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About The Sioux County journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1888-1899 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1895)
v i i 0 is rj r W0. IHASKSGIYIXG BEAR. ADVENTURE THAT ENDED WITH Hid DEATH. IWilliac Fir Hunt on the tittle Bed hw Two Ho j la Search of a Thanka gtwimm Feaat Heanlta Were Danger mmm bat fcatiafactorjr. Bagged Big Game. EAK the Uttle Red, a swift scream that tjuw 'ed though a re gion but little opened as ret and , still inhabited by the animals of Elbe Went, were situated the home of the I u b c a n and Taylor. Bear nJSjmt JT- roamed at will j&jtfea" through the dense cane-brakes, ana not infrequently Bade, reprisals on the scattered settlers. Wolves, too, abounded in the region, and la winter their long, dUmal howling Bade the cold nights hideous. The Dun can and Taylor hoy lioy and rhil had been companions from childhood, and when their pa rents settled iu the new country ihey were in their element, as now they could roam the woods or paddle down the Little Hed, every now and then picking up a War or turkey with their trusty rities. It was not long before they became known as the best young Nimrods in the whole district, and whenever they started on a hunt it was taken for grant ed that they would return with plenty of game. One evening in Novem ber they started for a fire i-unt n the river for the purpose of, as Phil ex pressed it. "bagging a Thanksgiving bear." "We can float past the big brakes ear the bend," said he, as he laid his proposition before Koy. Tom Hunter, who came through there the other day, saw lots of fresh signs, and we may be able to got a big one for to-morrow's feaat." Taken with the prospect of some exciting adventure, Hoy at once acqui esced, and the two boys began to prepare for the fire hunt. The canoe wag dragged forth, and the pine knot for the torch gathered and made ready. Taking the paddle, Roy, with a sharp lookout along shore, drove the licht bark Into the middle of the river, while Phil under the torch watched the tall canes that lined tbe-edge and tried to catch the 6rt sight of game. AM at once the paddles in Hoy's supple hands seemed to rest, and he gianced at his companion. Phil at the same mo ment bad seen what had caught Roy's eye. On the right, where the tall canes aeemed to seek the solitude of toe stars, gleamed a pair of intense e;es, very ele together, and near the ground. "It is old Hphraim," whispered Phil as he moved bis rifle and leaned forward for a hotter tavifc. "We have found our Thanksgiving bearatlastr Slowly, with a cool hunter's delibera tion, Phil lifted his rifle to hi shoulder, and while he watched the shining eyes, Roy seemed to hold his breath. The crack of the weajxm awoke the echoes along shore, and as the smoke lifted both boys leaned forward with eagerness and looked toward the shore. "You missed him?" cried Roy. "No. Ixwik yonder! The old fellow has tumbled into the wa ter and is in the death struggle. Quick! row toward him before the eddy sucks uim in." "Lost!" exclaimed Itoy, disnpi'siintedly. Before Phil could reply aoniet liing durk and wet rose almost underneath the frail canoe, and the next moment he sup- the taffr&il in the grip of the benr. The great paws, looking doubly formidable in the unsteady light of the torch, while the weight of the bear, threatened to over turn the boat, and the ugly head, with the wide mouth bleeding from the !oy's hot, was enough to send chills of terror to the Nimrod's hearts. "Back off" cried Phil, as he saw that the canoe was almost among the rocks, CAI'SUED THE CASOK. rJEzjfz -75a tnd liable to be capsized by their foe. Boy sprang anew to the paddles, and, as rhil rose in the boat to thrust the rifle alto the bear's face and terminate the contest, the animal made a desperate ef fort to climb aboard. The situation was sow full of peril, and the rocking it the iv. boat in the swift waters caused th. torch to scatter a rain of fire oter the devoted boys and the bear, but the beast only blinked his little eyes and redoubled his forts to scale the fragile rampart. Finding that he could not get a shot at the bear as Koy backed the liont off, Phil truck with, ill his might with the gun, Muting the heavy stock down upon the bjsfe head. He shattered the woiiikhi by the Wow, while he apparently left the ajml of hi antagonist uninjured. In an al ber atotnent the bear lunged forward fata, and the canoe at the same time ' ' Mkta rock, waa capsixed, spilling its . wwailU into the water and putting out law torch. All