Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-12-29

One day, when he was twelve year,
old, he went up Cimarron Creek with
a smaller boy. They caught some
trout, shot a pheasant out Of a tree
and had a good camp dinner. After
dinner was over, the younger boy wen,
to get a can Of water from the spring
nearby. In a moment he came rush
ing back; his face was white and his
eyes were starting from their sock
cts.
"a bear!" he cried; ian old bald
face grizzly right down at the spring
And he growled at mel" Then he fell
to shivering 80 that he could hardly
| stand.
George sprang up and seized his
rifle. Here, climb on that rock
where he can't get you!" he shouted
He pointed to some jagged, splintered
pinnacles Of rock that stuck up near.
by. No bear could climb up as far al
an agile boy could 60. "I'm going to
shoot that bear" George announced
Maybe I'll have to run a little but
you get ready to throw rocks at him
when I tell you to-" And he started
down the creek.
He had not gone ten steps when
the bear met him. George took quick
aim, and fired. The little bullet only
stung old bald-face into a vicious
temper. George sprang for the rocks
and squeezed himself through q
crevice that was just wide enough to
admit his slender body. The rocks
stood in a series Of irregular. jagged
columns, almost like a picket fence
the broken fragments Of a great reef
that had separated into isolated,
comb-like fragments.
The bear, growing furiously, plung-
ed at the crevice. He could not get
through. The boy reloaded his little
weapon, and fired another shot point
blank in the animals face. The bear
roared. and lunged again into the
crevice after his elusive enemy. Find
ing that he could not get through, he
drew back, and with incredible agility,
he rushed at the next crevice, onlr q
few feet away, and sprang through.
He almost caught the boy, who was
reloading his weapon. Only a des-
perate leap saved George; and he left
his gun behind. The bear seized 1t,
and bit the stock in two. Then he
darted back for the crevice through
which he had come to try to catch
the boy on the other side.
AS the bear rushed round the pin
nacle, George stepped back through
the smaller crevice. He could keep
this up indefinitely. for he had to
move not more than ten or twelve
feet each time, whereas the bear had
to go perhaps seventy-five feet in all
and turn a sharp corner.
Meantime, the smaller boy on top
Of the pinnacle began to throw rocks
down on the bear. He had not much
strength, but some Of the missiles
hurt. The diversion gave George
time to reload the broken rifle; and
the next time the bear came to the
crevice after him, he fred the weapon
down the bears throat.
It was a lucky shot, for the bear
began to cough and to bleed profuse-
ly. But the battle was by no means
over. Time after time the bear raced
round the big rock, while the boy slip
ped through the short way to safety.
Every minute or two George had a
chance to reload the broken, stock
less rifle, and give the bear single
shot In return. Finally. he hit the
bear in the eye. That crazed the
grizzly; he charged aimlessly. for he
had lost the power to guide HIS rage
effectively. Another shot took effect
in the other eye-and the battle was
over. The big bear was not dead.
but he lay gasping. George advanced
cautiously, put the loaded CUR
against the bears neck and pulled
the trigger. It was fortunate shot;
and the bear, with shudder, straight
ened out out and breathed his last
Youths Companion.