The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-12-20

western wflds, when, to my horror, 10
favored NE with a grin-such a grim
and 1t was followed by a snap and q
growl.
AS he quickened his steps toward
me | unconsciously FASTENED my own,
when. taking q long stride backward,
found myself suddenly PROSTATE In
q sort Of dry ditch or slough. where
lay for moment half stunned In COM
pany with my dead birds and duck
gun.
LAS recovered myself l could hear
my grunting and grumbling friend.
doubtless not a little astonished at this
sudden disappearance. 60 tramping up
and down In the vain attempt to nose
me out In the fog.
81 had now time to think and, as q
merchant might say. take stock Of
my position and prospects. On the one
side was chased by bear-a hungry
bear. a cross bear, a bear disturbed at
his breakfast of sweet acorns. l had
lost my way. l had only a ducking
gun, which. however formidable to
wild geese, was a mere plaything
when brought to bear upon the thick.
tough hide Of an acorn fattened griz-
Fly, whose gross weight might be
somewhere In the neighborhood of 900
pounds. AS for my hunting knife,
had left it at home. What wonder IL.
as an Irishman might say. l wished
that l had left myself there before
started?
Against all this / had the consola-
! tory assurance that the grizzly bear
never climbs. which. as the trees were
all on the side of the bear. did not add
much to my sense Of security. But
my principal hope lay In the fact that
/ was just then hidden by the gully,
the depth Of which varied from eight
to twelve feet. with precipitous sides
and dry bed, which probably led
down to some neighboring stream of
water.
Now thought L, 4 have only to
crawl along this ditch, reach the
stream. cross it and bid goodby to
grizzly
Il had just picked myself up and
was proceeding to carry out my plan
of escape when l heard a cracking
and breaking of the underbrush which
fringed the ditch and by which l was
partly screened from view. This was
speedily followed by an angry grOwl
as the treacherous earth gave way and
, let Mr.. Bear with no gentle tumble
, directly down into the very gully into
, which had fallen.
"FOrtunately for me. bruin had not
, only a greater fall. but tumbled into
= the ditch at a point somewhat distant
, from my hiding place, and the little
. ferret eyes did not at once perceive
: me. An unlucky stumble, however.
f which l owed to a twisted root, be-
t trayed me. and he turned and gave
e chase.
+ 'They have very expressive phrase
in California when a person Is desired
8 to leave suddenly. 1t consists of but
, two words. You gitr My dears,
v when that bear tumbled into my gully
: 4 got and when he took up the chase
4 l continued to git in a style which
astonished even myself.
n when first saw him fall certain4
! ly hoped that he had broken his nose
+ at least or even dislocated his great
= ugly neck. but that hope vanished in
~ a moment. =.
h Gle was evidentlY not a whit, the
q worse for his somersault
r, "It was no. longer a matter of cere-
n. mony.. T sped over the ground like a
e hunted deer. while my stout friend
h came numbering and putting on behind.
like a portly old gentleman who fears
d he may be too late for the evening
=. train. l was expecting every moment
= to feel the blow Of his heavy paw.
O when, turning an angle Of the gully,
v perceived, with no little dismay, that
n the ditch in front of me was blocked
II by an immense fallen tree. The small
C er end of the broken trunk, being to-
ward me, showed an opening wide
a enough to admit my then somewhat
q more than usually slender form.
# There was little time for hesitation
e l could hear the bears heavy tramp
!, behind me. A moment more and
" had plunged into the opening and drew
$ my gun after me. just as my fat friend
Il rounded the turn Of the slough In hot
n pursuit. Running blindly on. he en-
or deavored TO force himself after me
m giving the log a shock which made me
tremble for the security of my new
l. tenement.
e. Zone or two furious piunges tended
/ to convince him that l could enter
X where his huge frame could not. for be
Dr. seemed to reflect and finally intro
Id duced a paw, from whose farreachiug
+. grab | retired into the inner recesses
at Of my chamber
lg Finding that his attempts in this
way were equally futile. l began tt
is feel little more at ease, and wher
to bruin again poked in his great paw il
an inquiring sort of way 1 managed tt
b. push a dead duck out to him with thu
1 butt of my gun by way Of peace of
Of fering. 1 was willing just then to hav'
peace at any price short Of surrender.
1t But Sir Bear had no thought o
g. such compromise. He tore away ant
th made the feathers fly with his crue
ed teeth and claws in style which CAV
h. me pretty lively notion Of what
u might expect were 1 to trust mysel
~, hot