Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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THE AEGIS THE OLD PIONEERHS STORY FERDINAND SENSENEY. This is a genuine bear story and was told by an old pioneer, who actually had the experience himself. It was a cold night in J anuary,-how well I re- member it now! The boys were sitting before a roaring fire in a snug little mountain cabin when the old battle scarred native plunged into his favorite theme. He slowly began: The huntin' fever had been pester'n me fer weeks and when the day broke over Black Ridge one New Year's mornin '-way back in the eighties-I jist couldn't restrain my feelins' no longer, so I took my big Win- chester out of the corner, buckled on my hunting knife, called my dog and headed off up Gray's Canyon along Brier Creek. I never seed such a fine day. It wasn't too cold to be disagreeable but jist crisp enough to make a feller step along liv'ly like. The country up 'Gray's Canyon' ain't no ordinary piece o' ground. The scen'ry ain't nothin' to brag on but the briers what grows there is most remark- able. Land o' mighty! yur niver seed such a growth. Why in some places they come clean up to your shoulders. And thick! You niver seed such thick 'uns. I've heard men tell 'bout all the b'ars that have their habitation in this here canyon. Some cal 'late you 'l meet a b'ar ev 'ry mile. I'de always laughed at 'em but the further I went that mornin' the more stock I took in their sayin 's. It sure was a real b'ar country and I was watchin' close. 'II Wasn't exactly surprised when my dog growled and the hair went up on his back. He looked so durn much like a porcupine, that I jist had to chuckle a little, but I remembered and threw a shell into place and waited. Then I hear 'd a rustlin' in the briers and when a bald face grizzly and her cub comes into view I'll have to admit I was jist a little nervous, and a cold chill up my back sent my own hair on end. I sure was serious now and I planned in a hurry. I know 'd thet grizzlys' was hard to kill so I decided to wait till the old b'ar was right close and then I'd have a dead sure aim and the soft nose bullet would do the work. The cub didn 't bother me much, I know 'd I could tend ta' him all right if I could jist git his mammy out 0' the way. When the old b'ar spied us, she growls kind o' vicious like and makes a bee line fer us at a right smart pace. I had a bead on a little spot between her eyes, she warn't mor'n three yards away now, I pulled the trigger but the b'ar niver stopped. It seems queer but that there gun niver went off. I was jist a throwin' a'nother shell into place, but it warn't no use. The old b'ar was upon me now and madder than a hornet. VVith one awful sweep of her mighty paw, she knocked that gun clean out of my hands, as if I 'de been a baby, and sent it a sailin'. I he'rd it light over in the brambles but there wasn't no use tryin' to git it, the briers was too thick. 'Before that b'ar had time to think, I had my long knife in my hand and was ready to do battle. If it hadn't been fer my dog I'de a had two b'ars to fight instead a' one. As it was the little rascal pil 'd on that cub jist as if he'd been a real dog, and kept him occupied, that was all what was nec'ary. The big grizzly was ravin' mad now and looked at me out them red eyes 0' her'n jist like a lunatic might look at you when he's got his hands on your throat. I 16

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THE AEGIS Arriving at the pier, they threw the corpse into the foaming waters of Lake Michigan. That was the last they saw of Big-foot Liz. The body floated down the canal into the Illinois River on its way to the Mississippi, but by the time it reached Peoria, a heavy storm washed it upon the beach at Al Fresco park and it was soon covered up by the sand washed over it by the Waves. Q W 'li ill ll ll' ll if i U If About ten years later, a Bloomington contracting firm was building a pier on the beach of the park and in excavating for the concrete base, the bones of Big-foot Liz were unearthed. The contractor, remembering that the biological department of the Bloom- ington high school was in need of a human skeleton, had the bones scrubbed and mounted and presented them to our school. The skeleton in Mr. Phillips' room can be identified by the hatchet cut in the back of the skull and the upper front teeth missing, due to the blow re- ceived by the stool thrown at