Year: 1878



 A family out West built their first log house at the foot of 8 hill, but it was so low and damp that James-for that was his name-started to build bigger one higher up, half a mile off, near 8 noun tain brook, with grand old trees around the spot, and fine view of the country. He took off the two front wheels of the old emigrant wagon that they had crossed the great plains in, and made him good strong two-wheeled cart, with box on it. And in this he drew back and forth his carpenter tools, and his dinner, and chips for the fire, over rough road that he had cut through the woods.

 He used to take little nap after his monday meal and one day when he was sleeping, on splendid bed of evergreen boughs that he had fixed near the tim bers he was at work on, he was awakened by loud rattling of the tin dishes in his cart. He looked around quickly, and what do you suppose he saw? A big black bear, paving over the luncheon he had left, and smacking his chops over piece of wild honey and some corn cakes that James hadn't eaten up.

 "This is pretty fx,'' said James to himself, quick as a flash. My rifle and axe are both in the cart, and that ugly beast would claw me to pieces before I could get 'em out" He was afraid the bear would chase him if he ran, and corner him if he stayed, and so he set his wits to work to find way out of the scrape. Good, bright wits are too much for bear, or 0 hard lesson, or tough job of any sort, if they are only kept at work, with no "I can't" or "don't want to-" or ooh, dear P to hinder them. It didn't take James wits so long as I have been telling it to you to make a plan far him.

 He jumped to his feet quick as flash, grabbed the tongue of the cart before the bear could say Jack Robinson "-if he had known how-and started on keen run down the hill, drawing the cart and the bear in it after him.

 We'll, s'pose there never was bear 50 astonished since the pair saved from the flood stepped out of Noah's ark and found the whole world drowned. He had never had ride before and didn't want one now. But the cart was going so fast that he duren't jump out; and so he just clung on and looked from one side to the other and fairly howled as the cart bumped over the roots and stones. James had been to the city once and seen the street cars, and when he found he had the bear caught the fun of the thing made him laugh.

 When the bear roared once he hal looed back call full inside Take the next car p And when the bear gave terrible growl he said Move up in front, there !'-and he buckled down to it and ran just the way the car drivers make the horses do when they are late, and pretend they don't see a little boy crooking his fingers for 'em to stop on the crossing. The tin dishes in the bot tom of the cart rattled like a. peddler's wagon on the pavement; the axe and gun bounded on to the bears toes, and he looked as if he didn't know which was the worst-his mad or his scare.

 Down the steep hill James ran, straight for the corner of his log house. He had his plans all made, and as he turned the corner he ran the cart against 8 log, and tipped it right over, bottom side up, with Mister Bear on the under side. His other rifle hung over the door in the house, and he grabbed that down in 8 hurry, and as the bear stuck his head out from under the cart he shot him right between the eyes, saying: "There, that settles the question:"

 "What question asked his wife, who came running out to see what the noise meant.

 "Why, the question whether I had caught bear or he had caught me-"

 "Mercy sakes p she said, as she saw the dead bear. Then he told her the story, and she kissed him, and laughed and cried at the same time. And he had an overcoat made of the skin to remem- Der the time when he "gave bear 8 free ride"