The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940 Page: 331
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The Autobiography of Andrew Davis
the courage that I could command and decided to slip back to
the place and see if the bear was still there just like it was when
I left it. I had to go within forty-five or fifty feet of the bear
to get a good view. When I reached that position, I could see a
little white spot in the bear's breast. I had a load for deer in
my gun and said to myself that if I could put the load in about
that spot it would kill it instantly. There was a sapling on the
bank that made a good rest for my gun. When I placed the gun
against the tree, I was so excited and nervous that I could not
hold the gun against the tree. I shook as though I had an ague.
Again and again I would try to steady my nerves, with the
same result. Finally, my excitement somewhat subsided, and I
pulled the trigger. At that instant, before the smoke got out
of my face so as to see what I had done, I ran for life. I never
stopped until I got home and reported to my father. I did not
think I had killed the bear. He said he could, and he took his
gun and dogs to the place. They took the track of the bear and
began to bay when only seventy or eighty yards distant. The
bear was yet alive, but would have died soon. When I found I
had killed the bear, I felt as big as Alexander did when he
thought that the world lay conquered at his feet.
A few days after I had killed the bear, ten or twelve scouts
came to father's. When he told them about my killing the bear,
one of them said that he had at home a nice cub bear, a gentle
pet, that he would give to me as a reward for my bravery. An-
other gave me a good pocketknife, which was a great treat in
that day, when such an article could scarcely be procured at
any price. Another gentleman said, as I loved the woods so
well, he would give me his pocket compass, so that I could always
tell which way home was. This recognition of my courage
made me feel both rich and brave, while my pride and vanity were
increased beyond measure.
Another source of pleasure to me was that of hunting bees.
They were so abundant a person could hardly help but find
them. They were abundant and very rich. The North Sulphur
was the finest bee country in the world. They were occasionally
found lodged on small bushes in the prairie far from timber.
When on their airy path to their prospective home, a shower
of rain stopped them, or perhaps the queen had left the old331
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940, periodical, 1940; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101111/m1/355/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.