Year: 1863

| haste.


Lawful goodness - CALCULATED Sally,
rising in alarm, "what is it,"
"What is it | saw Tom Smith not
an hour ago, and he told me that this
morning as Tom and Jim was going over
the hill, there came up she bear-a big
black, savage she bear, with cubs. right
out of the bushes. They didn't dare to
fight her without guns, but they are going
to get up crew towards night, and kill
the critter if possible. Poor little Mary.
Keep up a good heart, wife, may be it
aren't so bad as fearn' and shouldering
his musket, farmer Horton hurried out of
he house, and struck into the dismal path
over the hill.


1t is terrible thing to have child
a creature of your own flesh and blood
exposed to imminent peril, and know
yourself powerless to aid, impotent to
help. Farmer Horton went on, 4 dread
full fear tugging at his heart strings and
urging him to renewed and continued ef-
fort


The summit of the hill was reached
in the dry sand he observed the footsteps
of his child. another incentive to action
and he few, rather than walked down the
steep pathway.


But stay his blood freezes, his life
congeals in horror at the spectacle!


Before him lay the open field of the
forty acre lot. At the extremity of this
stretch of land there was huge rock,
with few stinted shrubs, and hero and
there a handful of sickly moss clinglng to
its sides.


Hi crippled son Congratulated from
an early attack Of discase-had gone into
the field that morning with his brother
William, not because he could assist him
in his labors, but because his beautiful
soul dearly loved the sweet communion of
the great hills, and the tender blue OF the
silent sky.


Now looking down upon the field the
father saw his children, and, like 4 reed
in the wind, he shuddcrcd at the i5ht.-
William lay extended upon the ground,
apparently liieless, and hut few PAGES
from him stood Mary. Her bonnet had
fallen off, ani her brown curls were float
ing in the breeze mass OF dusky gold.
Her right arm was stretched toward the
rock her left-John Horton gave a
sharp, stern groan as he observed it
Black and terrific in her maddenel fury,
a monster bear half crouched by the side
OF the girI, and down the yawnjng mouth
of the animal was thrust ths fair arm Of
Mary, down even to the shoulder


For the meaning Of the scene the IA
ther was not long IN conjectariny reas-
on. Following the direction of the right
arm he saw George, the cripple, was
slowly nearing the rock moment more
ani he would scale it Once upon the
summit AMI he was safe. The father saw
the quivering of that slender arm, the
torn and mutllatcl tlash--in another mo-
meat the bear would be free, and then
He leveled his muskct.


Mary, my dear girl, turn your body
to the right


1t was fearful moment; but John
Horizons hand never trcmbled. \ brave
mans never does in the extreme hour OF
trial. Mary obeyed the order, and calm
and pale she stood with that deadly wcap-
on pointed at hcr--that ravcnous animal
Just ready to spring upon her form.


One trcmbe Of the tin.ar--one hairs
breadth iuaceuracy in the aim. John lior-
ton. and you will shed your chili's blood.
He pulled the trigger, and closed his
eyes. The report rang out loud and clear
over the clearing. lie looked-Mary
stood as before, but the bear was writh-
ing in the agones of death at her side,


\ hurried, joyful bound, and the faith
or held her in his arms.


"Oh, Mary! Mary. how much is it
is it


He left the sentence unfinished save by
pointing at the bleeding mass Of flesh
which hung useless at her shoulder. John
Horton marked the dreadful sight, and
strong man, brave hearted as he was, he
burst into tears.


d" Never mind, father, | have saved
Georges life" And deeply grievins and
sorrowing over the terrible sacrifice which
was the price Of his sons salvation, yet
did that father rejoice that Mary, his
daughter was noble enough to make 1t.


1t seemed that after taking the boys
dinner to them, the girl had set out on
her return home. She had proceeded but
short distance when cry from George
had alarmed her, and turning, saw a
large bear, followed by two cabs, moving
s,ealthily across the farther portion OF
the clearing. To turn back was her first
impulse, and she did SO, William, who
was strong young fellow of fifteen,
armed with a stick, determined upon fight
rather than flight, and George, cripple
though he was, refused to seek his own
safety by deserting his brother.


The struggle between the courageous
youth and his formidable adversary was
prolonged and fearful; at times the VIC
tory was on the point Of being given to
William, and then the superior strength
his foe overpowered him. At length a
blow from the animals huge paw struck
him upon the head and felled him to the
earth. In another moment he would
have been food for the cowardy cubs, had
not Mary, thinking only Of saving her
brothers, rushed forward aud thrust her
arm lin the hand Of which she still held
the wicketed bottle that had contained the
coffee for the boys dlnuer,l down the
throat of the infuriated beast.


m :...1 800 a,unnal and MT lii