The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-10-12
4 Hunters Yarn.

One day, long time ago, about the
time when Jackson ran for President
the FIRST time, perhaps, was one day
hunting upon the ridge between Meadow
Run and Cucumber Run, which tumbles
off the rocks Just across there
i had known for some time by the
signs that there was nest Of cub bears
somewhere IN the neighborhood, SO on
that day / concluded to put in my time
finding them, as a party up in Union
town wanted pair to send over to
Baltimore, to friend who was fond of
outlandish pets.
You see it was along about the lst Of
September, and pretty warm at that,
and after walking up and down the
rayines / began to get pretty tired. ]
was not so heavy then as / am now, and
did not weigh more than q couple of
hundred pounds As said, I was lit
tie tired, and SO ON the top of the ridge
| sat down by the side of smooth
chestnut stump about twelve or fourteen
feet high. ] 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.
I 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,
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 full grown rat dogs.
l was so excited that jumped down
into the stump and grabbed the cubs.
They at first began to squeal then turned
ON me for fight But they were small
| enough to handle, and In minute or so
| had their mouths tied SO they could
not bite, and their feet fastened so that
they could not scratch
/ knew the old bear would be along
pretty soon and make it hot for me if
she found me in the nest, so slung the
youngsters into my buckslkin belt pre-
paratory to getting out.
Get outl Did / get out7 Land of
love! It makes me shiver to think of it
yet. I could no more get out of that
stump than I could fly, the hollow was
bell shaped-larger at the bottom than at
the top-so large, in fact, that I could
not put my back against one side and
my feet and hands against the other 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 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 means of defense,
and in such close quarters, you may
possibly imagine the state of my feelings
The old bear was not more than half
a minute, at the outside, climbing up the
stump, but it seemed like month at
least At last she reached the top, but
she didn't seem to suspect my presence
at all, as she deliberately turned round
and began slowly descending, tail fore
most.
/ felt as though my last hour had
come, and began seriously to think about
lying down and let the bear kill me, SC
as to get out Of my misery as quick as
possible. Suddenly an idea struck me.
and despair gave way to hope. drew
out nv hunting knife and stood on tin
toe When the bear was about seven
feet from the bottom of the hollow !
fastened on her tail with my left hand
with vice-like grip, and with my right
hand drove my hunting-knife to the hilt
into her haunch, and at the same time
i yelling like whole tribe of Indians.
seWhat did she doa9 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
at the top Of the stump like bullet out
of gun. A hairs breadth to minute.
held on till we struck the ground,
some thirty feet from the stump. Then
the bear went like lightning into the
brush, and was out Of sight in half a
second. | was a little bruised by the
fall, but that was all. I took the two
cubs to Uniontown next day, and on ac-
count of the adventure got S. piece
for them, and in those times S5 was as
good as $50 now.