Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-09-07
place for a bear hunt, Charlie thot.

So he set out for the corn field
his gun in the crook of
his ann as he had seen his father
do. His motehr watched him anX-
lously.
He will get lost" she said. Moth
ers are anxious about their boys,
you know.
mo, no" laughed papa. LET him
go. He will have a good time, and
can hurt him there. 1t is a
real forest to him. Ill send Carlo
by and by. He will find him if he
is lost
But papa didn't know what was
in that corn field. He didn't even
dream the truth or else you may
be sure he would not have let
Charlie go.
For a time the boy went on
among the long shady rows. 1t was
quite like a forest.
frisky squirrels chartered and ran
away from him, and he started a
flock of cartridges, which were
looking for their supper, but such
game was too small for Charlie
He was after a bear and he found
it,
When he had come to the end of
fhn
where the sweet corn was planted
and the rows were thinner and not
so tall, he saw a great black bear
sitting upright upon his launches
and stripping the ears of tender
corn.
What a splendid chance to shoot
a bear.
Charlie trembled with excitement
and he was a little frightened
too. Wouldn't any boy be excited
and frightened, too, when he was
about to shoot bear? He dropped
upon one knee as. he had seen his
father do, and pulled the trigger.
"Ouf, OUT" said the bear as the
shot touched the top of one round
ear as it whizzed past.
Then he spied Charlie who was
taking aim with trembling hands
for another shot.
Bang" this time the shot struck
him plump on the end OF the nose.
He dropped or his fore-feet and
shuffled toward Charlie.
With scream Charlie dropped
his gun and ran, anywhere to get
away from the great beast close be
hind him.
Shrek after shrek rent the air
as he lodged from one corn row
to another in his efforts to hide
himself from the bear which kept
close to his heels.
After Charlie had left the house
his papa sat on the veranda read
ing when a man came hurriedly uI
!, the walk.
Seen anything of a bear around
here?'' he said. II belong to the
circus which is showing in YOU
town, and our best performing beal
got away last night. We've track
ed him as far as your cornfield-
Our cornfield,' gasped mama
"and Charlie is out there"
| But the animal is tame ant
won't hurt him." said papa as he
!; sprang up and snatched his hat, bu
mama noticed that he was yer,
pale as he whistled for Carlo, ant
her own anxiety was increased.
j Find him, Carlo, fir,d him, goot
dog" said papa when they reached
the spot where Charlie had entere.
the corn.
Away Went Carlo, and away wen
papa and the circus NAM after him.
They heard Charles screams, say
him dashiag through the corn, an,
the next minute saw the huge bea
lunge forward and catch the bo
in his strong paws.
They could see the look of morta
terror on Charities face as he fel
the BEARS paws close around him.
Don't We be a mite Uneasy, sir,
said the circus man. That's onl
one of his tricks. Stand back; II
sooft have the boy safe. Down
4 Brutus; down SIR and the bear in
{ stantly obeyed.
Charlie was not hurt but he wa
dreadfully frightened and has ha
no desire to go on another bea
hunt.
He had had rather too much of
and nayar cpnSad "a q,