this happened in a second, f f t aeeavrt, and the boys, thus thrown f "5 taw stream and at the mercy of the V-, T cwrwt, struggled to right the riL V ad etaaber in again. !,V ; V Jt srWhlia they succeeded, and Roy, trtw faftamto cnoojb to retain one Y '""'awl a boat from ub rock Um tot the rim, what tt vfi aarft cwMt aav ear !. "Tlia la biar looked back. "Bnt we're knit oar Thanksgiving bear steak, I guess." "It the bear!" cried Itoy sharply, as his fai-e whitened. "Look yonder, lie U still dinging to the stern of the boat." This waa true, as could be seen by the moonlight, which at that particular plae fell through the trees upon the eddying waters. The two boys stared at the homely head lifted above the tide and at the sharp cl&ws that seemed to dig their way into the woodwork at the stern. The bear held on with a death grip as the cur rent bore the canoe and the young X im ps! rapidly down stream, now narrowly missing some half sunk-n tree, and Dow nearly capsizing again as Koy tried to es cape a hidden rock. "W hat shall we do?" cried Phil at last, as he turned a frightened face toward bis companion. "The bear is determined to prove our Jonah, and in a short time we shall reach the falls." "Cut him loose," said Koy. "You have your knife, haven't you?" Phil hailed the suggestion with a cry of joy. and brought from the depths of his poeket a big jack-knife, and in another moment he leaned toward the bear in their wake. Instead of striking at the throat which was exposed, he drove the keen blade into one of the feet near the root of the claws, and drew it toward him. The bear growled savagely, but Phil bravely faced the beast aud severed the other foot likewise. "A tree! a tree!" rang out Roy's voice at this moment, and before Phil could fij S? if duck his head the canoe struck the ob stacle in the middle of the Little lied, and in a jiffy they were iu the water again and struggling to grasp the limbs of the lodged tree. In thin they were successful, and when they had drawa themselves up among the branches they looked at one another with grim smiles. They knew that they were destined to pass the night in the tree, which they did, and when day came they found themselves near a plan tation. By dint of shouting until tbey were hoarse they made themselves heard, and were rescued by several plantation hands, one of whom discovered the bear lodged in another tree a little farther down the river. The animal was dead, and when be was drawn ashore the boys related their thrill ing experience with his bearship the night before. A wagon was procured and the homeward journey begun, and in ample ARMVIRG WITH TRK THASMSOTVt.10 BEAR. for dinner the boys arrived with the Thanksgiving bear. -New York Press. ThankaglTlaa; Kwm. Ami sow tbe wintry winds do moan and Tba aky at eve frowa Mm tad narky; lraoj o'er tha laMa we bear tbe plaintive Clcrilwiiwi TsMtaBlrlt tartar, A PURITAN HOLIDAY. A HERITAGE FROM THE PILGRIM FATHERS. God-Feartng Folk of Plymouth Colo ny Vint to Associate the Day with Fie and Turkey Earliest Thanks giving Proclamation, Formerly Movable Feaat. 11K earliest Thanks giving proclamation printed is now in the possession of the Massachusetts His torical, Society and (ears the date of 1077. lxtig before this, however. New England knew the. meaning of Thauks giving, and the pumpkin pie had icen discovered by the inlishitnnt of Massachusetts lud Connecticut- t'ran berrv saiii-e is ot les ancient origin, for we litid no mention of it mui'h before the early part of this cen tury. 1 ys set apart for thanksgiving were known to the Israelite and are mentioned throughout the Bible. They were .otumon in England before the reformation, tnd were in frequent use by Protesuims after ward, especially in the Church of En gland, where they were n fixed custom long before they were in the colonic. "Gyving God tbHtiks" for safe arrival and for many other blessings was first heard on New Kngland shores from the lips of Popham colonists at Moiihegan, iu the Thanksgiving service of the Chrc)i of England. The first Thanksgiving week not dayin Plymouth was observed in December, i21. This was a week of feasting. Venison Was brought in bj the Massasoit Indians and dozens of wild fi r kern, rabbits aud smaller game were slaughtered for the feast. The Indians were Invited to join the whites in the merry-making, an invitation which whs promptly accepted. The records make no mention of tiny special religious exercise during this week of feasting. In July, 1023, a fast day of nine hours of prayer was observed by these same colonists, who were suffering from the effects of a prolonged drought, which hud scorched Uicircoru aud stunted the beans. The rain which soon afterward fell they lidieved could not have come but for their united and public petition. The next public Thanksgiving was held In Jtostoli by the Kay Colony, on Feb. 