Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-08-21
BEATEN AT HIS OWN
GAME.
A Story About a Man Who Can
Bear as Much as a Bear.
Detroit Free Pre-

Detroit Free Press.
Among the baggage coming down
on a Flint and Pere Marquette train
the other day was a full grown black
bear. Bruin had been in captivity for
two or three years, and vas on his
way East for a geological garden.
His owner was allowed to ride with
him in the baggage Car, and he SEEM
ed to think his bear 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 railroad men
refused to dispute that point with
him. He was i~ndulging in his brag
when an old man came into the car
to see about his trunk. He saw the
bear, of course, but the glance of
contempt be bestowed on the animal
instantly kindled the indignation of
the owner who called out:
"Membe you think I'm toting an
old hyena around the country?"
81 guess it's q BEAR" slowly re-
piled the other, "but I see nothing
remarkable about him."
"You don't Ell? Well, / do. 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 carr
refectively observed the old mar and
then he stopped and looked at the
bear.
"Your son? Egad! Will you match
your son agin my bear?" chuckled
the owner as he danced with delight.
81 guess So"
"You do? Bring him in! Trot
him out out! I'll give him all the
show he wants and bet five to one on
the bear!"
The old man slowly took in q chew
Of tobacco, left the car, and when he
returned he had his son Martin with
him. Martin seemed to be abont
twenty-seven years of age and a little
taller than q hitching-post. He was
built ON the ground, with a back like
a writing-desk and arms which SEEM
ed to have been sawed from railroad
ties.
"Martin, this ERE man wants to
bet five to n that his bear can out
hug you," quietly explained the IA
Their as the son sat down on a trunk.
"Yes, that's it-that's just it,"
cackled the owner. "I'll muzzle him
SO he can't bite and I'll bet five to
one he'll make you boiler in two min
utes!'
"Muzzle your bar" was ali that
Martin said as he pulled out a S. bill
and handed it to the baggage-man.
The bear-man put S25 with it, grin
ming like a boy in cherry-tree, and
in a minute he had the bear ready.
Martin removed his coat and paper
collar and carelessly inquired:
SIS this TO be a squar' hug, with
no gouging?"
''Jess so-jess!" replied the bear
man. "You hug the bear and he
will hug you, and the who squeals
first loses his cash. Now, then, all
ready"
AS Martin approached, the bear
rose up with a sinful glare in his eye
and the two embraced. 1t was sort
of back-hold, with no sell out ON the
crowd:
$50 for him, Hunyado." 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 do it.
Some little trities stood in his way.
For instance it wasn't ten seconds
before he realized that two could play
at hugging. Martins hand sank down
in the bears coat, the shoulder mus
cles were called on for duty and at
the first hug the bear rolled his eyes
in establishment.
go In, Hunyado-go in-goi in"
screamed the bear man and bruin laid
himselef out as if he meant to pull
water-tank down.
"Tou might squeeze a little bit
harder, my son. carelessly suggest
ed the father, as he spit from the
open door and Martin called out his
muscle.
Each had his best grip. There was
no tumhling around to waste breath,
but it was a standup, standstill hug
glng match. Little by little the bears
eyes began to bulge and his mouth to
open, ard Martins face slowly grew
the color Of red paint.
"Hang to him, Hunyado-I've got
ny last dollar on your head" Shrek ,
ed the bear man, as he saw a further 9
to his pets eyes. +
But it was no use. All of a sudden
he bear began to yell and cough anG
'trangle. He was a goner. Martin
new it, but he wanted no dispute and
he gave Hunyando a lift from the
loor, a hug which rolled him around :
a pin wheel, and then dropped |
lin in a heap on the floor.
"Weil, may / be shot," gasped the
year man, IS he stood over the half
lfeless heap of hair and claws.
s'Martin," said the father, as lie
landed over the $50, s'you'd better 60 r
back thar and watch satclIuis!" b
Eyes, l guess So" replied the son, il
IS he showed the bills in his vest t
and ne retired without anoth. t
r word or q look at the bear.
That was the bear they were feed
NO Cruel in a. saloon on Randolph =
treet two evenings ago-one nan =
vas feeding him cruel and another
along his spine to find the
racture.