The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-17

AND I ROLLED ON THE o
that she didn't like it tall. It was so
on the second Sunday, and so on the
third. An the 10th I reckoned on get
tin a tremendous big bar that was
loafn' around the nayborhood, but
While l was cleanin' up my rifle and
maxim ready the old woman SAYS to
me:
"'Zeb, it hain't right by the Lawd.'
"'What hatn't right?'
"'You oil gwine huntin' on the
Lawd's day. It's your duty to come
along with me owe to the Corners and
hear the preachin'.'
But I'm arter that big bar. If 1
don't get him today he may be TWEEN
ty miles away by tomorrer.'
but Sunday is the Lawd's day.
Can't nobcoy steal the day away from
him and have good luck. Let the old
bar go and stick to the Lawd.'
That's what / orter have dun.
stranger, but 7 was powerfully gone
on bar meat, and when 1 got all ready
l started for the woods. I was asham-
ed of 1t, though, for 1 saw tears in the
old woman's eyes. and the last words
she said to me was:
"'Zeb, it amt right, and you can't
make it right. The Lawd is a heap
bigger'n any bar in these yere noun
tings, and he don't often wallop folks,
but he must do it now and then to
keep them in the straight and narrer
path
That's what she said, but it didn't
turn me back. Mebbe I smiled to my
self and went along with my head up,
but 1 was soon to see what pride and
wickedness kin bring a critter to. l
had been spookin' for that bar for the
best part of IN hour when a stone
turned under my foot, and 1 went
down with a sprained ankle. Lawd.
how it did hurt! I knowed in a mint
that I would be laid up for a week or
two, and I likewise had a sneakin'
suspicion that the Lawd had dealt out
the first Of his punishments on me. I
was two hours gettin' home, limpin'
and crawlin' and stoppin' to rest. The
old woman had gone to p%reachin', and
I was all alone and no one to do any
thing for me. I was so nigh crazy
with pain that I busted into the cabin
and tumbled on to the bed and left the
doah open behind me.
Things Turned Around.
"Mebbe l had been lynn thar on the
bed for a matter Of fifteen minits,
groanin' with pain and cussin' myself
for an idiot. when l hears a 'woosh!'
at the open door. I don't need to hear
1t twice to know what 1t was. I'd
been huntin' for that big bar. and
now things had turned around, and he
was huntin' for me. AS nigh as l
could remember l had left my rifle
leanin' up agin the logs outside the
cabin, and If that bar wanted me all
he had to do was to walk in and help
hisself.
THAT'S what he did do. He'd likely
heard from other varmints how many
bars l had killed in the past five
years, and mebbe he also knowed
about the old woman bein' away. I
was lynn on the bed in SIGH a way
that when l had turned over u bit l
could see the varmint standin' in the
doah and surveyin' things. He didn't
waste more'n two minits at this. AS |
soon as he had made up his mind that |
he had struck a good thing he entered
the cabin and walked straight up to
me on the bed. The only thing l
could do was to play dead. I shet nv
eyes and held my breath while the
varmint smelt Of me and rooted me
with his nose You talk about goose
flesh, but It seemed al II I was clean
kivered with pimples as big as hazel
nuts. Lawd. stranger. but I was