OMINOUS PREPARATIONS.
Happily there are few little girls in this favored land who are called
upon to go through such trials as fell to the lot of little Nellie
Ribsam when she was but eight years old.
It created much talk in the neighborhood, and she was complimented on
the bravery she had shown, while the glad father became more confirmed
than ever in his favorite belief that God helps them that help
themselves.
"'Spose dot she didn't try to helps herself some," he said, in talking
the matter over with Mr. Marston, "don't you not sees dot she would get
eat up doo, dree times by dot bear dot vos bigger as nefer vos?"
"It is a good thing for one, even though he be a child, to be able to do
his utmost when overtaken by danger--there can be no question about
_that_; but it would require a great deal of training to bring some
children to that point, even when they are double the years of your
little girl."
"Dot's becos dere folks don't not begins right; we starts mit Nick and
Nellie when dey was so small dot dey didn't know nuffin, which is why it
happens dey knows so much now."
Great as was the interest excited by the adventure of Nellie, it was not
long before it was thrown in the shade by another fact which was brought
to light by that same experience: that was the existence of a large bear
in the woods which lay to the east and west of the road leading to
Dunbarton.
This forest, as has already been intimated, covered a large tract of
country, in which, a few years previous, bears, deer, and wolves had
been hunted by many of those dwelling on the outskirts. Large inroads
had been made on the woodland, and here and there the cabin of a settler
or squatter was found by those who penetrated any distance.
There were clearings extending over several acres, while, again, a man
might wander for hours without emerging from the timber, which included
the common varieties found in the Middle States--oak, beech, maple,
birch, hickory, hemlock, black walnut, American poplar or whitewood,
gum, elm, persimmon, and others less important.
The pine resembled the famous white pine of the Allegheny mountains, and
predominated. Where there was such a large area covered with timber,
about every variety of surface was known. In some places were rocks,
ravines, hollows, and gulches; in others there were marshy swamps
through which a hunter would find it hard work to force his way.
Shark Creek entered from the east and was of considerable volume. In
many places it was deep, while elsewhere it widened into broad and
shallow expansions. It wound its way through the woods in the sinuous
course always taken by such streams, and, crossing the road, where it
was spanned by a bridge, it continued onward a quarter of a mile, when
it reached Shark Pond, the overflow of which ultimately found its way
into the Susquehanna and so to the Atlantic.
Why the waters were called Shark Creek and Pond was more than any one
could explain. Most likely it was because no such fish as the shark had
ever been seen near them, the circumstances of the case rendering it
impossible that such a voracious creature ever should have sported in
their depths.
From what has been said, it will be seen that the woods offered a most
inviting home for a few wild bears, and there was the best reason for
the belief of many of the neighbors that if the tract was well hunted
over several of the animals would be found.
The universal opinion was that they should be exterminated, for so long
as they were in the woods, so long were they a standing menace to all
the men, women, and children who dwelt in the section. The children,
especially, were considered in great peril, and several timid mothers
refused to let their girls and boys go to school, which stood at no
great distance from the woods.
There was more than one farmer who contended that, if the few bears were
left alone they would multiply to that degree that they would sally
forth from the forest, like the Delaware Indians of the last century,
and carry death and destruction before them.
A few individuals, like Gustav Ribsam, said there was nothing to fear,
for when the bears showed any marked increase they would be killed, and
it would be no very difficult job, either.
But no one could dispute the desirability of ridding the country of the
brute which came so near eating little Nellie Ribsam; and, where there
was so much talk, something was done, or at least attempted.
A hunting party of six men was organized in the month of October, and
they tramped through the woods for days, with a couple of dogs, but the
trail of the animal could not be found. They finally gave up the hunt,
the most tired and disgusted not hesitating to declare they did not
believe a bear had been seen in the forest for half a century.
The opinion of those best qualified to judge, was that bruin obtained
all the food he wanted with such little trouble that he did not care to
molest any persons, and therefore kept out of the way of the hunters.
Nick Ribsam, like all boys, was fond of a gun and dog, and he did not
own either. His father had brought from Holland an old musket, used
before the country was erected into a kingdom for Louis Bonaparte, more
than eighty years ago; but when Nick rammed a charge down its dusty
throat one day, forgetful that one had been resting there for months,
and pulled trigger, it hung fire a long time; but, when it did go off,
it did so in an overwhelming fashion, bursting into a dozen pieces and
narrowly missing killing the astounded lad who discharged it.
But Nick was so anxious to own a gun, that his father bought him one on
the day he reached the age of ten years, which was shortly after
Nellie's adventure with the bear. Although the farmer was frugal in all
things, he believed it was the cheapest to buy the best, and the gun
which was placed in the hands of Nick was a breech-loader with double
barrels. It was a shot-gun, as a matter of course, for little use could
be found for a rifle in that neighborhood.
But Nick had practiced with this piece only a few weeks, when his
ambition was turned in another direction by a large, strong boy, who
hired himself out upon the farm of Mr. Marston. He was sixteen years of
age, and was named Sam Harper. His father had been a soldier in the late
war, and gave to Sam a fine breech-loading rifle, which he brought with
him when he hired out to Mr. Marston.
The lad had owned it two years, and, under the tutelage of his father,
who was wounded and living upon a pension, he became very skillful for
one of his age.
Beside this, Mr. Marston himself, as I have shown, was fond of hunting
in his early manhood, and was the owner of an excellent muzzle-loading
rifle, which was as good as when his keen eye glanced along the brown
barrel and the bullet was buried in the unsuspicious deer, so far away
as to be scarcely visible to the ordinary vision.
"If you and Sam want to hunt the bear," said the kind owner, "you are
welcome to my rifle, for you know a shot-gun ain't exactly the thing to
go hunting bears with."
"That's just what I want it for," said Nick, with sparkling eyes.