The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-10-10
The True Story Of an Aged Hunter frsn
Pennsylyania. - a..


s..l Pennsylvania. Ss .asas
sS aH .tio IS 30
One day, long time ago, about the
time when jackson ran for President
the first time, perhaps, / was one day
hunting up on the ridge between Mead
ow Run and Cucumber Run, which
tumbles off the rocks just across there.
l had known for some time by the
signs that there was a nest of cub bears
somewhere in the neighborhood, so ON
that day concluded that would put
in my time finding them, as party up
in Uniontown wanted pair to send
over to Baltimore to q friend who was
fond of outlandish pets.
You see that it was along about the
1st of September, and pretty warm at
that, and after walking up and down
the ravines began to get pretty tired.
was not so heavy then as am now,
and did not weigh more than a couple
of hundred pounds As said, was q
little tired, and so, up on the top of the
ridge,I sat down by the side Of smooth
chestnut stump about IL or IA feet high.
l hadn't sat there more than minute,
until heard something inside the stump,
and soon made out that it was couple
of cub bears playing with one another.
looked on all sides of the stump to
find an opening, but none was to be
seen. Then happened to notice the
marks of claws up the side of the stump
and understood it. The hole went in
at the top. sat my gun against
bush, up-ended the branch of tree, and
was soon at the top of the stump, look
ing in at the two cubs, which were
about the size of full grown rat dogs,
was so excited that jumped down
into the stump and grabbed the cubs.
They at first began to squeal, and then
turned ON me for fight. But they were
small enough to handle, and in q min
ute or two l had their mouths tied SO
they could not bite, and their feet 80
they could not scratch.
l knew that the old bear would be
along pretty soon and make it hot for
me If she found me in the nest, 30 I
swung the youngsters into my buckskin
belt preparatory to getting out.
Get outP Did ( get outp Land Of
love! it makes me shiver to think Of it
yet. could no more get out Of that
stump than I could hy. The hollow
was bell-shaped, larger at the bottom
than at the topr-so large, in fact, that 4
could not put my back against one side
and my feet and hands against the 9TH
/ er and crawl up, as rabbits and other
animals climb up inside Of hollow trees.
In no way could / get up foot.
There were no sticks inside to help me,
up, and made up my mind I had to
| die certain. About the time came to
this conclusion heard the old bear
climbing up the outside of the stump.
With only my hunting-knife as a. means
of defense, and in such close quarters,
you may possibly imagine the state of
my feelings. ~ .,..,t
| The old bear was not more than half a
minute, at the outside, climbing up the
stump, but it seemed like q month, at
/ least. thought of all my sins dozen
times, at least. At last she reached the
top, but she didn't seem to suspect my
i presence at all, as she deliberately turn
ed around and began slowly descending,
tail foremost. 3Y #ufsa
/ felt as though my last hour had
come, and began seriously to think
about lying down and let the bear kiln
me, SO as to get out of my misery as
quick as possible. Suddenly an idea
struck me, and despair gave way to
hope. I drew my hunting knife and
stood on tip-toe. When the bear was
about seven feet from the bottom of the
hollow, I fastened on her tail with my
left hand with vise-like grip, and with
my right drove my hunting-knife to the
hilt into her haunch, at the same time
yelling like whole tribe of Indians.
4. "What did she dop' chorused the
whole crowd, who had been holding
their breath. .7s......:
/ What did she do? Well, you should
have seen the performance. She didn't
stop to reflect a moment, but shot out
at the top Of the stump like abullet out
z of gun. A hairs breadth to the min
ute. held on until we struck the
ground, some 80 feet from the stump.
Then the old bear went like lightning
into the brush, and was out Of sight in
half second. I was little bruised by
the fall, but that was all. took the
cubs to Uniontown the next day, and on
account Of the adventure L got % apiece
for them, and in those times % was AZ
, good as $50 now.-.-Pittsbuyg 1slegrdm
: NATHAN HILLEs enjoyed for 80 year.
i an especially honored place among busi
ness men in Philadelphia. Hewas . lead
! ing Quaker, too, and always among TIM
. foremost in philanthropic public move
ments. Now, he is in disgrace. Ex
), tensiye defalcations have been proves