The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1910-01-07

"Grnndpn Colonel, tell us Il story,

hhSb'ihtlbIl. "
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"GrnGdpa Colonel, tell US story"
We'll. well! Suppose tell you
about bear.
sixty or more years ago, In tho days
when California was only poor. farolf
Mexican California aud nothing more
aud was II very young officer In I'm.
rle Sans little army, once found my,
self stationed at certain inland town,
II II collection Of adobe or mud huis
deserved the name, situated about six
ty miles distant from the then scarce
~ larger village of Ierba Buenn, the
now mighty city of san Francisco.
I'VE were doing garrison duty, u siu-
Elc company under old Captain Jack
H., an easy going commander, who
gave us little to do aud plenty of time
10 do II H.
$50, as the hours hung somewhat
heavily upon our hands, Captain Jack
aud the only officers ut the post.
l'H'h w lhlilllb NliAi Nl'l
now aud then little fishing by way
If change Ia vary the monotony of our
soldier life. Countless liocks Of wild
geese, brani and lesser waterfowl
rame lw thousands 10 banquet upon
the wild ont tields aud make their
rNe,ly homes among tho wide marshes
which separate tho ilrmcr land about
3Unomn from the spreading bays that
terminate In tho Golden Gute.
I'VE Ind goose for dinner. brant for
breakfast aud cold duck for supper
md lunclT til old Jack declared his
belief that he should quack II we ate
amy more such fare,
"Unc morning | had heeu very sue.
ccssflh at duck shooting. and when
SUI s.; :.1 SPORT / proceeded to
-hlder my piece aud secure my
gone for the homeward tramp Of three
pr fuur NILES,
"y,s I lost sight OF the shooting
grounds and began to enter the live
oak groves scattered here aud there
along the higher ridges bordering the
mnrshy edges Of the bay 7 fonnd my
sclt suddenly envcloped In one OF
those dense mists which sweep up Mt
certain seasons from the sea, Ike the
ocean vnpors Of Newport summer
afternoon,
hNs | had no spcclul path nnd was
nov rendered Indlstlnct by the honry
haze, | was Obliged To move more slow
~ aud soon felt satisfied that hnd
missed my why
"RcnchIng Mt length II space open
upon three sides, The fourth being thin
~ wooded, but without u particle OF
pndrrgrnwth | paused for II moment
I" survey, So far ~ my limited horizon
would permit, II tract Of country which
Was new To me. Moreover | hoped ta
hrnr the sound Of running water,
witch. ~ | knew tho general direction
OF the streams, would serve to guide
me IN taking what sailors call fresh
departure.
"Nhile listening Inlrntly ! heard
from the wooded side Of my narrow.
Visible world II sort of pounding, M
II some man with large boots and 10
cnrns Ind found his feet unpleasanily
goId aud was cndravorlng 10 warm
lhan by stamping IN u inunncr which
brtOkrned an utter disregard for shoe
heather,
"Thcn came II whcezc like that Of II
grufI giant troubled with the asthma
aud finally n nlXed compound Of
crunchIng and mulnbIIng ns II n huge
hog were ealing hard corn. My nttcn.
tI"n now being thoroughly aroused by
so remarkable II combination Of sounds,
pccrcd into the gloom until | fnncicd
could perceive the vague, misty form
Of some creature stirring up Tho fua
within twenty feet Of the spot on
which | Ind halted.
1T iS-nu. II can't br-ycs, but II IL
II grizzly! Don't wish was at home!
That's what thought, You see.
hndu't come bear hunting. WIS duck
aiuoting aud had no couvcnicuccs for
s,rymg iIrmc n bear even II | should
Kill one, and the more ! looked nj Mr.,
Grizzly the better satisfied | Was that
hc had every convenience far killing
aud carrying me,
"Ali bad ever heard or read of his
ugly, hateful ways seemed 10 rush into
my mlnd,
'lf had been examined ON this sub.
jcct In natural history Just then
EbnItI hutn tn a la lpt,1 pf
NY class Immediately,
Eve stood looking ut each other 1t
was evidently surprise on both sides.
| stared very hnrd nj the bear with
wide open eyes while the bear stared
very hard at me with wide open mouth.
81 think the bear got over his aston
ishmcnt first. aud. what Is worst, |
could see he wasn't mt NIL alarmed. He
stopped catlng, gave snlff aud sort
Of intcrrogatory who are yonf grunt
ana then took n step toward me.
AS | am Of u retiring disposition
and have never been willing 10 In
trude myself into company where
have not been invited, | felt some dell
cacy In continuing to be a witness OF
his rcpast ard was accordingly with
drawing IN NJ transformations n way m
good manners would permit, when II
seemed to occur to bruin that he owed
:. to good fellowship to cultivate my
acquaintance
"Declining that honor ! dropped
into backward walk. keeping my
face. after the manner Of royni presen.
tatlons, toward this monarch OF tin
western wIlds. when, to my horror. lie
favored me with grin such grlh:-
and 1t was followed by snap ana
growl.
"As he quirkcned Ills steps toward
me | ulnoua i,usiy FASTENED my own.
when. taking long stride backward