Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-09-05

moment in order to say a word
ourselves concerning this term
"shanty." 1t is now in general use
throughout the whole of the
United States, meaning cabin
that has been constructed i'm
haste, and for temporary purposes.
The chiente," or shanty Of lie
Bourbon, stood quite near to the
banks Of the Kalamazoo, and in a
most beautiful grove of the burr
oak. Ben had selected the site
with much taste, though the prox-
unity OF a spring OF delicious
water had probably it's full share
in influencing his decision. 1t
was necessary, moreover, that he
should be near the river, as his
great movements were all made by
water, for the convenience OF
transporting his tools, furniture,
etc., as well as his honey. A famous
bark canoe lay in a little bay, out
of the current of the stream Sc
curely moored, head and stern, in
order to prevent her beating
against any object harder than
herself.
The dwelling had been construct
ed with some attention to secur-
ity. This was rendered necessary,
in some measure, as Ben had found
by experience, on account of two
classes of enemies-men and bears.
From the first, it is true, the bee
hunter had hitherto apprehended
but little. There were few human
beings in that region. In that
day, however, near as to
the date, but distant as
to the events, the Chippewas, OF
tawas. Pottawattamies. and kindred
tribes, We believe, had still foot
ing in Michigan proper, and were
to be found in considerable num-
bers in what was called the st.
Joseph's country, or along the
banks OF the stream of that name !;
region that almost merits the
lofty appellation of the garden OF
America. lie Bourbon knew many
Of their warriors, and was much
esteemed among them though he
had never met with either Of those
whom chance now had thrown in
his way. In general, he suffered
little wrong from the red men, who
wondered at his occupation, while
they liked his character; but he
had sustained losses, and even ill
treatment, from certain out
casts of the tribes, as well as from
vagrant whites, who occasionally
found their way to his temporary
dwellings. On the present occasion,
lie Bourbon felt far more un-
easiness from the circumstance OF
having his abode known to Ger
shom Waring, a countryman, and
fellow-Christian, in one sense at
least, than from its being known
to the Chippewa and Pottawat-
tamie.
The bears were constant and
dangerous sources of annoyance to
the bee-hunter. 1t was not often
that an armed man-and lie Bour-
don seldom moved without his rifle
has much to apprehend from the
common brown bear of America.
Though a formidable-looking an
imal, especially when full grown,
it is seldom bold enough to attack
a human being, nothing but hun
ger, or care for its young, ever
inducing it to go 30 much out Of
the ordinary track of its habits.
But the love of the bear for honey
amounts to apassion. Not only
will it devise all sorts OF bearish
expedients to get at the
sweet morsels but ii will scent
them from afar. On one occasion,
a family of Bruins had looked into
a shanty of Ben's, that was not
constructed with sufficient care,
and contaminated their burglary
by demolishing the last comb. That
disaster almost ruined the adven-
turer, then quite young in his cal
ling and ever since its occurrence,
he had taken the precaution to
build such a citadel as should at
least set teeth and paws at de-
fiance. To one who had an axe,
with access to young pines, this
was not a difficult task, as was
proved by the present habitation
of our hero.
This was the second season that
lie Bourbon had occupied "Castle
Meal" as he himself called the
shanty. This appellation was a cor
ruption Of "Chateau au Mel" a
name given to it by wag of a
voyageur, who had aided Ben in
ascending the Kalamazoo the prev
iona a,,p,N,a. aud ha1 pap,asnaI