The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-12
HER LIEGT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GEFRESSEN
Auouaf on 1917

Au6uoe 1Vt ioffs
That explains itself. The wsll-born one
was eaten bya beast, and presumably by a
bear, which animal hasl had a bad reputation
since the days of Elisha.
The bear was coming on. He had in fact
come on. Judged that he could see the
whites Of my eyes. All my subsequent re-
Elections were confused. raised the gun,
covered the bears breast with the sight and
let drive. Then I turned and ran like deer,
did not hear the bear pursuing. I looked
back. The bear had stopped. He was lying
down. l then remembered that the best
thing to do after having fired your gun is to
reload it. slipped in charge, keeping nv
eyes on the bear, Heneyer stirred. walked
back suspiciously. There was culver in
the hind legs, but no other motion. Still, he
might be shamming. Bears often sham.
To make sure approached and put ball
into his head. He didn't mind it now: he
minded nothing. Death had come to him
with merciful suddenness. He was calm
in death. In order that he might remain so,
blew his brains out and then started for
home. had killed bear!
Notwithstanding my excitement, I man
aged to saunter into the house with an un-
concerned air. There was chorus of
voices -
'Where are your blackberries ?''
sWhy were you gone SO longr'
"Where's your pail9"
81 left the pail"
''Left the paili What forp"
ia bear wanted it."
ooh, nonsensep'
''Well, the last l saw of it bear had IT,
"Oh, comet You didn't really see A
bear2'
Yes, but I did really see real BEAR"
"Did he run?"
"Yes; he ran after me-"
II don't believe word Of 1t. What did
you do?'
ooh, nothing particular, except kill the
Cries of "Gammon," ssDon't believe it,,
''Where's the bear?'
"If you want to see the bear, you must 90
up into the woods. couldn't bring him
down Alone"
Having satisfied the household that some
thing extraordinary had occurred, and ex-
cited the posthumous fear of some of them
for my own safety, ! went down into the
valley to get help. The great bear hunter,
who keeps one OF the summer boarding
houses, received my story with a smile Of
incredulity, and the incrednlity spread to the
other inhabitants and to the boarders as soon
as the story was known. However. as in
sisted in all soberness, and offered to lead
them to the bear, a party of forty or fifty
PSSPiO oe idoe opoltOu oA Will Iic W UTlUS the
bear in. Nobody believed there was any
bear in the case, but everybody who could
get gun carried one, and we went into the
woods armed with guns, pistols, pitchforks.
and sticks, against all contingencies or sur
prises,--a crowd made up mostly of scoffers
and jeerers.
But when led the way to the fatal spot,
and pointed out the bear, lying peacefully
wrapped up in his own skin, something like
terror seized the boarders, and genuine excite
ment the natives. 1t was no mistake bear,
by George; and the hero Of the fght-well, /
will not insist upon that. But what proces-
sion that was, carrying the bear home, and
what congregation was speedily gathered in
the valley to see the bear! Our best preacher
up there never drew anything like it on Sum
day.
And must say that mr. particular friends,
who were sportsmen, behaved very well on
the whole. They didn't deny that it was
bear, although they said it was small ior
bear Mr.. Deane, who is equally good with
rifle and rod, admitted that it was very
fair shot. He is probably the best salmon-
fisher In the United States, and he is an
equally good hunter. Isuppose there is no
person in America who is more desirous to
kill moose than he. But he reedlessiy re-
marked, after he had examined the wound in
the bear, that he had seen that kind OF shot
made by cows horn. This sort Of talk af-
fected me not. When I went 10 sleep that
night my last delicious thought was, "Pve
killed bear.''