The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-09-21

knights. When within ten feet of each
other, both paused and again drew
back. 1t seemed as if each thought he
hadn't secured momentum enough to
give full effect to the collision.
Again they drew back to almost
double their first distance apart. Then
they charged, There was no pause
then. Their heads smote together with
a sounding crack. The result was dis
astrous to CLAIMS antagonist, for his
neck was broken, and he fell sidewise
and died.
AS for Clam, he shook his head
slightly, then paved his dead rival, and
turned to the spectators, as much as to
say: Fetch OH another"
The two Frenchmen were much ex-
cited and wanted to kill Clam. For
my part, think it would have been no
more than justice if they had been made
by legal enactment to butt their own
heads together.
There is kind of wildcat. or lynx,
found in the region of CLAIMS exploits,
that sometimes throttles sheep 1t is q
cowardly creature, but when at bav,
or when surprised while eating its prey,
will tight savagely, and is then by no
means an antagonist to be coveted by
either man or beast. Sometimes the
old males reach the size of large dog,
and have long retractile claws and big
round heads.
One morning in the spring, shortly
after the sheep had been turned into
the pasture, Maxine, on going there to
give them salt, found both Clam and
one of his largest lambs were not with
the flock. The other sheep seemed to
have been recently frightened.
After brief search, Maxine found
the lamb in some bushes, dead. Its
throat was torn, and punches of its
wool were pulled out and scattered
around. But where was CLAM?
Maxine called and called, but it was
not till he had searched almost every
section of the pasture that he at last
saw his lordship. He was standing
under yellow birch tree, looking up,
and occasionally stamping his foot i'm
patiently.
On going nearer, Maxine saw
large notified lynx in the tree. CLAM
must have attacked the marauder and
driven it away from the lamb, and had
butted it so hotly that the lynx had
been forced to climb the birch for safety.
Maxine ran to the house of neigh
Dor, borrowed a gun, and then shot the
lynx.
But CLAIMS great feat-one which it
seems to me should make him forever
famous in the history of sheep-was
not performed till the autumn of the
next year
The black bear is also common in the
region where Maxine lives. Farmers
owning sheep often suffer from its at
tacks, which are usually made in the
night. Sometimes an entire flock of
twelve or fifteen sheep has been killed
in night by single bear.
That autumn, several of Maxime's
neighbors, on that side of the river, re-
peatedly lost sheep. Rightly or wrong
ly, they attributed their losses to one
particular bear, which had been seen
at several different times.
To secure the safety of his flock,
Maxine, who was prudent lad drove
his sheep home every night, and shut
them in their cote. But one afternoon,
toward the last of September, the boy
had his buckwheat to get in, for it
threatened rain.
Before the last load of wheat reached
the barn, it was twilight. Taking his
salt dish, he hurried up the hillside to
the pasture. Just as he reached the
log fence, he saw the sheep running
along the upper side of the lot, with a
large black animal chasing them.
Dark as it already was, Maxine knew
the animal to be the "Sacre oorS noir."
Bent on saving his sheep, he leaped the
fence, and ran towards the frightened
animals. But he had bushy hollow
to cross. When he had reached the
other side, the bear was no longer
chasing the sheep. Clam was facing
him, and backing, as if he had Just
given his bearship butt, and was pre-
pairing another.
Maxine heard the bear growing
savagely, and feeling somewhat afraid,
as he had no weapon but club, he
concluded to remain spectator. Clam
backed off thirty or forty yards, then,
lowering his horns, plunged at the
pCdl' OCClHS uHo ldul COluluS, IHc dill
imal rose on its hind-legs, and stretched
out his paws to seize him.
CLAIMS hard head, coming like shot,
hit the bear full in his stomach, in the
very roundest portion of it, and instead
of clasping the buck he went heels over
head backward! Maxine said it
sounded like striking on big pumpkin.
With fierce growl the astounded
bear scrambled up. But at the same
time Clam had backed off again. Max
ime could plainly hear their heavy
breathing. Scarcely had the bear re-
gained his feet when the ram again
charged him with tremendous force.
Again the bear rose, and again was
knocked fairly heels over head before
he could seize his hard-headed antag-
onist.
This maneuver was repeated eight
or nine times. AT each charge of the
buck the bear would rise, bear-fashion +,
to grapple Clam, and every time was
promptly sent sprawling on the ground.
After the eighth or ninth "round''
the bear failed to rise. Clam butted at
him several times more, however, but
he did not respond.
Maxine then went cautiously up to
the PROSTATE animal, who lay limp, and
with his tongue hanging out. So COM
nlptelv uSed nm was he hat the lad had