Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-05-24
A Plucky Woman.
A Pennsylvania paper gives this dis
- 4 e-Lk ISL hao


A Pennsylvania paper gives this dis
cription of fearful fight with bears
A gentleman reached Williamsport on
Friday evening last, from logging
camp" in Potter county, where he has
been for five weeks past, who relates the
particulars of an exciting encounter
with an old bear and two cubs. 1t ap-
pears that man named Jonas Elmaker
and his wife had made a small clearing
in jackson Township. They have
comfortable log cabin, small barn,
several bead of cattle, and few pigs.
About nine o'clock on the evening of
January 31st, Mr.. Elmaker heard ter
rible commotion among his cattle and
pigs at the barn. On rushing out to as
certain the cause Of the alarm, imagine
his surprise on finding an old bear and
two cubs had attacked yearling calf
The cattle were snorting and believing
at fearful rate, while the pigs were
squealing Justify as if they expected to
be dispatched every minute. The bear
had thrown the calf down, and was pre-
pairing to drag it out Of the yard. The
cubs were running around swapping
their teeth, and uttering half-suppressed
growls of delight at the prospect Of .
good square meal" Mr.. Elmaker re-
turned to the house, informed his wife
and made preparations to attack the
bears. He seized his rifle, while his
wife armed herself with long-handled,
double-bitted ak. Thus armed they ad-
vanced to the attack. The bears, made
bold and ferocious by hunger, did not
seem inclined to give up their prey
Rising upon her launches, the old bear
showed fight, and the cubs crouched be-
hind her, snarling 6ercely. Mr.. Elma-
ker raised his rifle and fred at the black
monster, thinking that if she were killed
the cubs could easily be driven off But
owing to the excitement under which he
was laboring, he missed his aim, and on
ly broke the left fore-paw of the animal.
With fierce growl of rage, caused by
the painful wound, the old bear rushed
at her assailants, followed by the cubs.
They stood their ground for few min
utes, Mr.. Elmaker clubbing his rifle,
while his wife cut one of the cubs Sc
verely in the shoulder with her axe
The rage of the animals became fearful,
and the great danger of facing them at
once became apparent. Retreating rap
idly to the house, they barred the door
and prepared to defend themselves. Mr..
Elmaker succeeded in reloading his rifle
and firing though window killed cub.
The old bear now attempted to climb the
log house, bat. owing to her broken paw
was unable to do SO. Another shot from
the rifle wounded her severely in the
head, when she set up the most hideous
howls of rage. Failing to get another
shot at them, the parties inside remain
ed in state of seige, prepared to resist
any further attack. The animals loiter-
ed around until midnight, when they re-
tired and all became still. On making
a search in the morning, the old bear
was found dead about six hundred yards
from the house, and the cub lay where
it fell in the early part of the engage
ment. The other had disappeared in the
forest. The two dead bears were secur-
ed and dressed-the old one weighed $50
pounds and the cub 1913. The Elmak-
ers have sufficiency of bear meat to
last them for the balance of the season.