340 
sprang from his horse and hastened to the 
assistance of his canine allies. 
The bear, a big fellow in fine condition 
and glossy coat, sat high in the tree, look- 
ing down on the yelping dogs. The first 
bullet from George’s rifle struck the bear’s 
skull and glanced, doing no material dam- 
age. The second shot broke his lower jaw. 
The remainder of the bullets in the maga- 
zine were either misdirected by the 
shooter or dodged by the shootee, for they 
could not be located at the inquest. Just 
as the last shot was fired the bear suddenly 
concluded to come down. Down he slid 
in a shower of bark and twigs, and George 
says making the most lonesome sound he 
ever heard. The bear landed squarely 
among the waiting dogs and was warmly 
welcomed. First a dog would nip him on 
one side and when he turned to strike his 
assailant another dog would bite the other 
side. This continued several minutes. 
George was in a dilemma. He could not 
kill the bear with an empty gun, yet feared 
to go back to the horse to get more shells 
lest the bear should kill the dogs before 
he could return. At length the bear suc- 
ceeded in catching and holding old Jack, 
but his efforts to bite him were less fortun- 
ate. His jaw was not in good order and 
the jaws of the pups prevented his giving 
proper attention to the work in _ hand. 
RECREATION. 
George, seeing his favorite in danger, 
rushed in and, grabbing the dog, pulled him 
out of the bear’s clutches. The veteran’s 
injuries were trifling, and aided by the 
valorous pups he attacked the bear so 
fiercely that the latter retreated to a big 
stump. Backed against that he was able 
to stand off the dogs. 
By that time George’s fighting blood was 
thoroughly aroused. Having no_ better 
weapon he opened his jackknife, which 
was of generous size, slipped behind the 
stump and jabbed the blade under the 
bear’s fore leg. Narrowly escaping a re- 
turn blow, he beat a retreat, in the execu- 
tion of which he received cordial encour- 
agement from the bear until the dogs 
stopped the pursuit. 
The bear returned to the stump and re- 
sumed his argument with Jack and the 
pups. George took advantage of that to 
get in another good jab with the knife. 
His subsequent retreat came near being 
disastrous, for he fell over a log and but 
for the interference of his faithful dogs 
would probably have ended his hunts then 
and there. However, that was the bear’s 
last rally; he weakened rapidly and George 
and the dogs soon made an end of him. 
He was exceedingly fat and was estimated 
to weigh 400 pounds. 
THE OZARKS. 
L.- C, ELERICK. 
There’s a place fond memory turns to, 
Where the mildest zephyrs play, 
*Mid the undulating Ozarks, ; 
Where all Nature’s blithe and gay; 
Where an almost endless forest 
Waves its arms in joyous glee, 
Bidding weary city dwellers 
To its glades so wild and free. 
There the air is ever laden 
With a fragrance all its own, 
With the odors of the pine woods, 
With the strengthening, pure ozone; 
And there nature lovers linger, 
Loth to leave those tree-clad hills 
For the city store and office 
And the many city ills. 
’"Mid those Ozark hills and valleys, 
Kindly Nature smiles and rules; 
There no artificial bondage 
Binds the man, but Nature’s schools 
Brace the weary mind and body, 
Rest the brain and please the eyes, 
With an ever changing landscape, 
’"Neath the deepest azure skies. 
There the rivers, full grown, bursting 
From the caverns in the hills, 
Rush and roar and flash and sparkle, 
Cool and pure as snow-fed rills; 
And the fishes, never frighted, 
By the man with rod and line, 
Leap and play in countless numbers, 
In the shadows of the pine. 
There on many a rocky hillside, 
Turkeys call and ruffed grouse drum; 
Myriad voices from the tree tops 
_- 
Bid the nature lover come. 
Bid him come, e’en though ’tis winter 
And the oaks are brown and sere, 
For the song birds there will greet him 
Every day throughout the year. 
