The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1908-01-23


the bear close behind. raced for my
lone oak.
The lower limbs of this old giant
branched some FIVE or six feet above
my head, and the great girth Of the
trunk offered little hope Of ascent by
the shining process ] should Ger.
tainly have become meat for the grizz-
~ had It not been for the branding
Iron, which had forgotten to drop,
and the thought that might hook the
handle end over stub which pro-
Jected at the base of the lowest
branch.
The claws and teeth in the i'm
mediate rear heartened me for the
leap Of my life. | was fortunate
enough to hook the snag with a sim
gle carefully timed sweep OF the iron,
and with no noticeable pause in my
upward flight. | assembled to foothold
In the crown Of the tree
The grizzly, although falling back
into an awkward heap from his first
spring at my receding legs, seemed
unwilling to admit that he was not
tree-climber; and spreading himself
out like flying squirrel against the
broad trunk, he dug his huge claws
into the rough bark and began inching
his way upward.
The tree leaned from the direction
OF the prevailing winds, and this, with
the bears great zeal and strenuous
application, gave some promise Of his
attaining his ambition In spite OF
natural disadvantages. He became
quite encouraged over his prospects;
but when he had climbed a couple Of
feet, / reached down and hit him a
clout over the head with the hand
hold Of my iron. The stout rod re-
bounded from the blow as II the old
fellows hide were made Of india-l db-
Der, but It affected his temper violent
ly, and with a cultural snarl, be
dropped all holds, and promptly slid
to the ground.
I'VE played this game until high
noon. The grizzly could not resist the
impulse to return buffet for clout, and
upon every withdrawal Of his fore
hooks he dropped back TO mother
earth, always landing in a sitting
posture, with bump so harsh that
his teeth would rattle. D..
Finally he took recess, and after
stirring about my camp for a while,
ate dinner for us both. Everything
he did not eat he tore to pieces or
overturned Flour, bacon, bedding,
beans, stock salt, dried fruit and sugar
he pied with grave satisfaction,
ignoring completely the wild whoops
and the lively war-dance with which
| strove to divert him.
"Then, as If with the thought Of
settling his dinner, he reclined on his
bullying side, and watched me with
languid Interest while | took up my
belt a couple Of holes and wondered
how long 1t would be before | got an
other square meal myself.
For me nothing clears the brain
like fasting, and after an hour OF si-
lent contemplation, began to work
out scheme which promised a neat
combination OF busifess and pleasure.
First l procured some dry branches
and built lively FIRE in the saddle
shaped crotch Of two gigantic limbs
Then / climbed out TO where a storm
twisted branch threw out a luxuriant
growth of new shoots, and cut a
couple OF stout slaves six feet In
length One of these whitfield TO a
sharp point at the tapering end the
other | dashed to the handle Of the
branding-iron by means Of my leather
belt and some buckshn strings which
found in my pocket.
by this time the fire had good
foundation Of Goals, in which bedded
the clover leaf. While waited for
the iron to heat, ! offended the reclin-
ing grizzly by pelting him with
chunks Of oak bark and when he
came protesting to the base OF the
oak, by some vigorous digs with the
pointed stan. Upon this, he took up
the cares Of the world again, aspiring,
as before dinner, to become a tree
climber.
"But / caused him to defer the pre-
liminary trunk-grappling EFFORT by
vigorous prods with the sharp stick
Then, as he reared in a great rage TO
threaten and parry, let him chew
and claw the stan for a moment,
while / thrust the Granddaughter un-
der his guard, slapped the glowing
clover leaf on his breast, and held II
firmly an instant while the over
heated metal settled throush4' his
shaggy coat; ifflf rs !.
1T was a very much discounted
and outraged grizzly that withdrew