BY CHAS. E. LASALLE.
NEW YORK:
BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS,
98 WILLIAM STREET.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by
BEADLE AND COMPANY,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
THETEXAN TRAILER.
"I say, stranger, did you see any thing of a confoundedbig b'ar passing this way?"
The question was uttered by Davy Crockett, the renownedbear-killer of Tennessee, as, dashing at full speed through thedense forest, he suddenly emerged into a small clearing, wherea big Dutchman sat on a log eating his dinner. The latterstared at the glowing hunter for a moment, and with hismouth crammed so full that he could hardly speak, he said:
"Hooh! vat you said?"
"Did you see a b'ar pass this way, a few minutes ago?"
"Vat kind of a bear vas he?"
"A black bear and a regular whopper."
"Vas he goin' py hees legs, or vas he flyin' mit his wings?"
Crockett stared at the Dutchman, as if meditating whetherto bring him to his senses or not by breaking his gunover his head; but there was such an appearance of honestyin his countenance, that, despite his hurry, he paused to exchangea word or two with him.
"Dutchy, did you ever see a bear?"
"Yaw, I vos."
"Did you ever see one fly through the air?"
"Yaw—more as goot many times."
"When?"
"I see'd one only next day after yisterday. He had wingsso big as never vos, and had von sheep dat he hold fastmit his toes."
Crockett laughed.
"You old Dutch blunderbuss, you mean an eagle."
"Yaw; vot kinds does I means?"
"A bald-headed eagle, I suppose."
"Yaw—dat's him; ef he bald-headed, den he bare-headed,ain't he?"
"I suppose."
"Den he eagle vot was bare—hooh? vot you call him?"
"Yes."
"Den he bear mit wings."
And the Dutchman laughed, as though he had said somethingextremely funny, while Crockett was amused in spiteof himself.
"Vos he great pig bear, mit four legs?" inquired the Hollander,suddenly becoming serious again.
"Yes—a ring-tailed roarer."
"And he hop along so?" he continued, dropping on hishands and feet and hopping along like a frog.
"Something like that," assented Crockett.
"And his mouth open, mit his tongue hanging in?"
"Yes—yes: which way did he go?"
"Yaw; I hash not seen notting of him!"
And again the Dutchman laughed until he was ready tofall off the log, all the while cramming his mouth with food.
There was no little humor in Colonel Crockett, and theround fat Dutchman, shaking with laughter, like so muchjelly, was more then he could stand, and throwing back hishead, he made the forest ring with his own mirth.
This made Hans Bungslager go it harder then ever, tillfinally he capsized—and tipping over the log backward, thelast Crockett saw of him, as he moved away, was his dumpylegs beating the air, as he sought to complete his partialsummerset so as to rise to the standing position again.
But Colonel Crockett was seeking the trail of the mostenormous bear he had seen since coming into Texas, and as hehad a special anxiety to secure and take it back to camp, hewas fearful of losing too much time.
So, without cultivating the acquaintance of Bungslagerany