The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-09
MESFIACF1 BROWNING AS A BOY
AND PIONEER F1UNTER-TRAPPER


spent the ngnt, turning nrSC one
side and then the other to the fire to
/ dry his clothes.
At dawn he started home, but hear
ing his dog in laurel thicket found
he had a bear, which Meshach could
not resist taking. Dressing the ami
NAL he shouldered it and walked until
he came to the Cumberland road near
Colonel Lynn's farm. It was then
twelve o'clock. The old gentleman
saw Meshach coming and went to
meet him, calling a colored man to
saddle a horse. Colonel Lynn took
him into dinner and then home. 1t was
estimated the bear weighed at least
eighty pounds, which he had carried
ten or twelve miles.
Meshach could never have survived
forty-four years of such physical
abuse if he had not been man of
prodiguous strength and marvellous
endurance.
Prepares With His Family To Move
Several seasons interviewed while
the hunter killed bear, deer and other
animals without much variation, when
Meshach's mother and step-father
came to make them long visit. In
the meantime Meshach was persuad-
ed to dispose of his interests in the
glades and return with them to Ohio.
DR.. Brooke bought his cattle, hogs
and other property that could not be
moved, the money to be paid when
they were ready to start.
Meshach's plans being completed,
not cent could he collect from DR..
Brooke. There he was, stranded,
thrown out of everything, with wife
and four children. His mother was
frantic and Meshach realizing he was
ruined, fell into the depths of despon-
dency and despair.
Mary saw something must be done,
and again she arose to the occasion
and proved the rock in weary land.
| She went to neighborhood some five
miles distant and bought powder and
lead. Returning she gave it to Mesh
ach and begged him to brace up and
take hunt, saying there was moth
ing to be gained by moping. If they
had to begin all over, it was only
through concerted effort they could
succeed.
Next morning he started early and
in four hours had killed three bears,
one weighing over four hundred
pounds, and returned in time to get
two horses and colored man from
Mr.. Hoye to go with him for the meat.
| Reestablishes His Home
Never having been able to col
lect anything from Brooke, Meshach
bought a fifty-acre lot from him, all
in woods, agreeing to pay thirty dol
lars for property that cost Brooke
two dollars.
A mill had been established about
ten miles distant, and in order to let
Meshach work on their cabin, Mary
went to mill. 1t was hot day and
as the horse was heavily laden she
walked most of the way. Pulling off
her shoes and stockings, she waded
in a stream, but she must have stayed
too long in the water, for when she
reached home she could scarcely walk.
Steadily growing worse, DR.. Brooke
was called in and pronounced her all
ment as paralysis. Finally the doc
tor said her case was hopeless.
Colonel Lynn never had any faith
in Brooke's announcements, and as
he was going to Frederick, called on
Meshach to get a description of
Mary's case and permission to con-
suit DR.. Thomas.
Meshach was so overcome he could
scarcely murmur a few words Of ap-
probation for such kindness and
thoughtfulness. AS soon as Colonel
Lynn returned he went Immediately
to see Mary and feelingly expressed
his thankfulness to find her living
and gave her the medicine that finally
restored her to health.
Hugh McMullen came for visit
and a bear hunt. Meshach leaving
the boys in charge of home affairs,
he and Hugh went to Little Crossings.
Before reaching the camp they. killed
a deer and seeing so many bear tracks
sent the dogs into thicket. Seven
bears ran out on one side and Hugh
saw at least dozen escape on the
north side. AS they were very tired
they went home to find Mr.. Spurgin,
who advised Meshach to hunt in the
glades, which he did, and in two
weeks had killed twenty-five deer.
Traps Bears and Kills Deer
Meshach became very proficient in
initiating the language of the wild
creatures and would often call tur-
keys to him. One morning he started
out to look at his traps and to take
little hunt before breakfast. He
found a family of three bears in his
traps, killed a deer and wild turkey
that dressed twenty-six puonds. At