The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-07-06

my head and shoulders against the
half head, and my feet braced at the
whole end, while one hand pushed
against the slaves opposite my face,
and the other held my knife, ready for
a jab. And so. well braced, too;
nay punishment
The cask was of the stoutest ma
terial, hoped, at six-inch spaces, in
iron, and no animal of less strength
than an elephant could have crushed
its slaves.
When the bear reached a paw in
at the opening I drove the point OF
my knife into his palm. There was,
a sudden exit of the paw, and whin-
ing roar Of pain, but he only fell upon
my defenseless cover with increased
wrate.
Sometimes I was stood on my
head, again on my crossed legs, but
more often / was rolled about fat
wise or spun round and round as the
bear cuffed and clawed at the barrel
HE got the cask presently cleai
outside the wreckage Of the shack
and banged it about among the small.
growth. No loser at prize fight, /
reckon, was ever more outrageously
thumped during his battle than was
while that grizzly mauled my barrel.
Ugh 1t seems as if my backbone
and my shins are sore yet when get
to thinking about it.
After a minute or two of such
pounding the barrel was tumbled into
an open space, and away it went
down the slope. What happened in
the next minute is fit of delirium
to me. Somewhere between the shack
and the mule shed the barrel hit an
obstruction, mercifully spilled me out
and went whizzing on into the creek.
81 suppose it was only for some
seconds, but it seemed to me an age
that lay on my back, with the hills,
some clouds and a piece of red sky
doing dance around me.
Then I staggered to my feet, won
dering where I was and what had
senses by squeal of rage from
Moses, followed by a cracking thump,
and a roar from Ephraim.
''Then I knew the grizzly had
charged after the barrel, had some
how missed me in his rage, and had
brought up at the nsuse shed. In
stantly | was scared for Moses safety.
Tied as he was the mule would be
helpless and have no chance to get
away. For the minute / forgot my
own danger.
81 ran to the back of the shed,
which was the side nearest me.
jerked the moss out of crack,
reached in with my knife, which
had picked up when l was spilled,
and cut the rawhide which tethered
Moses.
1.-THE mule was lighting the fight
of his life to keep Ephraim from
clawing his rump. He was pulling
back at his rope when slashed it,
and he backed his fighting quarters
into outdoor territory as quick as
scat.
81 climbed up on the shed, grabbed
a pole, and stood ready to put in my
ticks. Then-well, came pretty
near getting even with that bear. |
was in time to see Moses slam his
heels into the grizzly's chest with
sounding thump that was good to
hear.
1T was simply astonishing the
amount of punishment that silvertip
was willing to take. Blinded by
lightning strokes and beaten back
again and again, he rushed to the
fray with jaws open, only to have his
teeth kicked down his throat.
There was no need for me to take
part in that fight. From the Begin
ming Moses had things his own way.
With an eye to the rear, his forefeet
gathered close, the mules spine
curved like willow whipped in the
wind In vain the bear tried to get
past his battery, to rush in under his
flying heels,
when the grizzly was finally and
ANONYMOUSLY tumbled over the creek
bank the fight was ended. He gath
cred himself up, grumbling, crossed
the creek and skunk off among the
bushes.
when Moses cooled off enough so
that | dared overhaul him, found
some ugly cuts on his TANKS and
hams, and some nasty bruises on his
lower legs, but they were only such
superficial hurts as good bathing and
a little grease would cure in the end. "
Youths Companion.