'S-, lti.10. This was an expression of grati tude for the safe arrival of food-bearing ships from Kngland. prom then until alxnif 1-Hi there were about twenty-four Thanksgiving days ap pointed In Massachusetts, but 11 was not a regular biennial custom. In l'75. a time of deep gloom in both Massachusetts and Connecticut on account of the mat y f Hacks from fierce savages, no day of thanksgiving were celebrated. Khode Islanders paid little heed to the days set apart by the MsssHchtisett au thorities, and many of them Hero pun ished for this lack of conformity. Gov. Andros caused William Vcazie lo be set In a pillory In the msrket-plnce it Pes ton for plowing on the Thanksgiving lsy t f June 18, llHKS. In Connecticut the festival was not regularly observed until 1710. The earlier Thanksgiving days were not always set on Thursday, nor were they always appoint ed for tbe same token of God' bcneA latice. I)y of thanksgiving were an polated in gratitude for great political or asEstary etrnta, for tha aafa arrival of 1 "persons of special use and qualify," for the "dissipation of pirates," for the abate ment of disease, for victories over the Indians and for plentiful harvests The frequent appointments for the last cns finally made autumn the customary time. To the early Puritan Christmas smelt to heaven of idolatry; so, when bis own festival, Thanksgiving, became anrnal, it took on many of the features of the English Christmas. It was a day de voted to family reunion, to feasting aud to the giving of presents. Such "soper nitious meats" as baron of beef, bear's bead, and plum pudding were excluded, and turkey, Indian pudding and pumpkin pie were eaten instead. Many funny stories are told of the early Thanksgiving days. The town t.f Colchester, for instance, calmly ignored the day appointed by the Governor and held its own Thanksgiving a week later, when the sloop from NeV York, bringing B hogshead of molasses for pics, had ir lived. In revolutionary times Thanks giving was not forgotten. The council of Massachusetts recommended that Nov. l'i, 177'S, be set aside for "acknowledg ments for mercies enjoyed." In the next year Samuel Adams recommended a form of Thanksgiving proclaiii.-tlot. to the Continental Congress. During the war of indet-ndenee Congress ap;H,irtcd eight days of Thanksgiving. The) fell in April, -May, July and December. The epl"intments were made in the lorn, of recommendation to the heads of the va rious State Government. With one ex- ception Congress ustcuded business on the days appointed. Washington issued a proclamation for a general thanksgiving by tbe Continen tal army, Thursday, Dec. JH. 1777. and again at Valley Forge May 7. 177X. A few days before the adjournment of Con gress in Heptemlwr. 17!l. KepresentHtixe F.lias llouilinot moved In the House that the President be requested to recommend a day of thanksgiving and prayer as ac knowledgment of the many signal favors of Almighty God, and especially his af fording them an opportunity of esfsblisli ii g a Constitution of government for their safety and happiness. Roger Kliertnsn, of Connecticut, supported the motion. Aeditnus IStirke, of Kouth Carolina, di-I not like "this mimicking of Eurojw-an cus toms," and Tucker, of Virginia, intimated that it might be as well to wait for omo CXX'rience of the efiiciency of the Consti tution liefore returning thanks for it. In spite of these objections the motion was carried and President Washington issued a proclamation appointing as Thankdgh ing I ny Nov. '',, Thanksgiving Day proclamations were iued in an irregular way for many years after that date, but the day was not a fixed holiday. After the lmttle of Get tysburg in 1HI13 President Lincoln recom mended ihe people to set apart the tltfi day of August "to lie obsorvi-d sa a day of national thanksgiving, praise and prayer to Almighty God," In the follow ing year the President Issued another proclamation, and the Presidential proe Initiation has been an annual fixture ever since, An All-Hound Thanksgiving Olnncr Uronco Pete Whar's th' turkey,? Alkali Ike-I set him outside to cool an' til' cat et him. lironoo I'ete- Whar's lb cat? Alkali Ike A cayote et him. Kronen Pete Whsr's the cayote? Alkali Ike TV greyhound et him. . Kronco I'ete Whar's th' greyhound? Alkali