her. Few students who are called upon to point out the bones of the human anat- omy, realize that they stand before the bones of Big-foot Liz. As one sits and looks at her in silence, little does he realize that her cracked skull once contained much knowledge of criminals and their crimes. PLAY THE GAME LUCILE SPALDING. Come on, canst hear the battle 's call? Nor feel the challenge hurled to all? Oh What's the goal for which you aim, Do you play for honor, love or fame? As on the field, vibrant, intense, You plan to break through the defense, You heed not the falls, nor the battle 's din, It's heads up always-pep and vim. If you can smile in a losing game, Can keep the goal in view just the same E 'en rough and hard, as it may seem It's testing the mettle of our team. So 'tis in the game of life, You must carry your colors thru all strife, And here 's to those who start in to win Who'd lay down their lives before they'd give in. 15

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THE AEGIS realized it warn't no kids, game I had to play so I went at it kind 0' careful like. The old b'ar and I went round and round in a circle. She stood up on her hind feet and fought jist like a man, usin' them mighty paws of her 'n bet- ter 'n I ever seed any man use his'n. We came closer, she struck a blow that would 0' knocked my head off, but I ducked and at the same time sent my knife into her hairy side. It didn 't hurt her, only made her roar and lose her head. She struck awful blows right and left, I tried to back up, but the briers Wouldn'T let meg I had to fight. I pulled myself together and slashed at her big neck but I couldn't strike no vital spot. Once she gave me a glancing blow on the head, that nigh knocked me silly. The blood began to flow down my face and I know fd I'de been ript. I got desperate now and I most lost my bearin's. I stuck my knife into her throat and when I heer'd a gurglin' I know ld I'd found a spot, at last. The old b'ar must a know 'd it too. She went clean wild and no matter how I tried, I couldn't dodge her paws. My shirt was a mess of ribbons and the muscles on my arms and chest was pealed off like so much bark. After a'nother awful struggle, I drove my knife a'ging I don 't know where but she grunted and groaned. At the same time, she ript me across the face and the blood ran in my eyes so as I cou1dn't hardly see. Things got blurred and I mighty nigh fell. My knees knocked together and I was feelin' sick. I know 'd I couldn't last much longer. I stabbed once more, the grizzly fell with a roar and I toppled over,- senseless. 1 When I opened my eyes the sun was low and my little dog was a liekin' my face and wimperin' kind o' mournful like. I wondered where I was but when I looked at that dead b'ar, it all come to me as clear as day. I tried to get up but I didn 't have the nerve, I must a gone agin fer when I woke it was dark. The dog was still earryin' on, lickin' my battered face and makin' an awful stew. I was jist a little stronger this time and I managed to crawl a few yards. My left arm was limp and when I breathed my sides burned. I knoW'd I'de busted some ribs. What 's more I know 'd I had to get home some way 'cause it was set 'in in cold and stayin' out all night meant freezin' sure. I pulled myself together and crawled kind 0' slow fer a considerable ways. All the time that dog 0' mine ran round me, howlin' and barkin' like mad, the little varmint even tugged at my tattered shirt until he ript it clean off 0' my back. He sure was anxious to git me home. If it hadn't a been fer him, I might not be a tellin' this story to-night. Well, I kept a goin' but I was gettin' weaker all the time, and I was 'bout three-quarters 0' a mile from home. I couldnit go no further, I was all tuckered out. - I never knowed nothin' 'till the next mornin ', when I woke in cabin. My arms was tied to a stick an plastered round with some kind 0' white-wash. My head, arms, and chest was wrapt up so I couldn't move right ner left. The little dog was on the bed beside me, and land how he was chewed up. Why he looked like a mess o' sausage. It pears he left me and ran home and fetched the cook. I don 't see how he ever done it, but he sure was a wise little critter. Now 'bout that cub, I'm not certain but the dog must o' killed him or scared him off. I got on my feet agin' in a week or so, and I'm all together now, but no man in this here country can show the scars what I can. I 17