Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-02-06

l v
Taddie's eyes are glowing,
. Two white hands push back the curls,
Two white teeth are showing;
And the smiles, they twinkle round
Like band Of blisses:
, .sCause they takes 'em all the time,
| 'Spect rs made Of kisses"
|
A GREAT BEAR HUNT.
Desperate Fight Between Two
Men and -Four Bears.
A letter from Blooming Grove, Pike
county, Pa, to the World says: A few
days since Burt. Hazen and another
man named Shater, two well-known
hunters of this section, discovered the
tracks of several bears near this place.
Signs of bear at this season of the year
being a most unusual occurrence, they
determined to follow them up and If
possible TO capture or kill the animals.
Taking their rifles, Shafer and Hazen
started on the trail, and before they had
followed it great way they came up
to one of the bears. When it discover
ell the hunters it started briskly away,
but was hit by ball from one of the
rifles. This only added to the speed of
its flight and it was soon out Of sight,
going towards the High Knob, north of
the Blooming Grove Park. Besides the
track left in the snow by its feet trail
of blood also marked the course the
bear took, showing that the ball had
taken effect somewhere upon it. The
wounded bear kept in the trail of its
companions and the hunters were con-
fident of ultimately coming upon them
all in their winter quarters. The tracks
led to the south side Of the knob, where
they entered dense laurel thicket.
Hazen and Shafer made their way into
this and finally came to where large
tree had fallen, the roots of which had
torn out large quantity of earth, by
L huge rock, forming deep and dark
cavern. The mouth of this was closed
by laurels and boughs broken off and
evidently placed blythe bears themselves.
Into this cavern all the tracks led, ex-
cept that of the wounded bear. This
one passed ON along the foot of the
mountain, leaving its bloody trail.
When Shafer and Hazen found that
the bears were brought to bay, they set
about to find means to get them out in
order that they might get a shot. They
could tell from the tracks that there
were at least four of the animals i'm the
cavern, two old ones and two cubs.
The hunters were anxious that but ore
of the bears should come out at once, as
they would have more than their hands
full in any other event. They finally
decided to build fire at the mouth of
the cave and smoke out the inmates,
being ready to shoot the instant one ap-
peared. One of the men crept cautious
ly up to the cavern, and started fire
as far inside as he dare venture, and |
then retreated. They both stood ready |
to shoot. In short time movement |
was seen among the laurels, and the
head of huge she bear appeared. Her
actions so surprised the hunters, how
ever, that neither of them fired. She
coolly approached the fire they had
built and trampled it out with her feet,
and with an angry growl retreated into
the lair. The fire was rebuilt, and again
the bear appeared and smothered it
with her paws. Seeing that the singular
of the brute would foil
their attempt at smoking the bear out,
the men determined to rebuild the fire,
and when the bear again came out to
smother it, risk shooting her in the
very mouth of the den. The fire was
started again, and as before, the old
bear came out, this time growing, and
snarling and trampling the burning
boughs in a terrible fury. Before she
had finished, however, ball from Sha-
fer's rifle went crashing into her brain.
Raising on her launches and breaking
through the tangled laurels, she rushed
put of the cave with her jaws wide
open, but fell dead before she had taken
half dozen PAGES. in the clearing the
hunters had made before commencing
operations. .4
The lucky shot emboldened and en-
Hazen and Shafer to continue
heir line of attack. After drawing the
carcass of the dead bear away Hazen
,rept again to the mouth of the den,
md was about lighting another fire,
when the mate of the bear just killed
rushed out, and raising up on its hind
eet made directly for Hazen, who had
prang to his feet when he heard the ap-
,roach of the bear from within, but not
II time to retreat. Hazen stood be-
ween Shafer and the bear, and the lat
er did not dare to fire for fear of shoot
ng his companion. Besides, they had 7
lot calculated on such an event as this, l
nd were totally unprepared to meet it. '
There was 10 time to lose, however, for c
he enraged brute, had his immense
Jaws on Hazen's shoulders before he c
lad fairly recovered from his surprise. 4
he had in its sheath by his C
ide his hunting hatchet. This he I
uickly drew out, and before the bear e
ould get him in its embrace he dealt it Il
terrible blow on the side of the head,
ringing it to the ground. Instead of c
bringing back out of the way and Civ a
ng Shafer an opportunity to shoot the 0
nimal, Hazen continued the attack !
With his hatchet, and the contest again c
eeame hand to hand one. v
Hazen is young but powerful man, =
nd agile as cat, which gave him con-
iderable advantage in the fight. Not u
this Shafer soon saw that =
is companion could not long stand up
gainst the immense power of the bear, a
nd not daring to shoot he too unsheatl- g
d his hatchet, and rushed to Hazen's
id, attacking the bear in the rear. The Il
haggy brute maintained his ground N
gainst his two assailants for u short N
Ime, but finally from loss of blood and Il
ick of that strength which at any 9TH Ii
r season would have been much great "
+, he was forced to succumb, and fell
leeding and dying at their feet. A ri
e ball ended the existence he had so Il
ercely battled to maintain. Hazen's Is
lothing was about all torn from him, q