Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-09-25
A Hunters Yarn.

One day, II long time ago, ABOUT the
time when Jackson ran for President
the first time, perhaps, was one day
hunting upon 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 nest OF cub bears
somewhere in the neighborhood, so on
that day I concluded that would put
in my time finding them. as party up
in Uniontown wanted pair to send
over to Baltimore to friend who was
fond of outlandish pets.
You see that it was along about the
LIST of September, and pretty warm at
that, and after walking up and down
the ravines l began to get pretty tired.
was not so heavy then as am now,
and did not weigh more than couple
of hundred pounds. AS said, | was a
little tired, and so on the top Of The
ridge / sat down by the side Of a smooth
chestnut stump about twelve or fourteen
feet high. / .hadn'ts sat there more than
minute until heard something in
side the stump, and soon made out
that it was couple of cub bears play
ing 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. set my gun against
bush, appended the branch OF II tree,
and was soon at the top of the stump,
looking in at the 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 a min
ute or two l had their mouths tied so
they could not bite, and their feet fast
ened so they could not scratch.
l knew that the old bear would he
along pretty soon and make it hot for
me if she found me in the nest, so l
swung the youngsters into my buckskin
belt preparatory to getting out
Get out? Did l get out? Land of
love! 1t makes me shiver to think of it
yet. l could no more get out of that
stump than l could fly. The hollow
was bell-shaped, larger at the bottom
than at the top-so large, in fact, that l
could not put my back against one
side and my feet and hands against the
other and crawl up, rs rabbits and 9TH
or animals climb up inside of hollow
trees.
In no way could l get up foot.
There were no sticks inside to help me
up, and | made up my mind | had to
die certain. About the time came to
this conclusion l heard the old bear
climbing up the outside of the stump.
With only my hunting knife as means
of defense, and in such close quarters,
you may possibly imagine the state of
my feelings.
The old bear was not more than halls
minute, ut the outside, climbing up
the stump, but it seemed like a month,
ut least. | thought Of all my sins
dozen times, at least. At last she reach
ed the top, but she didn't seem to sus-
pect my presence at all, as she deiber-
ately turned round and began slowly
descending tail foremost.
l felt as though my last hour had
come, and began seriously to think
"NOul lyHiS uoWH aIlu lcI inc Dear XIII
me, SO as to get out Of my misery as
quickly as possible. Suddenly an idea
struck me, and despair gave way to
hope. l drew out my hunting knife
and stood on tip toe. When the bear
was about seven feet from the bottom
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, and at the same time vel
ling like whole tribe of Indians.
"What did she do?' chorused the
whole crowd who had been holding their
breath.
What did she do? Well, you should
have seen the performance. She didn't
stop to reflect moment, but shot out
ut the top of the stump like bullet out
of gun. A hairs breadth to the min
ute. l held on until we struck the
ground, some thirty feet from the
stump. Then the old bear went like
lightning into the brush and was out
of sight in half second. | was a 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 50 piece for them, and in those
times So was as good as $50 now.