The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-10
PLAYING 1T ON THE OLD BEAR.

Ou6 uhy lOhB UNIV USoS "oSNs S~~S -~~~~ |
when jackson ran for President the first |
time, perhaps, was one day hunting up |
on the ridge between Meadow Run and
Cucumber Run, which tumbles of the
rocks Just across there.
I had known for some time by the signs
that there was a nest of cub bears some-
where in the neighborhood, so on that day
1 concluded that would put in my time
finding them, as party up in Uniontown
wanted pair to send over over to baiti-
more to friend who was fond of outland-
ish pets.
You see that 1t 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 1 am now, and did not
weigh more than couple of hundred
pounds. As said, was little tired,
and So up on the top of the ridge I sat
down by the side of smooth chestnut
stump about twelve or fourteen ieet
high. I hadn't sat there more than
minute until heard something inside the
stump, and soon made out that it was
q 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 1 happened to notice the marks OF
claws up the side of the stump and un-
derstood it. The hole went in at the top.
I sat my gun against bush, up-ended the
branch of tree, and was soon at the top OF
the stump looking in at the two cubs,
which were about the size of fnll grown
rat dogs.
was so excited that jumped down into
the stump and grabbed the cubs They al
first began to squeal, and then turned on
me for fight. But they we're small enough
to handle and in minute or two l had
their mouths tied SO they could not bite,
and their feet fastened SO they could moi
scratch.
knew that the old boar would be along
pretty soon and make it hot for me If she
found me in the nest SO ! swung the
youngsters into my buckskin belt prepara-
tory to getting out.
Get out n Did get out? Land Of love!
it makes me shiver to think of it yet. l
could no more get out of that stump than
could f1y. The hollow was bell-shaped,
larger at the bottom than at the top-so
large, in fact, that could not put my bacA
against one side and my feet and hands
against the other and crawl up, as rabbits
and other animals climb up inside of hol.
low trees.
In no way could get upa 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 defence, and in sucl
close quarters you may possibly imagin'
the state of my feelings.
The old bear was not more than half
: minute, at the outside, climbing up tn
stump, but it seemed like amonth, at least
s At last she reached the top, but she didn'
f seem to uspect my presence at all, as sh
= deliberately turned around and bega
e slowly descending, tail foremost.
f felt as though my last hour had come
;, and began seriously to think about lyin
t down and let the bear kill me, so as to g.
: out of my misery as quickly as possible
n Suddenly an idea struck me, and despa
g gave way to hope. l drew my huntin
n knife and stood on tip toe. When th
n bear was about seven feet from bottom {
IL the hollow, fastened on her taii with
vice-like grip, and with my right drove m
hunting knife to the hlt into her hauncl
Ia at the same time yelling like whole trit
:. of Indians.
"What did she do2" chorused Il
y. whole crowd, who had been holding the
az breath.
IL What did she do? Well, you shou
"a have seen the performance. She didl
- stop to reflect moment, but shot out
"a the top of the stump like bullet out of
- gun, A hairs breadth to the minute.
ot held on until we struck the ground, son
Of thirty feet from the stump. Then the O
IN bear went like lightning into the brus
"A and was out of sight in half second.
fl. was a little bruised by the fall, but th
h was all. took the cubs to Uniontown
ce next day, and on account of the adventu
I'D / got SIS apiece for them, and in tho
os times $5 was as good as $50 now.-R
burgh Telegraph.