American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-08-09
The Man With a Bear.

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 was on his way East
for geological garden. His owner
was allowed to ride with him In the bag
gage-car, and he seemed to think his
bear was the greatest animal on earth.
He was ready to bet that bruin could
out-hug and out-bite any thing human,
and was rather disappointed when the
railroad men refused to dispute this
point with him. He was INDUCING 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 in
stantly kindled the indignation of the
owner, who called out:
"Mebbe you think I'm toting an old
hyena around the country!"
81 guess it's BEAR" slowly replied
the other, "but 1 see nothing remarks
BILE about him.
"You don't, Ell? Well, 1 do! Meb-
be you'd like to see him hug that trunk
of yoursp 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
refectively observed the old man, 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 dop Bring him in! Trot him
out! I'll give him all the show he
wants and bet five to one on the bear!''
The old man slowly took in chew of
tobacco, left the car, and when he re-
turned he had his son Martin with him.
Martin seemed to be about ~ 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 his bear can outhug
you," quietly explained the father as
the son sat down on trunk.
eyes, that's it-that's just it'll" cack-
led the owner, ssI'll muzzle him so he
can't bite, and I'll bet five to one he'll
make you boiler in two minutes!"
"Muzzle your b'ar!' was all that
Martin said as he pulled out five dol
lar bill and handed it to the baggage
man. The bear-man put S25 with it.,
grinning like boy in cherry tree, and
in a minute he had the bear ready.
Martin removed his coat and paper col
lar and carelessly inquired:
's Is this to be squar' hug, with no
gougingp"
"Jess so-jess!" replied. the bear
man. "You hug the bear and he will
hug you, and the one who squeals first
loses his cash. Now, then, all ready"
As Martin approached, the bear rose
up with sinful glare in his eye, and the
two embraced. It 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 York minute, but
he failed to do it. Some little trifles
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 Shout
der muscles were called on for duty,
and at the first hug the bear rolled his
eyes in establishment.
$50 in Hunyado-go in-go int"
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 muscle.
Each had his best grip. There was
no tumbling around to waste breath, but
it was a stand-up, stand-still hugging
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 head!" 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
strangle. He was a goner. Martin
knew it, but he wanted no dispute, and
so he gave Hunyado a 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 be shot!" gasped the
bear-man, as he stood over the half-life
less heap of hair and claws.
Martini said the father, as he
handed him the thirty dollars, "you'd
better go back thar and watch our
sachels!''
"Yes, guess so," replied the son,
as he showed the bills in his vest pocket,
and he retired without another word or
a look at the bear.
That was the bear they were feeding
Cruel in saloon on Randolph Street
two evenings ago-one man was feeding
him Cruel and another feeling along his
spine to find the fracture-De roit Free
Press
THE japanese are not rapid railroad
builders. Since 1869, when the railroad
from Yeddo to Yokohama was begun,
66a miles have been completed.