The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-12-20
Grandpa Colonel, tell us a story !"
BY ELEANOR q. GARDNER

Grandpa Colonel, tell us a story"
We'll, well! Suppose 1 tell you
about a bear
Sixty or more years ago. in the days |
when California was only poor. faroff !
Mexican California and nothing more |
and l was very young officer in Un-
Gle Sans little army. l once found my
self stationed at a certain inland town,
If collection Of adobe or mud huts
deserved the name, situated about six
ty miles distant from the then scarce
ly larger village Of Yerba Buena, the
now mighty city of San Francisco.
I'VE were doing garrison duty. sin
gle company under old Captain Jack
gave US little to do and plenty Of time
to do it in.
80, as the hours hung somewhat
heavily upon our hands, Captain Jack
and 1.-The only officers at the post
took to hunting and shooting. with
now and then a little fishing by way
of change to vary the monOtony of our
soldier life. Countless focks Of wild
geese, brant and lesser waterfowl
came by thousands to banquet upon
the wild oat fields and make their
reedy homes among the wide marshes
which separate the firmer land about
Sonoma from the spreading bays that
terminate in the Golden Gate.
1--WE had goose for dinner. brant for
breakfast and cold duck for supper
and lunch till old Jack declared his
belief that he should quack if we ate
| any more such fare.
Zone morning l had been very sue
cessful at duck shooting, and when
l tired Of the sport l proceeded to
shoulder my piece and secure my
| game for the homeward tramp of three
or four miles.
'As l lost sight of the shooting
| grounds and began to enter the live
oak groves scattered here and there
along the higher ridges bordering the
marshy edges of the bayrI found my
self suddenly enveloped in one of
those dense mists which sweep up at
certain seasons from the sea, like the
ocean vapors Of Newport summer
! afternoon.
Gas I he'd no special path and was
travelling only by familiar landmarks
now rendered indistinct by the hoary
haze, | was obliged to move more slow.
" and soon felt satisfied that l had
missed my way.
Reaching at length a space open
upon three sides, the fourth being thin
" wooded. but without particle OF
underground. l paused for moment
t.. survey. so far as my limited horizon
would permit, tract of country which
| was new to me. Moreover, hoped tC
hear the sound of running water
which, as l knew the general direction
Of the streams, would serve to guide
me in taking what sailors call a fresh
departure.
while listening intently: / heard
from the wooded side of my narrow
visible world sort Of pounding, as
If some man with large boots and nc
corns had found his feet unpleasantly
cold and was endeavOring to warm
them by stamping in a manner which
betokened an utter disregard for shoe
leather.
Then came a wheeze like that of 6
| gruff giant troubled with the asthma
and finally a mixed compound Of
crunching and mumbling. as if huge
hog were eating hard corn. My atten
ton now being thoroughly aroused by
so remarkable combination of sounds
/ peered into the gloom until l fanciet
! could perceive the vague. misty form
Of some creature stirring up the TO:
within twenty feet of the spot OF
which l had halted.
''It iS-no, it can't be-yeS. but it il
, a grizzly. Don't l wish l was at home
:, That's what l thought. You see,
, hadn't come bear hunting. l was duel
=, shooting and had no conveniences TO
carrying home bear even if l shoult
Grizzly the better satisfied l was tina
he had every convenience for killing
2 and carrying me.
= 'AIl l bad ever heard or read of hi
t ugly. hateful ways seemed to rush int
= my mind.
+ IF had been examined on this sub
ject in natural history just then
should have gone up to the head o
my class Immediately.
eve stood looking at each other.
was evidently a surprise on both sides
/ stared very hard at the bear wit
7 wide open eyes, while the bear stare
: very hard at me with wide open mouth
Il think the bear got over his aston
ishment first, and, what is worst,
n could see he wasn't at all alarmed. II
stopped eating. gave a sniff and a Sol
Of interrogatory Who are your grun
n and then took a step toward me.
CAS- l am Of a retiring dispositio
and have never been willing to il
5 trude myself into company where
- have not been invited, l felt some del
3 cacy in continuing to be a witness c
y his repast and was accordingly will
drawing in as transformations q way q
good manners would permit. when
seemed to occur to bruin that he owe
: II to good fellowship to cultivate IN
: acquaintance.
Z Declining that honor. I droppe
J. into a backward walk. keeping m