Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-11-02
A RUN FOR LIFE.

for the autumn. The pen was built at the
base OF high hill which hid it from the house,
and just on the edge of an upland jungle
thcket of underground, which extended
along to the nearest spur of some neighboring
hill, which swelled upward to height almost
emitting them to be called mountain range.
Surprised at the loss of his hogs, Mr.. Rodney
determined to keep strict watch, and if pos
sible, detect the depredator upon his property.
One morning, just at dawn of day. he heard
the sqeal of hog in the direction of his pen.
SpriDging out OF bed and passing on his gar
ments, he hurried to the rescue of the squeal-
ing porker. As soon as he came in sight of
the pen, he saw huge bear, with hog in his
mouth and forepaws, leisurely retreating to
the tbicket. Returning to the house for his
gun, trusty rifle, of large bore, he soon came
back to the pen. The bear and hog had both
disappeared.
Mr.. Rodney, who was a bold adventurous
man, of high courage and great physical
strength, at once determine ed upon pursuit.
The blood OF the mutilated hog making dis
tinct mark upon the ground, made it an easy
matter to follow the track OF its captor. En-
tering the thicket and going forward short
distance, Mr.. Rodney saw the bear some forty
or fifty steps in advance OF him, deliberately
munehing the hog for his morning meal. To
raise his rife, aim and fire, were the work of
but moment. The bear fell, apparently life
less, in his tracks, at the report of the gun.
Feeling certain, from the range OF his aim
and the plump fall of the bear, that he was
killed out right, Mr.. Rodney approached with
the view of taking a nearer look at his bulky
proportions. When within few yards Of
where he lay, the bear, to the great surprise of
the planter, rose slowly up, looked fiercely
back, gave deep gutteral growl, and started
forward in the direction of the neighboring
hills.
Mr.. Rodney seeing the copious discharge
aAl IL IA; IoI1 ov,I
observing that the bear staggered in his gait
followed on after him, expecting soon to see
him fall The bear moved slowly, but steadi-
ly on, never once looking back at his pursuer,
but keeping up low moan growl indica-
tive of pain and anger, of both combined.
Having reached the base of the steepeSt and
highest hill in the group, he began the ascent
with a still slower pace and deeper growls.
Mr.. Rodney was only few PAGES in the rear,
and gaining upon him every moment. AT
last when near the summit of the hill he came
quite up with the bear, whose steps staggering
and slow, seemed faltering with fatigue and
loss of blood. Thinking that only slight
push was needed to bring him to the ground,
Mr.. Rodney gave the bear severe punch with
the butt end of his gun.
The blow seemed to recall both strength and
spirit to the now enraged and desperate beast.
Turning quickly and sharply around, he stood
within few feet of his pursuer, upon
whom he manifestly purposed to make an i'm
mediate attack.
Mr.. Rodney comprehended the full peril of
his position in moment. He had no weapon
but his gun, which he had not reloaded after
the first discharge. To defend himself with it
by blows utterly impossible, considering
the size and massive weight of the bear. The
only hope OF escape was retreat down the
hill, which he began at once with rapid strides.
The bear accelerated in his speed by the
bo ale
by pain and anger, rushed headlong after him.
From crag to rock, and from rock to crag. the
planter leaped with an agility and speed almost
incredible to himself. Well he knew that,
once within those terrible jaws gaping to rend
and devour him, his wife would be widow
and his children fatherless, before he could
commend himself and them to the mercy of
heaven in prayer.
Every moment seemed to increase the speed
and fierceness of the bear. When the chase
began he only a few feet in the of the
planter. at the bottom of the hill, which
they had now reached, the distance between
them lesSened by nearly half.
Mr.. Rodney although hard pressed and with
no time to lose ,ventured to cast one backward
glance at his pursuer. The sight was enough
to strike even his stout heart with terror.
The tongue of the bear, red and swollen,
protruded from his mouth white foam cover
ed his lips; the teeth, sharp and shining were
SlSlOie III tile Jaws open aiTeduy lOT tue SeiLufe
of his victim !; the ears were thrown back
close to the head like those OF an angry horse,
and streams of fire seemed to issue from the
sockets of the glaring eyeballs. Escape, lon
ger than few moments, seemed now utterly
impossible. A distance of more than mile
lay between the planter and his home. Thick
bushes and brambles impeded every foot of
the way as far as the hog pen, near which he
must pass to emerge from the jungle in the
direction of the house. To deviate from the
path he had come, which was partially trodden
down by the transit of himself and the bear
over 1t, and by the occasional visits of the
latter from the hills to the pen, would be to
entangle himself in the undregrowth and fall
Immediate victim to the rapacity of his pur-
suer, whose heavy bulk enabled him to force
swifter passage through the thicket. Along
this path, therefore, Mr.. Rodney darted with
the speed of a man conscious that his life de-
pended upon the f1eetness of his foot. Half
the distance between the hill and the pen had
been passed. Only hand breadth of space
interviewed between the planter and the muzzle
of the bear, outstretcbed and opened to seize
him. The hot foam spattered over him, and
the hotter breath almost blistered his skin
through the thick covering of his clothes.
There-he's gone. No! the sharp crack of
rife rings through the woods, and the bear
springs forward and falls dead across the legs
of the planter who had been thrown by his
death-leap, PROSTATE on the ground.
A hunter going early that morning to join
his comrades in the chase for a deer, CHANGING
to cross the path of Mr.. Rodney and the bear
saw the peril Of the former, and firing from
a close distance, sent heavy rife ball through
the brain of the latter. There was a feast of
bear meat for many days at the house of the
hospitanle planter, at which, we may be sure,
the hunter aforesaid was the most honored OF
the guests.
There is man in East Tennessee who has
such hatred for everything appertaining to
monarchy that he won't wear crown in bis hat