Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-11-20

be chained to tree by the neck, and
Sam was to fight him one hour with his
naked fists. Sam again wentinto train
ing, with Jim Peyton for his trainer,
and long before the day of the fight
Peyton reported that his pupil was in
splendid condition, and would as soon
fight as go a-fshing.''
The day came, and with it great
crowd. The bets were three to one on
Sam, and many really believed he
would whip the bear. Poor Bruin-a
great shaggy-coated fellow-was tied to
stake by a chain twelve feet long, and
was as good-tempered as he could be,
standing on his hind legs, and scamper-
ing about with delight at the sight of so
many people. Perhaps there was as
little of the real beast in Bruin as there
was in many of the two-legged animals
who came to see him fight. The keepers
of the bear began teasing and poking
him with sharp poles and irons, and
although he took it quite coolly at first,
he after while growled fercely and
tugged at his chain. Sam now appeared
with his keeper, Peyton, and was re-
ceived with loud cheers by the human
animals who wished to see a man and a
beast fight.
Stepping into the ring Sam appeared
for battle, stripping off all his clothing,
except his boots, pants and drawers. His
broad chest contrasted strangely with
the shaggy coat of the beast, as the two
combatants stood glaring at each other.
The intelligent animal seemed to under
stand the situation in a moment, and,
raising on his legs, walked toward Sam,
who tried to hit him, between the eyes,
hoping to break his skull but, failing
in this, he stepped to one side, and Civ
ing the bear a powerful blow, knocked
him down. Cheer after cheer greeted
Sam as he stepped from the ring, and
the men who had bet on the bear really
began to fear they would lose their
money. Five minutes we're allowed be-
tween the rounds, and the baiters poked
the beast vigorously all the time, SO
that when Sam came up again he was in
towering passion.
The moment Sam crossed the ring the
bear recognized him and bounded the
full length of the chain, So great was
the rage of the beast that the people
pale. Again the bear leaped forward,
and taking his chain in his paws at
tempted to break it. For time it re-
sisted all his efforts, but tatlength snapped
in twain, and the affrighted people
fed terror-stricken from the plain.
The bear dashed upon Sam, who
bravely stood his ground, and actually
succeeded in telling the bear to the
earth, but in doing SO he lost his bal
ance, and before he could escape the
bear caught him with one claw, and hit
ting him on the face with the other,
broke the poor fellows jaw. Still Sam
fought on with his jaw hangingo on his
breast and blood spirting from dozen
wounds. It was terrible ; but, of course,
the bear won, knocked Sam down finally
and tearing open his chest with his
sharp claws. By this time thepeople had
got guns and returned to the field,
where they fred volley after volley into
poor Bruin until he lay quite still and
Sam was dead too, and they took uI
his body and the carcass of the bear and
buried them both. And thus ende
Bruiser Sam and his grizzly bear fight
which was perhaps the only bear prize
| fight ever fought in the world.