St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-02

or three feet and there hung suspended
in mid All 10y one paw cl:i>pin% Il pro
jcctiug limb. aud making most pilruus
means. Seeing hat the other two cubs
in alarm were coming down the tree.
without stopping 10 reload he la>tcncd
to the foot to prevent it. Il could have
shot them" said the nl} hunter. ''hut
WAS working for my friends, and want
ed them for them /" shoot
He had hardly reached the foot of the
tree when the wounded cub let z" his
hold and in ialin" struck one of the
other cubs aud hoth tell almost int"
Dunham'~ arms. The second cub has
tened away while the wounded one lay
gasping al the hunters feet.
Before he could slip cartridge int"
his rifle he found himself confronted
10y the old female. fired with deadly
anger lay her maternal instincts. She
made the assault with an mpaSSi"mcd
vigor that convinced Durham she WIS
bent upon rctIihutivc Justice. The bat
tie MAS fought over the body of the
wounded cub. which Durham had sup
posed 50 surely dead that ii was not
worth while to give il the coup de grace.
Durham had the advantage of ground.
else. he believes. the bear would have
mastered him.
An imturiaIcd bear. of 300 pounds.
whose natural timidItN WIS entirely
overcome 10y rage, fighting oven hrl
Wounded cub. WIS no mean adNcl >;irN
against IL slight old mau with no means
of defense hut Il short empty rifle. he
ground WaS descending and DumiIam
had the upper side and managed l."
keep il.
So hard WAS he pressed that he could
not find time to bring back his riIi" ami
give hera Swimgim" blow over the head
he could only u>c it H. il hIttcriu"
ram. and bN successive. rapid punches
in the face keep her from hitting him
with her powerful paw "l coming the
fatal hug. He made >rNr rral attempts
/" work Il cartridge iur" his rifle. hul
il WAS impossible. He had /" keep his
eye on the bear. and the rifle. " hen Un-
shipped for the cartridge hrcamc almost
useless a> Il weapon of defense 0r at
tack. Duulam admits thai hi~ nerves
may have been Il little uncertain. al
though he i not conscious nt the least
feeling of fright oI mi>gi>im@.
To put the gun in condition t"rcccINc
the cartridge it had To bc brought to It
hdif cock. several times he attempted
it but every time il would come Ia Il
tuH cock. Still h, WAS cool enough to
come I" the conclusion that L" he able
to lead Il gun while punching Il mad
bear. WAS Il matteI that would require
some nice consideration on the part of
the Gun makers hereafter.
lb. tiultt wont an Ibi> rho
white foam from hluilI'> mouth takiu.
the hue ot hloud-until the cub III the
trec had come down and Ictrratyd INTO
the woods and the wnunded cuh bad
come To lite, and cIaWlrd tIuui hctwcrll
the comhatant, AID Was >ccn hy Dun
ham making of on thee lcw> ill ii
disappeared over Il log ont al >iglG ::
and the four amateur hunters. Il lOHg
WAY from where they should have been.
attracted 10y Dunham gun. had made
theiI WAY back painting and hlcathlr>>.
when the brave old bear. IL il conscious
She had done all that honor and the
safety of her family required. beat :,
retreat. leaving Dunhdm master al the
field hut marry Il bear. The amateurs
represent Durham IL standing in .hc
tracks where hc bad fought. looking
pale and worried. hut cool and eager
for the pursuit.
They went first for the wounded cub.
not dreaming hut they would pick it
up al uncc. They cnTld trace him 10y
the blood to the LOG where it had dis
appeared. hut no tuIhrr. There was
Il small hollow in The loo not biz enough
tor Il W0ndrhUck To enter. much less =
Young bear OF fifty p"umd~: ~ the,
gave il no further attention hut l.r"-
ccrdcd aitrl the, old one \ heavy rain
coming on hr"k, me hunt for that d:N.
The next day DunlIdru carried and
set upon the .Iound two tIap> and not
satisfied with the my N>Jclinu> disappear
ancc oi The WuHuhcd cGh. he ON cIh.Il-
/ ed the log where II had Disappeared
and found that il must have been >,--
cIcIrd there ai the NriN iinI,. the, V'T,
>iamdin" upon II ~i'rcull!iuG - l." it.
( hclr.rt,nUt>. It had hi'h prulu>rI}
but Wa> u"G thrIr. Ia thc night ia,
old n"thrr bear had Il" doubt found il
/ and carried il /" some tricudll shelter
. I" nurse and caIe inr.
But our amateurs " eye not To 90 bach
/ to the city hrallc>s. Dunham h.td {;
/ trap up in the Ript"n muuutairr>. huu
which they took. the next day. = lin,
bear. and went home with Il pair "t car.
IL Il trophy OF their pr"wcS>.
! The second day after til" tight. pun
/ ham visited the tIIp> on the hattl,
field. and fuuud that he bad achieve,
10y Str;itagrm what he had failed +" d,
in the open light. havim" the old hca
and Il cub lay the heels. She Mas
splendid animal. iii fine conditions
weighing somewhat more than :h'
pounds the cub about 80. He cuul,
now Judge of the character of the blow
he had dealt, although he SAYS il seem
ed To him that he WAS not hitting he
at all. All her front teeth were cithc
knocked ont or broken oil, and one -
her eyes WIS badly damaged. Thi
achievement rounds out the career q
our old friend in Il manner that mus
he highly satisfactory t" him. aud sup
plies the compliment he has aS>iguc,
himself. viz: fifty bears. He has killc,
with his own hands fHy-onr. wirh"u
counting many others To whose dealt
he has been accessory. doubt if h.
rctirc> upon his laurcl> till malN an
other bites the dust. but | think here
after he will find ii prudent t" supple
mrnt his rifle with Il six shooter IN hi
pocket. .- RutIond HrroId.
Blunders of Printers.