Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-12-12

more efectual than n charge of the heaviest
buckshot. couple of stout cudgels were
quickly cut, and two of the biggest and most
venturesome Of the party approached the
bear, old Thompson standing ready with his
gun in case the bear showed fight. Bruin
eyed them quietly and as the first blow came
down with tremendous force upon his skull,
replied merely with q grunt of contempt
Down came the other cudgel with energy
enough TO have felled an OK. Another grunt,
apparently of satisfaction, like a dog when
some one pats him on the head. Down on
bruins head raned the blows faster and fast
er, without producing any apparent effects on
his tough pate, until one blow, nicely aimed,
lit on the end Of bruins proboscis Rays of
fire shot from his eyes, like sparks from
flint struck by steel. Boiling with rage he
struck at his audacious tormentors. Both
dropped their clubs and ran for dear life,
while the rest of us sprang up trees with an
agility we never before surpassed. But alas
one of the pursued found a log suddenly in
his way. The bear was on him in an instant,
caught his upraised hand in his mouth and
with "A quick snap crushed it within his for
midable jaws. The heart of each man of us
was in his mouth. There was no opportuni-
ty to fire without hitting the man. Appalled,
by the sudden danger, each one held his
breath expecting at the next instant to see
the skull Of the unfortunate man crushed by
n blow from the bears paw when suddenly
to the surprise and intense relief of all the
bear, as If anxious to reak vengeance on
his other tormentor too, before he escaped
him, left his almost victim and plunged after
the other. 'Run, run :" burst in frantic
yell from every throat and the man and the
bear plunged on in the race which was for
life or death TO the former The poor fellow
friplfAnaI v4arlV nj Of biu apJ
ronred with terror as he beheld the bear close
behind. Fear added wings to his speed and
he ran as he never ran before. But the bears
blood was up, aud he gained on the man at
every leap in spite Of the trap which clung to
his paw. The excitement was intense, as il
was evident to every one that the race was
about to be ended in much less time than it
takes to tell it, and a tragedy enacted that
would render our bear hunt sorrowful one,
when the trap suddenly caught against a log,
and the bear turned Il summersault into the
heels Of his terrified enemy. The latter was
mp tree in a twinklng, and a cry Of joy
sprang from every lip The bear picked
himself up, and with his fury somewhat
cooled by the wrench he had received, trot-
ted off into the woods. One poor fellow had
been badly hurt and the accident cast some
thing Of a damper on our hilarity. But
handagng up the wounded hand to the best
Of our ability, We prepared to renew the
chase. But one of our number was found to
be missing. "Hollor, Bill, ~ we shouted,
and pretty quick faint voice at the top of
the tallest trees answered and Bill came slid
ing slowly down.
The pursuit was once more commenced
and the bear about oyertaken. But clubs
were now dispensed with. \ malicious glcam
still shone in bruins eye, and each man held
l.. 4 s,,
first symptom of another charge. At little
safer distance this time, "Bub" fired again.
The bear turned n summersault. which seem
ed to be trick of his when hit, recovered
himself and bounded OFF. But his runs were
now short. His wounds seemed to be taking
effect. Another charge at a still nearer range
was sent into his head, and once more
bruin turned to charge his pursuers. There
was a general cry of Take TO the trees take
to the trees" aud every man sprang up a tree
in a twinkling, and bruin again plunged for
ward to escape his enemies. But the blood
was now dripping from his jaws, and it was
evident his race was nearly run. Again We
caught him, ana HgRin he turned TO bay. ms
time the guu lrVvllvd Within feet of
the dying bear. Once more bruin turned
summersault, rose with difficulty, and sat on
his launches with the blood flowing in a
stream from his mouth. We quickly sur
rounded HIM, Old thompson cautlOnlng us
not to get too near, as a bears dying moments
are sometimes his most dangerous couldn't
help feeling thrill Of pity, as the noble ami
NAL, for he was a bear of unusual size, sat
there silently cycling his enemies, and the life
blood yelling in thick crimson stream from
his distended jaws. Another shot was fred
and the bear fell to the ground. In a few
minutes his spirit had passed to that happy
land where human enemies are unknown and
plenty Of fat sheep roam unprotected by steel
traps
After few moments rest, a rope was
brought forward, fastened around the bears
head and jaw, and knots made with sticks in
them Four of the stoutest of the party took
hold but very short distance suficed to
show that it required more than four men to
pull the bear out of the forest. Another knot
was accordingly made and another stick in
serted, and two more were added to the team.
After half-hours hard toll, an old road
through the woods was reached. One of the
party was sent back after the teams, and in
the course of couple of hours appeared.
Bruin was strapped to one of the wagons,
and long before sunset we were parading the
streets of Bethlehem in triumph. II. w.
Page, in Sunday Republican.