IkeAn Injun et bint. Kronen Pete Whar's th' Injun? Alkali Pete A grlxsly et him. Kronen Pete Whar' the grimly? Alkali I'ete Dot Our. Kronen Pete Waal, we'll have ter eat th' grlsxly, Ike, bnt I hate ter take In' lesvin's ur a Thnksgiria turkey like that Harper' Baaar, Ha who would catch flab Butt not lad (attlM wat LONG'S THE OLD NEST STANDS. YA-A-S. they're comin' hoa Thaoksgivin' An' th gobbler' gittin' fat. Ad' the hubbard squash' a ripenixt' Fer tbe pie an sicb a that. So we'll end the double waggln Tew the deepo fer all hand. An' we'll bring 'em home Thauksgivin A long' the old nest stands. The robin in the maple Hatched thar leetle brood this spring, Alt' before the leaves got yaller They was big enough tew sing. Hut they left us ill OctoU r Fer tew sing in oilier binds. Hut the spring'll bring 'cm homewards As long's the old nest stands. Ah. tbar's other nests as lonesome In the winter time of life. Wlmr the little brood is scattered In the great world's noisy strife, An' I s'pone the busy singers An' the worker fold thiir hands As they dream uv glud homccomin' As long's the old nest stands. Human nests uv tioitrd an' shingles, Katten door an' ceiliu's low, Clabltcrds warped an' weiitherbenten, Homely hearts tthar hoim lires glow, An' the ide folks gray an' stoopiu Heachin out wcih lovin hands la all airth the truest welcome. As long's the old nest stands. Lcmme tell ye when It crumbles r the roof-tree Tills wcth age. Then b'gosh in all jure rendfii' Yew will turn the saddest p.igc, Fer tlmr's sometl,in' fume rmr money Nor success nor power command. It's the love ye git fer imt? 'n' As long's the oh! net tr;:ds. Wtuit's that, mother, got a letter? "They'll be down on Wensdny noon." Sny, we bet lei air the cliumler. Cnue we csin'l begin tew soon. Fix the cm die fer the baby. Darn these tesrs sit' tremblin" bauds, Mother's singiii'. I'm wblstlin', An' right here theolo tiest slfttids. How to ffoast a Turkey, Select a lait,e. fat, tender turkey. Bnd have it nicely dressed, drawn, washed, wljed dry and well singed. Hub it all over, inside and outside, with pepper and salt. Make a stulling of the following In gredients: One pound of light bread crumb, half a pound of butler, a lient ing tiiltlesjHMiiifu! of finely minced onion, salt and pepcl. orie raw egg and enough water lo mix rather soft. Stuff the breast first, and sew it tip, then stuff the liody. Rub the turkey all over with melted but ter, aud dredge well with sifted flour. Lay it in tie- ,uo on its breast, and pour iu a quart of cold water. Have the oven well heated but not too hot, as the turkey must cook slowly (o be done. Allow a quarter of an hour lo each pound. Have some butter in a plate wilb a larding mop. From time to time baste the turkey with the gravy in Ihe pan, rub over with the larding mop and dredge again with flour. As it browns turn from side to side, and last of all brown the breast. Fre quent basting, dredging and turning will insure perfect cooking. When done it should be h rich, dsrk brown all over, and when a fork Is stuck deep Into It no red juice should run. Remove it to a hot dish and, if the gravy Is not quite thick eunuch, add a teaspoonftil of Hour crenmcd smooth with Some df the grease skimmed from the gravy. If while cooking the gravy in the pan boils away too much, more water should 1m- addi-d. When the turkey is done there should be about n pint of grsvy, -Ijidiea Home Journal. Thanks, Awfully. The question on Thanksgiving diiy Will be of national interest ituite; From const of Maine to Geoigi-a: "Which will you have, dark meat or " whiter Cleveland Plain Dealer. IciHhit inlcs of Life, axvtn MMarvav aoon kioht. J JAPANESE HUMANITY. fbe Remarkably Kind t r atineit Thm Accorded t b'ueae 1'rii.onci-n, Although tne war between the Chi nese and Japanese has long since end ed, the treatment accorded tbe former br the latter, a jx-ople only recently emerged from barbarism, was tso re markably humane that the aulijwt la again referred to by A. R. de Guervllle, who was a ctrrrespondent on the wene. After the battle of Pen Yang. ay De Guervllle, writing Is Munscy's Maga rine, I went to see the Chinese prison ers and never were the prisoners of any nation more kindly treated by their conqueror. And what a Right they presented: With their cruel anil fero cious face they were more like fcavage or wild beasts than buman beluga. Among them In a private room were a .commander and several officers. I ask ed the former how he was treated. "Oh, so well, m well," he answered; "three meals a day and all the rice and fresh water I