Year: 1866

OF Salmon River, was Nermonter named
Dobson-a resolute and an athletic man.
Returning one evening from hunt after
his vagrsnt cows-which, according to Gus.
tom in new countries, had been turned into
the woods to procure their own subsistence
from the rank herbage of the early summer
Just before emerging frou the forest upon
the clearing of his neighbor, the late wor-
thy Mr.. Sleeper, be saw large bear descend
ing from sycamore, where he had prob
ably been in quest of honey. A bear as
oends tree much more expertly than he
descends it, being obliged to come down
stern foremost. My friend Dobsou did not
like to be joined in his evening walk by
such a companion, and without rejecting
what he should do with the "varmint" af
forwards, he ran up to the tree on the op.
posite side from the animals body, and just
on his reaching the ground, seized him
firmly BY both fore paws. Bruin growled
and gnashed his tusks, but he soon ascer-
tanned that his paws were in the grasp of
paws equally iron strong with his own
Nor could be use his hinder claws to dis.
embowel his antagonist, as the manner Of
the bear is, inasmuch as the tree was be-
tween them. But Dobson's predicament, as
he had rather the most reason, was worse
yet. He could no more assail the bear than
the bear could assaii him. Nor could be
venture to let 60 of him, since the presump
tion was that Bruin would not make very
gracious return for thus unceremoniously ia.
king him by the hand. The twilight was
fast deeping into darkness, and his position
was far less comfortable than it otherwise
would have been at the same hour, surround
ed by his wife and children at the supper
table, to say nothing of the gloomy pros
poets of the night. Still, as Joe Sleeper's
house was not far distant, be hoped to call
him to his assistance But his lungs, though
none of the weakest were unequal to the
task although he halloed and baWled the
liveloug night, making the woods and vel
kin ring again, he succeeded no better than
did Glendower of old, in calling spirits from
the vastly deep. 1t was wearisome night
for Dobson such game of boldfass ne had
never been engaged in before. Bruin, too,
was probably somewhat wesried; although
he could not describe his sensationsiu Eng
lish, he took the regular John Bull meth
cd of making known his dissatisfaction, that
is to say, he growled necessarily. But there
was no let 60 in the case, and Dobson was
therefore under the necessity of holding
fast until he felt as if his cenchiug and ach-
ing fingers and the bears paws had grown
together.


As daylight returned, and the smoke
from Mr.. Sleeper's chimney began to curl
up gracefully, though rather dimly, in the
distance, Dobsou again repeated his cries
for succor, and his heart was soon gladden.
ed by the appearance of his worthy but in
active neighbor, who had at last been attrac
ted by the voice Of the impatient sufferer,
bearing an axe upon his shoulder Dobson
had never so much rejoiced at seeing Mr..
Sleeper, albeit he was very kind and es-
timable neighbor.


"Why don't you make haste, Sleeper,
and not be lounging about at this rate,
when you see Christian in such kettle
of fish as this p


II yum Is that you, Mr.. Dobson, up
agin tree thar? And was it you hearn
hallooing so last night? Iguess you ought
to have your lodgings for nothing, if you've
stood up agin that tree thar all night"


"It's no joke though, I can tell you, Joe
Sleeper, and if you had hold of the black
varmint, it strikes me that you'd tank that
you'd paid dear enough for it. But if you
heard me calling for help, and in the night,
why didn't you come and see what was the
trouble 2"


sob, I was just going tired to bed after
laying up log fence all day, and thought
I'd wait till morning, and come ont bright
and airzy. But if I'd known twas you"


"Known it was me-" replied Dobson bit
terly; "you knew twas somebody who had
flesh and blood, too good for those plaguy
black varmints though; and you knew there
had been smart sprinkle of bears about
the settlement all the spring"


"Weli, don't be in huff, Tommy. It's
never too late to do good So hold tight,
DOW, and don't let the tarnal critter gel
loose, while I split his head open"


"No, no." said Dobson. CATER holding
the beast all night, think l ought to have
the satisfaction of killing him. So you just
take hold of his paws here, and will take
the axe and let streak Of daylight into his
skull about the quickest"


The proposition being a fair one, Mr.
Sleeper was too reasonable man to object
He was no coward either; and thereupor
stepped up to the tree, and cautiously taking
the bear with both his hands relieved hon.
est Dobson from his predicament The
hands of the latter, though sadly stiffeneo
by the tenacity with which they had beer
clenched for so many hours, were soon bran
dishing the axe, and he apparently made
all preparations for giving the deadly blow
and deadly would it have been had he
struok-but to the surprise of Sleeper he
did not strike; and to his further conster
nation Dobson swung the axe over his shoul
der and marched away, whistliug as he wen
With "a much apparent Indifference as tht