St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-08-29
Beaten at His own Game.

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Beaten at His Own Game.
Among the baggage coming down on
a Flint and Pere Marquette train the,
other day was full grown black bear.
Bruin had been in captivity for two or
three years, and was now on his way
east for geological garden. His own
er was allowed to ride with him in the
baggage car, and he seemed to think
the bear was the greatest animal on
earth. He was ready to bet that bruin
could out-hug and out-bite any human
and was rather disappointed when the
railroad men refused to dispute that
point with him. He was indulging 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 he bestowed on the animal
instantly kindled the indignation of the
owner who called out:
"Mebbe you think i'm toting an old
hyena around the countryp
"I guess it's BEAR" slowly replied
the other, "but see nothing remark
able about him.
"You don't, eh7 Well, I dol Meb-
be 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 the ground"
'sPve got a son back in the carr re-
f1ectively observed the old man, and
then he stopped and looked at the bear.
"Your sonq Egad Will you match
your son agin my bear 7" chuckled the
owner as he danced with delight.
81 guess So" r.r .r
"YOu do7 Bring him in TrOt him
out I'll give him all the show he
wants and bet five to one on the bearp p
The old man slowly took a chew of
tobacco, left the car, and when he re-
turned he had his son Martin with him.
Martin seemed to be about twenty-sev-
en- years of age and little taller than
hitching- post. He was built on the
ground with back like 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. d.
''Yes, that's it-that's just it n cack-
led the owner.
"Tll muzzle him so he can't bite and
I'll bet five to one he'll make you hol-
Ter in two minutes"
"Muzzle your barr was all that Mar
tin said as he pulled out five dollar
bill and handed it to the baggage man.
The bear-man put twenty-five dollars
with it, grinning like a boy in a 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 squar' hug, with no
gouging 7" ...:
"Jess so-jess !" replied the bear
man. "You hug the bear and he will
hug you, and the one who squeals first
leoses his cash. Now, then, all ready"
AS Martin approached the bear rose
up with sinful glare in his eye and
the two embraced. 1t was a sort of a
back-hold, with no sell out on the
crowd.
"Go 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 York minute, but
he failed to do it. Some little trifes
stood in his way. For instance it
wasn't ten seconds before he realized
that two could play at hugging. Mar
tins hands sank down into the bears
coat, the shoulder muscles were called
on for duty and at the first hug the bear
rolled his eyes in establishments. '
$50 in, Hunyado-go in-go in !"
screamed the bear man and bruin laid
himself out as if he meant to pull rail-
road water tank down. -..
"You might squeeze little bit hard
er my son." carelessly suggested the
father, as he spit from the open door
and Martin called out his reserve mus
Gle. ld
Each had his best grip. There was
no tumbling round to waste breath, but
it was a stand up and 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 coler of red paint.
"Hang to him, Hunyado-Pve got
my last dollar on your head ~ shrieked
the bear man, as he saw a further bulge
to his pets eyes.
But it was no use. All of a sudden
the bear began to yell and cough and
strangle. He was a goner. Martin
knew it, but he wanted no dispute, 80
he gave Hunyado a lift from the floor,
hug which rolled his eyes around like
pin wheel, and then dropped him in
heap on the floor.
"Well may L be shot," gasped the
bear man, as he stood over the half
lifeless heap of hair and claws.
"Martin," said the father, as he hand
ed him the thirty dollars, ''you'd better
go back thar and watch our sachelsl'
eyes, guess so," replied the son, as
he showed the bills into his vest pocket,
and retired without another word or a
look at the bear.
That was the bear they were feeding
gruel in saloon on Randolph street
two evenings ago-one man was feed
ing him Cruel and another feeling ,alonp