wish for. I cannot under stand It," Considering what It cost Japan to carry rice and provision to such a dis tance and Through a mountainous coun try, where roads are unknown, such treatment was more than generous. "Suppose you should In some way re cover your liberty and return to your own force, what would you do If ono of the officers who are treating you so kindly now, fell Into your hands? Would you treat him In tbe same way?" "I would like to, but" and lie shook his head "I fear I could noL" "Kut why? Are you not ashamed of the treatment you accord to prisoners?" "Yes, It Is very bad. Hut It Is the re sult of orders from higher authority." Mr. De Guorvtlle then narrate that he waa present when a Chinese woman was conducted before the Japanese offi cers. Him wa., ho say, the only wom an In Pen Yang, the Corean women having fled long lmfore the arrival of either hostile party. She had come to headquarters to ak that her husband, one of tho prisoners, be set at liberty. This request, of course, hud to be re fused, the man bi-tig conHldpred a very lirqiortaiit prisoner Hho waa n-asured that be would be kindly treated and waa then given tho opisq-tunlty of reaching her family. Tlxme who have any familiarity with the custom of war know how victorious soldiers in any country usually tn-nt tho women of a conquered city; and yet In a town occupied by 3i,CHHi soldiers and (fxilio these last belonging to the very low est close, of people In Jajrtin the only woman present, the wife of an enemy, was entirely unmolested. The writer then dewrlbes a visit to one of the Japamwe napilal at Pen Yang. I may mention, he continues, that the Chlncso had no doctors, no am bulances whatever, and that they were accustomed to abandon their own wounded to die like dogs. The lied Cross Society had picked tip eighty of the latter, aud they were t rented ex nitty as were the Japanese, Their his pltal was admirably fitted up, and fully provided with medldnos, drugs and surgical Instrument. I witnessed a number of operations, some of rhem ex tremely difficult, and I was amassed at the quickness, ilcxtcrlvy and wonderful skill of the Japanese surgi-ons. I hve won operations performed In the best hospital of America and Knropp, and it is my conviction that nowhere wa quicker or lieUer work to bo observed. T pon tny arrival at the honiltal, a CW intie soldier who had received two rlfia balls In the chest was In the hands of the surgeon, one bullet having pierced him tbrougl), the other being still In the wound. In much less time than It take to write it, the first wound had been at tended to, the bullet had been extracted from the second and both had been washed and dressed. Only three of tha eighty wounded men died. Made Himself Welcome. While Hiram Powers had a studio lu Washington be employed his spare time lu carving likenesses of some of the wild animals with which he had been familiar during his boyhood. One such piece of work was a eouehant panther which Is now In Central Purk. Tho New York Times narrates a good story connected with It. While Mr. Powers was engaged upon it, and deeply absorbed, a man from the Green Mountains sauntered into the studio. He had been seeing tho sights of Washington, and did not like to go home without a call upon the fa-' mous Vermont sculptor, Mr, Power was not glad to see him, and paid him no attention, but kept on with his work. The visitor was not abashed, however. If he noticed that he whs not invited not to sit down, he did not betray the fact He not only remained, but kept so cJiwe at the sculptor's elbow as really to hinder hi work. After several unsuccessful hints to the man that his room would bo lietter than bis company, Mr. Powers called a servant and told him to sweep the stu dio. Tho place had not liecn visited by a broom for at least a month, and the cloud o' dust that now filled the air was all bnt suffocating. The Vermonter choked and coughed, but sliowed no dis position to retreat. The image of the crouching panther seemed to have fas cinated him. At last Mr. Power told him bluntly that he had stayed long enough, and wa In the way. "All rig-lit," ald the countryman, "I'll go; but -geewhltaker, what a spring k she's goln' to make!" V- "That," Mr. Powers used to say, "waa the most genuine compliment I ever re ceived. And what about the man? Wen, I liegged hla pardon, and he after ward furnished me wltb some of tbe Seat model I eter had." Mat tha Bnaaar and Wo, "That naw trunk of your cam through all rtjrht It moat bt vary atrvac." . "Tt. Tha bafjafamaa la wawlBf bla mm In m Mnf." VftT',.