The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-07-28


hope, for a moment, that l might es-
cape discovery.
But no; Ephralm either smelled
me or the bacon snd sugar that | had
turned loose, and back he came.
grunting and clawing into the wood
pile. When he raked my barrel out
of the wreckage and poked his muz-
zle in at It's opening let him have
the knife. Then things happened to
the barrel and me.
"The grizzly threw himself upon
the cask as upon living thing, rip
| ping at It with teeth and claws, and
roaring like a mad lion. Scared lest
his cutting would spill me out. l
wedged myself in with the back of
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
jab. And so, well braced. took
my punishment.
"The cask was OF the stoutest ma
terial, hooped, at six-inch spaces. in
iron, and no animal of less strength
than an elephant could have crushed
Its slaves.
when the bear reached paw in
at the opening drove the point Of
my knife into his palm There was
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 fiat
wise or spun round and round as the
bear cuffed and clawed at the barrel.
"He got the cask presently clear
outside the wreckage of the shack
and banged 1t 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 II my backbone
and my shins are sore yet when get
to thinking about 1t.
after minute or two of such
pounding the barrel was tumbled into
an open space, and away 1t went
down the slope. What happened in
the next minute Is a 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.
II 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 piece OF red sky
doing dance around me.
"Then staggered to my feet, won
dering where l was and what had
happened, and was brought to my
senses by squeal of rage from
Moses, followed by cracking thump,
and a roar from Ephraim
"Then knew the grizzly had
charged after the barrel, had some
how missed me in his rage, and had
brought up at the mule 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,
ierked the moss out of a crack.
reached in with my knife, which l
had picked up when l was spilled,
and cut the rawhide which tethered
Moses.
THE mule was fighting 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
licks. 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 a
sounding thump that was good to
hear.
1T was simply astonishing - the
amount of punishment that silvertip
was willing to take. Blinded by
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 I dared overhaul him, I found !
some ugly cuts on his fianks and |
hams, and some nasty bruises on his |
lower legs, but they were only such |
hurts as good bathing and