Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-03-16
PROVED HIS METAL
MULE DRIVER coNalnEfsN Sly
SETTER yhAN HE LOOKED
stampsded BY Bear, He Guided Team
With remarkable skill Until On
ayodable Accident Finished
Run, but Hs Killed srnln.

Run, but Hs Killed erplu
George Iiasidna was longlegged
red.headed, long-armed. thin. freckled
and mild lie had the voice Of bass
fiddle and the manners OF a bashful
boy OF thirteen. He stood three
inches above six feet. and weighed
1871 pounds. Under an immense Mex
lean hat hia face looked like turkey :
egg IN clothes basket His thin
waist was enclrcIed with belt four
inches wide, embelliahed with brass
studs. His arms stuck lar out 81 bis
sleeves. and his trousers did moi
reach his shoe tops But there was
something appealing about him. and
his eyes were very steady and depend
able.
Every day he drove four mules over
the trail between the mining camp
and the railway station. II miles SWAY
and 1000 feet lower lie dr0ye well
hia mules were perfectly kept and he
soon won their confidence
He had an unexpected SENSE 81 hu.
NOR. too, and vas popular about the
camp In spite Of his unprmiaing
looks
One day George asked the boss 10
lend him bis revolver. ne had seen
several snakes and bear and had
no weapon. The boss let him have Il.
aud within two weeks George had
three rattlepaakea skins and three
prong buck head "a the stable wan
About three weeks after he began
carrying the gun man rode Into
camp and asked whether We knew
that freight wagon had zone ea the
grade three miles ysoNu TIE trail he
said the truck tnrued sqmreiS ont Do
the Ief, md weYH down 4 alide that hr
was sure no team could Keep iis feet
on. ard bad g,one 6nt ~ sight aInnns
The pines below
Seven u az siarled o. d once
NO man On earth can ride i wagon
down fhere and keen on Il said Pete
Simpson as hc looked II TIE atoet
laeline down Witch the waegn 4acEs
plunged bui that loar legred Kaleot
has done is. ard | can ride mule
where he ean ride q wagon. 80 hers
Roea'# he plunged OF. and the rest
followed Tho chaparrai brush was
several feet high: II whipped ibo rld
err faces. tore their sleeves and trou.
aera. and tangled the animals fpst un
III they stumbled aeain and again
AZ enc foot uf tha Mitch The men
found thai the wagon had nad6 i
quick tnrh - ibe leH 10 gyoia q
bbwlder iben spoihef 20 the tlgpt q
dodge tree. and bad entered thf
pinps Oh The aead fun Iiuw ans
driver copld baye kept his hrba aFiei
that plich over ss.dearse patch ~
rough chaparfai and b. IL shapa q
guide four frantic mules waa beyond
understanding,
Only little farther thes found
George ana The mules Their har
neasea we're broken a9d hanging u
strips. bur MOI mule aaa baalg hurt
Thr wagon lay OF its side againai =
rig Eiac and ~ confHBIs we're scat
tered aii over tbe eruuna geMst
.as sitting w against log wlSh bis
right arm and leF bnoHeA hNl hiF
voice Naa chesrfai aslie sssd fisde
Whom the buys Ind rouRhly Sra
the broktn Limbs George t0l8 iheai
whut had happened
Ne bad met big heaf VI she trhfi
and the brute oharged the laaeega Gas
81 pure meanuess The muleR Whified
short spd jumped oset The bank and
the whcelefs followed George palled
the revolver and toeR enap akel
40 he weut past The besF, and then
dropped The run % pug Bis EtrenRiil
on the lines. lie had kept ihe malca
straight until the lasi uHn 10 tbr
plstep. aud then the mules headed fot
space too marrow for eae ~aRon H.
tried TO turn them, aaa ehe eaepn
vent over ard threw him againsi :
tree.
Pete Simpson vowed TINT 30 Mppld
follow the bear far the nexs Ais
months II necessary 10 re- him. gpd
after they Goi George back % eamr
pete began 10 prepare FOR a bear hunt
that very night
Ne telegfapbea a. his brother iu
miles away. 20 come and bring hia
pair u hounds The brother eRme Ii
with the night freight ana ~ day
light the henuds wero snininK the
tfncka of the bear laor two mites az
and over the worst peaks and f.dges
they led the Hunters
Then the dags began 10 bay down
in dark, heavily wooded canyon a.
the right The men scrambled down
into the canyon and eraslea over
rocks and logs to where they could
aee the dogs They were having Z
dead bear.
That hurried shUt rs the wagon lore
after the mules down that PERCEPTIONS
slide had gone home, and the bear
had gone into the canyon 70 bleed to