Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-31
A Bear in a Corn Crib.

Hcar III n Torn NilD.
d" had made but a small crop Of corn one
year, on account Of the very dry summer |
put it in a new corn house which had built
about hundred aud fifty yards from where
we are now sitting. 1t was set up about
three feet from the ground, on six large cot
ton wood blocks sawed square off at the ends.
The bears had sometimes robbed my old corn
house by pulling corn out from between the
logs, which were crooked, and in some places
a hands breadth apart. To prevent their do
ing So | had the logs for the new one hewu
straight on the edges so as to come close to-.
gether. There wasn't crack an inch wide
between them anywhere
about the middle Of November, Ola
Harry, my foreman, came to me one morning
aud told me he had seen bear tracks about
the corn house I laughed, for | knew it
was bear proof \ few mornings after he
came to me again, scratching his head as II
he was trying to solve some mystery lie
had found several cars of corn in the path
leading back into the swamp he pulled one
Of them out Of his pocket and showed it to
me.
Mass Tom said be, "whar de kaun
house key bin hangin' O. nights all dis week ?'
&" told him thought on the nail outside
the house door
"Outside de do hey }' he continued, stil
scratching his head Now s'pose a bar rea-
son to hissef dis way If kin only git de
key, and 20 to de kaun house an steal a arm.
fu o kaun, and den lock up de do au hang
de key back whar got it, de major never
miss his kaun; an' so | 90 on a stealin' Of II
all dc winter Mass Tom, bars is got much
sense as people is heap mo- un some folks
an dey Away considers de matter, jes like
you and me, TO dcy go to work bout any
thin"
The idea Of the bears stealing the corn
house key and replacing it on the nail was so
original that laughed outright in the old
fellows face To humor him, however, we
went to the corn house and examined it ali
around, aud, to my amazement, found that the
bears had really accomplished a stratagem
that required almost as much forethought as
stealing the key and then hanging it again on
the nail
" bad placed my corn tops and fodder IN
three large stacks which quite hid one corner
of the building We had stripped the corn
in the angle formed by the stacks and the
loose shucks lay all around Here the bears
had scratched away the soft earth, undermin-
ing the block that supported the corner, ard,
pulling the block down, had rolled it aside
Any one would naturally suppose that the
corner Of the house would sway down. The
bears, no doubt, thought so, and they We're
not disappointed for there was an opening
between the lower log aud the one next above
out Of which they had likely been helping
themselves for a week or more.
" | sent Harry for large jackscrew, and
for some Of the field hands 10 help us, intend
ing to replace the block When he returned
he made a suggestion. S'pose you don't rz
up de corner, Mass Tom, till tomorrow morn
in' an set dc bar trap by dc crack inside
spect dey'll come feein' dar gin tonight for
mo kaun, au we'll ketch one Of de black
genl'muns.'
" | acted on Harrys idea, and, going in
side, We removed nearly all the corn FROM the
suuken corner, leaving small pile an arms
length from the logs. | then closed securely
all but foot or so of the crack Within
convenient distance from this | set a power
lul spring trap which | bad bought expressly
for bears. Ga the plate Of the trap tied
halt-ear Of corn, and set the trigger so that
it would spring quite easily That night
told my people to keep away from the corn
house and to shut up all the dogs, that thoy
might not bark and scare the bears if they
came
" | sat up late reading, and when | went
to bed found the mosquitoes very troublesome.
At last however, went to sleep, aud | sup.
pose would have slept until breakfast time
But little before sunrise was awakened by
knock at the door, and Harry, pokng his
head in, exclaimed Got him, Mass Tom =
" had forgotten all about the bears and
the trap, and replied peeyishly, Go long
you old rascal, | havn't had three hours
sleep; and turned over to take another
snooze. But Harry, laughing in his quiet
way, continued, Got him sho' nuf, Mass
Tom | want you come look at him.
| hurried on my clothes, and taking my
gun, and putting on fresh cap, hurried with
the old fellow to the corn house
Go easy, Mass Tom, said Harry, shak-
ing with laughter. want you see what he
bout. | bin keebin de people way purpose
for you to git good look at him fo' he git
angry.
" | erept up softly, and, peeping around
one Of the fodder stacks, saw the most per-
feet picture OIL was going to say Christian
resignation and patience under suffering |
ever beheld. There was large bear sitting
on his launches, his left paw thrust through
the crack between the logs and fast in the
trap. ln his right he held corn shuek, pa
tieuty brushing away the mosquitoes from
his face. Twas the saddest countenance |
ever saw"
Here the Major, apparently satisfied that
he had finished his story, took up a coal with
the tongs and lit his pipe | entered plea
for the bear.
"Why, Major you didn't shoot him, did
you2 | couldn't have done it,"
What else could be done with him A? |
tried to shoot him. | raised my old rife
but for the life of me couldn't draw a bead
on his head felt nervous, perhaps, for the
first time in my life, as | was about to draw
trigger. | handed my gun to Harry, and as
| turned the corner Of the corn house heard
the discharge. At ten PAGES he executed sen.
tence on Mr.. Bruin. 1t was death for the
old man was a good shot, and the gun carried
a ball that weighed thirty to the pound W,
wanted fresh meat, and he--I mean the beal
was fat, for he was corn fed.'-Ou
Young Folks.