The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-02-27

''All right, Tom" said the guide.
"but the old rascal won't show I'D if
we pelt his lair all day. He scents us
and now he's not hungry enough to
face the music"
Looks as if we were beat, boys" he
said, but I'm not going to give it
up so. III have the old beasts hide
If | have to camp on his trail for a
week"
Il hope you get it," said Ingram
Come, men. let's get back to camp. We
couldn't starve that grizzly out in two
weeks. He's got a hundred pounds or
SO of horsefesh left, and you may safe
ly bet that there's a spring of water
somewhere among the rocks, else the
bushes and spiky aloes wouldn't be SO
green"
The nine of us were about to follow
Dawes advice, when Jim Carroll, who
stood midway in the line was suddenly
inspired to say, IN tell you of plan.
boys! There are the fireworks left
over from Fourth of July-rockets,
crackers, Roman candles, serpents,
fireballs and such, that we've been
keeping for signals or something. I'll
go back to the wagons, get an armful
Of the stuff, climb up around the spur
and come out on top of old grizzlys
parlor. Then We'll have some fun! II
don't scare him out in short order,
never want to see Vermont again"
Jimmy, you're a genius!" cried
Tom.
The corral was barely half mile
distant. Jimmy sped away at once.
and in rather more than an hour there
after we heard his jubilant shout from
the top Of the cliff, and saw his form
clearly outlined against the sky.
Here she goes! Look out for your
selves, boys" he shouted, as giant
cracker with lighted fuse descended
through the air and exploded with
report like that of young cannon
back in bruins stronghold. No result.
Probably the old fellow took it for
random shot
Then, fast and furious, falling in
dozen different places, came fireballs,
torpedOes, crackers and Roman can
dless, while, as each one left his hands
Jimmy danced and cheered and yelled.
Hes up. l can hear him rustling
around" shouted Tom. Hello, jim
my! Give him the rockets now. He's
straight in line between you and us.
Remember, boys, you promised to give
me the first shot! He'll be on us in
minute now"
Raeburn stood about fifteen feet
from the mouth of the tunnel-like pas
sageway. and the others of US, hav-
ing managed to dsploy through the
matted bushes, were ranged on each
side of him.
Il don't know how rocketsll act go
ing downward said Dave Ingram.
THE pesky things are built to go up;
but we'll see directly
And We did; for, after warning
cry. Jimmy touched off big one,
which came screeching down to the
tops of the bushes, then curved up
ward and passed dangerously close to
our heads before exploding.
'Tie stones to their heads and send
down two together next time, JIM"
shouted Tom.
"All right" And twenty seconds
afterward the yoked pair of screaming
hurtled down into the exact
spot where we supposed the bear to
be, exploded on touching the ground,
and sent tremendous shower of fam
ing sparks through every part of the
dense scrub-wood.
This was more than Uncle Ephraim
could stand. With an appalling cry,
between the trumpeting of
a maddened elephant and the fierce
of a charging wild boar, he
came rushing out, his small, wicked
eyes glowing like Goals of fire, his
great mouth wide open, and the hair
on his enormous neck standing staight
up like living wire.
At this crisis 1 curiously watched
Tom Raeburn. He stood with levied
rife, steady as rock, without trem-
or Of a muscle; and when the raging
brute had wholly emerged from the
opening, he fired pointblank at his |
head. But although he had purposely
aimed rather low, to allow for the |
creatures speed, it was coming so |
much faster than he thought that his |
bullet struck too high up, glanced of |
the sloping skull, and stopped the |
monsters onward rush for bare half |
second. But that was enough.
Together, boys, straight for the !
brain! Fire!" shouted Ingram.
The eight rifles rang out like one re-
port No glancing now. Standing |
"a rtlv cidaWiCo to the hear we had a |