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Show -11- flume and comes down a chute and stikes over the sheel, The force and weight of the water turns the wheel. In July I went down to Huntsville to help Uncle 'Nillard put up the hay. I stayed there about two weeks, then I got so hanesick I couldn't eat. Uncle said I'd better go home so I struck out on foot and went back to the shingle mill. One afternoon rather told me to go and look tor an ox that was lame. My sisters, Mary, Katies~ and brother, David, went with me. We went up on the west side of a flat t hat was about a quarter of a mile across. Father went upon the east side of the same flat to cut timber. Whan he got to the upper end of the flat, he saw what he thought to be a bear. Mary, Katie, and David started for the house. When they turned and started to run the big black dog which father thought was the bear started to run after them. I stood still, looking to see where the bear was. Father started toward us with his ax, he t hen saw what he had supposed to be a bear ·was only the dog, he yelled and told me it was only the dog. Father said when he stopped he never had the jumping t oothache hurt worse than his back did then. The children ran on home. Mother becamse excited for fear the bear had got me. Soon I returned with the ox • . A.few days later the men that were working for father rolled a log down the mountain. ..The. J.og struck one of the oxen and broke its leg. They had to kill it. They skinned the ox and hung the quarters up in a tree. One night a big bear came down and ate quite a bit of the meat. The next day father fixed a scaffle near where the carcus lay in the tree. Just at dusk he took his gun and went up on the scaffle thinking the bear would come and he would have a chance to shoot him. Just at dark he heard the bear come into the opening where the carcass lay. The bear stopped and looked up at the scaffle. In place or going out to the carcass he turned and went around to the back of the scattle. Father had to change his posiition on the scaff le. Moving scared the bear and it gave a snort and away he ranand didn't return that night. A few days after that at noon the bear came again and started to come down to the corral. The bear ran through some small brush and stood upon his hind feet. Father shot at the bear but missed hi..rn. He relcaded his gun, it being.a musle loader, and started to follow the bear. He could hear the bear but could not see him till he had followed for about a mile, he came into ~n opening just as the bear was going out. The bear saw father and started toward him. The bear come sideways his hair standing on end, that making himself look like a big hog coming to war. Father raised his gun. Be thought he would let the bear come within 10 feet so he could be sure to hit him. Father began to think his gun not might go oft as the caps he was using were not sure. The thought came to father that maybe he could scare him. 'rhe bear got within 20 steps of fatb,er. Father gave him a gib whistle. The bear turned and soon disappeared. Father turned and ' went home. |
