Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12


landed against the stone wall of the cave with
a force that seemed to me would break not
only every bone in his body, but might also
crack the rock. The poor dog lay stunned and
bruised for moment, then staggered to his feet,
and limped again into the midst of the fray.
Although l had been in the cave only few
seconds, my eyes were growing used to the
gloom, and as the bears were between me and
the light 1 could clearly distinguish their
forms.
Il recovered my gun, and, with the familiar
weapon once more in my hands, rational con-
sciousness seemed to return; when | began
to cast around in my mind for some way to
help my friends Tige and Prince: Time and
again the bears charged the dogs and re-
| treated; but when they retreated they backed
toward me, and often came SO close to where
| was sitting that should have moved farther
into the cave had l been able to push the
stone wall with me-
ION one such occasion the larger bear came
very close to me, and l hastily rose to my
feet; but my left leg gave way under me- and
down l went to the floor again In my ex-
element felt no pain; but knew something
was wrong with my leg 1t had never before
carried me away as fast any boy could run.
never was very brave; and there is nothing
so useful to an inqulsitive coward as good
pair of legs l do not believe that one should
fight and run away and live to hight another
day; but my motto always has been Kun
away before the fight, and keep your skin all
whole and tight | was disappointed in my
leg for the first time, and on very important
occasion
81 crawled back as far as could go from
the bears, and sat upright with my back
against the wall of the cave. Soon l noticed
that the bears and the dogs were gradually
moving backward toward me, and knew
that my poor body before long would furnish
them a battle-ground. They would be fighting
over me.
Fright seemed to clear my brain.
brought my gun to my shoulder, intending
to try to shoot of the bears In case it came
near me. The fight between the dogs and
the bears waged furiously, the bears alter
nately retreating toward me and again charg-
ing viciously the dogs. For a time the
bears did not come so near to me as desired
for shot. l determined to be sure of my
aim: for l knew there was only one bullet be-
tween me and death,-the one in my gun.
Should l wound the bear and not kill it.
knew | should not live to load another gun:
SO the precious bullet must find lodgment
either in the brain or in the heart of the bear.
Could | kill one of the bears, the other
probably would make dash for liberty. or
the dogs would occupy its attention, and L
could reach the mouth of the cave unmolested.
II grew impatient when the bear did not come
toward me. and after little time foollshly
resolved to fire. had raised my gun to my
shoulder, when suddenly the cave became
dark and could barely distinguish the form of
the bear so | lowered the weapon. The next
instant, with mixed feeling of horror and
JOY, saw my fathers form against the light.
| right in line with the bear. Had | shot and
| missed the bear, l surely should have killed
my father.
1.-The bears also saw my father and retreated
| backward toward me. One of them, the
| larger one, left the fight first and made hur-
ried retreat. In its haste at self preservation,
| it came within yard of me. Now was my
chance!
q distinctly remember saying to myself,
| Make haste slowly, Tom Andy Bill for you
| or this bear will die within the next mlnute!
| l therefore deliberately brought my gun to
my shoulder, aimed as accurately as possible
at the bears heart, and pulled the trigger.
There was binding fash terrific roar.
and felt as if a mule had been trying to kick
| me through the stone wall. violent was the
rebound of the gun.
Immediately after l fired l saw the huge
| black brute spring into the air. and then it
fell on me. l felt the sharp bristles of its
neck prick my face. l remember feeling the
| blood from its wound trickling through my
clothing, and after that l knew nothing until
| awakened in bed at home two days afterward.
MY father and Balser told me the story of
A'A the happenings outside the cave during
the little eternity | spent inside with the dogs
and the bears
MY father said that when he came up to
the brink of the precpice which Balser.
49, i H., A.