
there amt taldn' Of II yit. every now an
then, when they think Of It! Amazin'!
sEn's Sam vas cuttin' brush In the lot
behind his barn an was busy o. a beaver,
when his boy Jim, an him only Jest turnin
o. IL year old, come edgin' along that way,
breathin' toler'ble hard an het up some,
but not lookln' pertlo1y frustrated.
Pap says he, hey you got time to 20
back on the hill an help me to git the three
bears inf' says he.
"El's Sam dropped his brush hook an
looked round at the boy Jim kind o.
skeert like, cause It want more than two
hours afore this that he had sent Jim back
on the hill to chop out some sapplin's.
Al mind you git good uns, too says
Ellis Sam. I got an order fer q couple
load Of 'em fer bindin' poles on some rats
that's goin' to be put in over to the Eddy,
says he, an they've got TO be good uns.
tn take you the best part o, the day to
chop 'em out, says Eli's Sam. even II you
put in your best ticks at EN-. DO leg 1t back
there as quick as you kin, an don't let me
ketch you Wastin' your time ohasin' chip
hunks or dlggin' out rabbits says he.
You're goin' back on the hill to chop out
saplin's,' SayB Ei's Sam, an not Fer reeorea-
ton, so mind your eye an chop saplin's,
an good uns tool Gays he.
$50 when his boy Jim come edgin' along
there where Ellis Sam was cuttin' brush,
not more'n two hours after he had ben sent
back on the hill 10 chop out saplin's, an
the boy Jim says. Got time, pap. to 60 back
on the hill an help me TO git the three bears
lnf' Ella Sam dropped his brush hook as
at Jim. skeert like.
There stood, Jim. het up oonside'ble, n
breathin' toler'ble hard, but not lookin'
pertioly frustrated. an Els Sam couldn't
say nothin' fer nigh onto a minute. Then
he got his voice, an he SayB, sort o. positive
like:
"'Drat you. jim! Be YOU Soin' orazy9'
he says, What bearsF he says, steppin'
a little away from Jim.
"'Why. says Jim, jerkin' his thumb back
over his shoulder to'rds the ridge. the three
BEARS / killed. An two on 'em is old sockers,
tool says he.
sEll's Sam, he eyed the boy a minute as
if he want jest sartln whether he was
SEEM an hearin' or whether he want. an
then his dander begun to raise.
Jim says he, what did / send you back
on the hill fer to do2' says he.
''Fer to chop out saplin's,' says Jim.
DRAWN his sleeve across his face to sort
o. mop the sweat often II.
Then says Ellis Sam. shakin' his fist
al Jim. why amt you back there s%-ohoppin'
OF EN- out, you trihin' young varmlnt, yop?'
says he; cause Els Sam was a stickler Ter
discipline, an when he give orders he didn't
never calc'late 10 have 'em gone ag'in.
Why amt you back there. then. a-ohoppin'
OF EN- out, you trihln' young varmint. your
says he. slakin' his fist at his boy Jim.
well, pap says Jim. Il was chopin
OF 'em out right along says he. when these
here three bears begun to mix in, an | n
to knock of work long enough to put a stop
to their foolin'. An I'd be chopin out
saplin's now, anyhow says Jim. only /
couldn't do 1t without the axe says he.
without the axe!' hollers Ellis Sam.
Great Hemlooki Where's your axe, you
disobeying cubF
Its a-stickin' in one O. the bearsi' sayS
Jim, givin' his face another wipe with his
sleeve.
"'Weepin' an wailin' woel' says Els
Sam, almost e-cryin'. An with the helve
broke, III bet a farm, says he. An II
was the best hangin' axe helve In the hull
blame Knob country says he.
''Ths helve amt broke. pap 90 ~ the
boy Jim, sort O. GRIMM. But it's bloodied
UP considerable says he.
sEli's Sam. he snorted an snarled an
jawed some more, an then picked up his
brush hook, give a few savage whaoks with
il 'mongst the brush, an throwed II down
ag'in. The boy Jim wal standin' there
fannin' hisself with his oil mushrat kin cap
an waitin' fer further ~prooeedin's. Els
Sam turns on him ag'in an says:
Three on 'em, ehf' says he.
yep says Jim. Three on EN-. An
two on EN- lie old sockersl' says he.
sEl's Sam stood q minute, ponderin' M
then he says, whlnin' like he wa most
cryin' agin:
''Dodrot you, JimF says he. I've q
'tarnal notion TO lick you like ~dingnation
fer your quittin' work an bloodin' up that
axe on a passel o. bears an wastin' time
when l told you not to-" says he.
Then Ellis Sam grabbed his brush hook
ag'in an slashed away pcrmisc'us like fer
q spell. Then he throwed II down ag'in. m
turnin' to Jim, says:
Three ON 'em. ehf' says he. How did
It come to happSni oonsarn you" says he.
Didn't l tell you that you was Goin' back
there TO chop out saplin's a 'notfer reecrea-
tionf' says he.
"'Yes, you did. pap says Jim, putin on
his cap an givin' his face another mop with
his sleeve, But l couldn't help IT, says
he. Them bears was unthlnkn' enough
TO mix In, says he.
Three on emf says Els Sam.
yep says Jim. GRIMM agin. An
two on EN- Ia old sookersi' says no,
'El's Sam give his brush hook a kick
that sent 1t summersettin' ten foot away.
''Consarn itv saye he. How did II come
to hsppenf That axe II be rusted up 90
that tn take q weeks soourin' to Git IL
In shape ag'in, an it's the bost axe In the
hull Knob oountryt' says he. Blood rust,
tool That's the worst kind o. rust 20 GIT
oil an axe there Ia, oonsarn you, Jiml How
Al 4. $1,000 81 hunnaa - aa,,a he