The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-09-04


OF the vanished winter yet lay deep but be-
low. down in the valley. all was dark
And yet there was life. both old and Young
fierce and hungry. As the light moved down
ward from the topmost peaks, something stirred
behind N windfall which concealed and almost
choked the narrow entrance OF small cave III
the rocks And presently around the fallen TOP
emerged a she-grizzly, followed by cub.
The old bear was very large. In her then
rendition, though lean from the winter ana the
drain of sucking, she weighed nearly SIX nun
bred pounds
The old bear was very proud Of her latest cup'
Others had preceded him, all large and shapeiy'
but he promised TO be the flower OF the Ilock'
His sire was great bald-faced grizzly, the uh-
disputed overload OF three mountain ranges
and the cub had bred true the halr OF ms race
being dull, whitish gray.
This was the cubs first invasion of a land OF
which il all went well he might some DAY pe
range lord. And because everything was new
and because he had not yet found himself, ne
made rather heavy weather of 1t.
The roaring flight of an old blue grouse when
took wing few feet away from the swinging
bulk of the old bear threw him into panic;
the sprnging chatter of a squirrel tllled ms III
tie heart with awe; and the spectacle oil huge'
very black and very dignified GILMAN pofcu-
nine made him whimper and crowd closer to the
fled and embodied to him all strength ana pro
lection and warmth and sustenance.
With this wondrous cub to guide and guard,
the old bear was very wary; and because OF thls
wariness and the limited physical powers OF her
offspring her progress was slow. she tested
the air of her advance continually not that she
feared anything on earth. not even man, Tor
herself but because for a while not even the
suspicion of peril must shadow the cub.
She was making for her favorite feeding
ground where in other years, she and her cubs
had fattened and gained strength. There were
slides and heavy timber and creek from when
by patience and cunning bear might OCCASION
ay SCOOP trout, or now and then, Wheh an
ursine providence was very good, come upon an
iridescent-sided monarch of some pool floating
enfeebled or dead i'm the shadows There were
edible roots, and rotten stumps and logs crawl
ing with insect life, and there was much game
The way, though she picked it carefully be
cause of the cub, was rough and tolsome IL
wound along the face of the mountain, some
times descending and re-ascendng deep gulches
in which the snow was melting and tire water
atriclSle but ever trending downward
Thus they iourneyed down TO The land or
promise. where the old bear had established her
nursery for future kings of the ranges, and
they began TO fatten on the bounty OF the land.
Soon the cub lost much of the baby tmldlty
which had distinguished his FIRST venture INTO
the world of living things. For as all living
things gave place and much room to the old
grizzly and indeed 20 the cub himself recog-
niznq his species and knowing well that the
mother was near at hand the little bald-tace
came TO feel a contempt for life other than ms
own; and he lorded il much after the manner
Of a pampered young princelng his native cour-
age and insoence far outpacing his physical
growth. He learned the taste Of red meat,
for his mother killed a doe breaking It's back
with a single blow Of her terrible paw.
One day the pair were toraglng near the
creek The ground was partly open, partly
covered with clumps of bushes Trees were
scarce and at wide intervals. The cub knew the
ground well lie had been there before many
times And so he ventured, now and then, to
stray fifty yards on even hundred, from his
mother.
On one of these brief excursions, sttange
and unknown scent struck his curious nostrlls.
1t was the smell of "a living thing, but Of one
with which he was unacqualnted. lie shrank
from it, disliking it. fearing 1t instlnctively.
He desired to run to his mother, but the dreaded
scent was blown from the direction IN which
he knew she was ranging. And so he waited.
Suddenly, very near and making directly FOR
him. a strange animal appeared. II walked up
right upon its hind legs, and its forelegs which
seemed short held what looked ike a long black
stick. Never had the cub seen the like.
The scent at first alarming was now, when
stronger terrifying. He had never seen man,
and it is very doubtful if an old bear is capable
Of imparting information to her young as TO
anything absolutely unknown. But instinct
warned him that here was an enemy to be
dreaded He feared, and, fearing cried for his
mother precisely as a child might, and, yielding
10 panic, ran I'm the opposite direction
AT the first sound from the cub, the man
wheeled swiftly the rifle, which he carried in a
position OF readiness, half leaping to his Shout
der. lie saw the cub scuuying away. and
stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes instinctively
and methodicaly noticing the distance and oca-