THE BLACK BEAR. 265 



office-room, witliout a human being in sight or on the prem- 

 ises; nothing around me, in the form of living objects, save 

 my mute and faithful dogs and my handsome Maltese cat. 

 My thoughts are my companions, affording more real enjoy- 

 ment, for the time, than the society of even my most cher- 

 ished friends. There are times when the sight of a human 

 face is positive misery; when spoken words, whate'er their 

 import, grate harshly on the ear; when conversation 

 becomes repulsive, and when I would rather walk the 

 depths of some vast forest, alone, communing with Nature 

 in her varied garb, than listen to the speech of the wisest 

 of j)hilosopliers, or the witticisms of friends. 



Such is my condition now — this cold December night — 

 as I stir the fire and look with deep regard on my affec- 

 tionate dogs — the handsome Beauty, the dignified Black 

 Maud, and the frolicsome Dan's Trump — that are crowding 

 closer to the fire as the cold wind howls through the 

 key -hole, and the rattling snow and sleet beat against the 

 window-panes. The sash and shutters vibrate, and, raising 

 the window to close the shutters, the furious wind drives 

 into the room a mass of sleety snow, and the lamp is extin- 

 guished. I return to the fire, and gazing upon the bright, 

 glowing coals, my mind reverts to such a night just forty- 

 one years ago, when I was lying under a tent on the Oua- 

 chita River, in Arkansas, with three boon companions. In 

 memory I go back to the jjrevious night, when seated about 

 the hearth-stone of one of the most excellent ladies it was 

 my fortune ever to know — no one save her only child, a 

 most ardent sportsman, her niece, and myself being her 

 company. It was a lovely night, just a week before Christ- 

 mas. Mrs. Candace Taylor — such was the name of this 

 lady — broke the silence, as we had sat for a few minutes 

 each buried in thoughts and x^lans of the coming festivities, 

 remarking: 



' ' Brother Harry and his wife will be here from Tennessee 

 next week, and I want some Bear-meat for my Christmas 

 dinner. I presume they have never eaten a piece, and I 

 want to show them what good eating a piece of fat Bear- 



