176 Old Bays on the Farm 



nishe'd themes for tales oftentimes given with 

 much garnishment and frilling by many a Cana- 

 dian fireside. 



Stories of hunting and adventure appeal to the 

 small boy everywhere in the world, I presume, and 

 always will unless ancient appetites are forgotten. 

 As a lad I lent a willing ear to tales of b'ar, 'coon 

 and deer hunting. 



AN OLD settler's B'aR STOEY 



I remember a weather-beaten and grizzled old 

 pioneer, who was a frequent visitor at our fire- 

 side, and who never failed to respond to our 

 childish request for a '*b'ar" story. Here's one 

 of his fireside thrillers. 



*'I don't think I ever told ye the story about 

 capturin' a couple o' young b'ars in a hollow stub 

 an' other incidents pertainin' thereto. It's a real 

 good b'ar story, the best I know of. 



"I remember the hull particulars as if it hap- 

 pened yesterday an' I'll give ye all the facts, 

 keepin' nothin' back. 



"Dad had shot a deer, an' the mornin' after, 

 says he, *Jo, take that passle o' venison over to 

 Jim's an' tell him to lend ye his butcherin' knife 

 for we've got to kill that there porker next week.' 

 Butcherin' knives were scarce in this neck o' the 

 woods in them days an' Jim had the best one in 

 the settlement. I took the venison in a bag and 

 tramped through the mile or so o' woods. Jim 



