St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-05-30
An Uncommonly Lively Bear Story.

The particulars of IL terrific stIIggl,
with hears i'll the town of Boyl>tOn. il
this county, have Just reached us. an,
are of IL thrilling character. 1t appear,
that on Monday last IL young maI
named John Bidwell, aged 10 years
with his father. IL une-armed man. AN,
his brother. IL mere lad. went into til,
woods about four miles east of Smart.
mills, III BOylston. To gather spruce
gum. They carried no weapons. auC
their only tools We're Il common nail
hatclet and IL dirk knife. for the par.
pose of cutting the gum from the tees
and Il chisel fastened to Il long pole
The latter was carried tl the father
The hatchet had handle about f0ul
feet long, and made of exceedingly
tough wood, 50 that it might even he
struck against Il tree and bend hall
double without iniurimg it.
Thus equipped they were proceeding
through the woods about their work,
when John saw il bear track, and, follow
ing 1t with his eye. saw about two rod,
ahead of him Il hole in the snow besid,
Il hig hcmlnck log. He went to lool
into ii, but just is he reached it slumped
i'll the snow. and fell head foremost
int" the hole, his head barely escaping
the mouth of Il huge bear, that was
just emerging with his jaws distended
| his was critical time for John, and
had he attempted to run. as most men
would have done in such circumstances
could scarcely hav" escaped alive
But John was the man for the encrgen-
cy. and the thought of running never
entered his head. He had barely time
To draw back. and then brought the
bear Il blow on the nose with his hatchet
which dropped her. In second. how
ever. the bear mad sprung up again only
maddened 10y the blow, but John was il
time for her. and dealt her terrible
blow between the eyes with the edge OF
his hatrhct. cutting, as attcrward
proved. clear to the brain The heaI
came for john third time. but WAS
met hy another powerful blow from
the Ratchet, which finished her, and the
bear died i'll the mouth of the hole. Ii
lcquilrd Il strong effort to pull the heal
out. and john had scarcely accomplish
ed it when the cub. nearly full grown
appeared. Nothing daunted. John
went at him. and, after brief struggle
~'lNf'l llllll ttS It II'l lllt Dlll llsit
scarcely done with him when bear No {:
appeared. which proved to lie the
other cub. John struck AT him Will
the hatrhrt. but missed him. The bcal
>prang upon him and the hatchcr
could no longer Ice used But. Will
GOODNESS and pluck that never deserted
him. John proved himself Il match fol
hruin i'll any shape. He drew the din k
knife and drove it to the heart of hi-
savage toe. who Immediately released
his hold and expired. of course. John
fully realized before this time what he
had struck. and now prepared him
self for the hcbrar. hut after waiting
awhile. and this member of the family
not appearing. he gave him up. Dur.
ing the entire fight the father stood hy
but. having no weapon and but ON,
arm. he WAS unable to lend his son any
aid. and ieaIcd that hv interfering h,
might iniure him. The Young brother
not liking the looks of things, hac
JthCn ,u = nee Iud watched tine Savag,
encounter with not Il little alarm. Whel
the old bean was measured her lcnutl
WAS toumd To Ice d feet from the noS, I,
the stern. All three OF them wcr,
skinned. and tine skins sold for so.
OS'rcgO Y. ~ Times.