The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-08-23
A BRAB HUG.
A Queer Match Between a Man and q
Bear.

for a geological garden. His owner was
allowed to ride with him in the baggage
car, and he seemed to think his beai
was the greatest animal on earth. He
was ready to bet that bruin could out.
hug and out-bite anything human, and
was rather disappointed when the rail
road men refused to dispute this point.
He was INDUCING in his brag when
an old man come into the car to see
about his trunk. He saw the bear, Of
course, but the glance of contempt he
bestowed ON the animal instantly kind
led the indignation of the owner, who
called out:
"Mebbe. you think I'm toting an old
hyena around the countryl"
Il guess it's a bear,i' slowly replied
the other, shut I see nothing remark
able about him."
"You don't. Ell? Well, l dol Mebbe
you'd like to see him hug that trunk Of
yours? What he can't silver when he
gets his paws around it has got to have
roots forty feet under ground"
"I've got a son back in the car
reflectively observed the old man and
then he stopped and looked at the bear.
"Your son? Egadl Will you match
your son agin my bearl" chuckled the
owner as he danced with delight.
81 guess So"
"You dol Bring him inl Trot him
outl I'll give him all the show he wants
and bet FIVE to one on the bearl"
The old man slowly took in a chew of
tobacco, left the car, and when he re-
turned he had his son, Martin, with
him. Martin seemed to be about twen-
| ty-seven years of age, and a little taller
than a hitching-post. He was built on
the ground, with a back like a writing
desk and arms which seemed to have
been sawed from railroad ties.
"Martin, this ERE man wants to bet
five to one that this bear can out-hug
you,". quietly explained the father as
the son sat down on a trunk"
eyes, that's it-that's just itl' cack-
led the owner. "I'll muzzle him so he
can't bite, and I'll bet five to n he'll
make you holler in two minutes"
'.Muzzle your bari" was all that
Martin said as he pulled out a FIVE dol
lar note and handed it to the baggage
man. The bear man put 1875 with it,
grinning like a boy in a cherry tree, and
in a minute he had the bear ready.
Martin removed his coat AID paper col
lar, and carelessly inquired:
lis this to be a squar' hug, with no
gougingp"
jess so-jessl'' replied the bear a
"You hug the bear, and he will hug
you, and the one who squeals first loses
his cash. Now, then, all readyr"
As Martin approached, the bear rose
up with a sinful glare in his eye, and
the two embraced. 1t was q sort Of
back hold, with no sell out on the
crowd.
go for him, Hunyadol" yelled the
bear man as they closed, and the bear
responded.
One could see by the set of his eyes
that he meant to make jelly of that
young man in a York minute, but he
failed to it. Some little tribes stood in
his way. For instance, 1t wasn't ten
seconds before he realized that two
could play at hugging. Martins hand
sank down in the bears coat, the
shoulder muscles were called on for
duty, and at the first hug the bear roll
ed his eyes in establishment.
go in, Hunyado-go in-go inl"
screamed the bear man, and bruin laid
himself out as if he meant to pull rail-
road water-tank down.
"You might squeeze a little bit hard
or, my son." ~carelessly suggested the
father, and he spit from the open door,
and Martin called out his reserve mus
Gle.
Each had his best grip. There was
no tumbling around to waste breath,
but 1t was a stand-up stand-still hug
ging match. Little by little the bears
eyes began to bulge and his mouth to
open, and Martins face slowly grew to
the color Of red paint.
"Hang.:to him, Hunyado-I've got
my last dollar on your headl" shrieked
the bear man, as he saw further bulge
to his pets eyes.
But it was no use. All of a sudden
the bear began to yell and cough. and
strange. He was a goner. Martin
knew it, but he wanted no dispute, and
so he gave Hunyado q lift from the
floor, a hug which rolled his eyes around
like a pin wheel, and then dropped him
in a heap on the floor.
"Well, may l be shot!" gasped the
bear man, as he stood over the half-life-
less heap Of hair and claws.
s.Martip," said the father, as he
handed him the thirty dollars, you'd
better go back thar and watch our sat
chels."
"Yes, 1 guess so,'' replied the son, as
he showed the bills in his vest pocket,
and he retired without another word or
look at the bear.
That was the bear they were feeding
Cruel in a saloon on Randolph street
two evenings ago-one man was feed
ing him Cruel and another feeling along
his spine to find the fracture.
T.