Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1881-09-22

thASh Nhitc tiiutot oiict Just pBtOW Ilo
knee, taking the entire leg in her mouth
back OF her tusks, shaking me rs one
would adishcloth. In this last bite sho
broke the skin in but one place, leaving
marks, however, Of the other three
tusks, and pressing so hard that the
| flesh was started from the bone, so that
the doctor thought at one time the
wound would have TO be opened, and
from this | suffered most. Again she
returned TO her cubs, and thinking she
had gotten through with me got upon
my feet, but had no sooner done so than
| she came at me again. was then near
a large tree, and having thoroughly
| tested the 'possum tactics without sue
cess, determined to abandon them.
lodged round the tree. She made n
fearful plunge at me, but, like the priest
and the Levite, ''went by on the other
side" Thus eluded her several times,
but from exhaustion, my right log torn
/ to pieces. and faint from loss of blood,
stumbled and fell. Again she was
/ upon me; ! moved my left hand
/ toward my small sheath knife; she
caught my arm just above the wrist,
/ fracturing the bone. This seemed
to satisfy her; the cubs were fright
ened by our performance around the
tree, and 10 her young doubtless owe
her withdrawal and perhaps my life.
AT last got upon my feet; the bear
was not to be seen. took q few steps
to try my strength, and after a hurried
! inventory Of my condition found my
| right arm uninjured and my left leg
comparatively so. | could bear my
weight upon my right leg. but had lit
tic use OF it, and tho slightest turn of
the foot or unevonness OF the ground
| rendered IL entirely useless. The camp
| had been moved that morning, and
| supposed il to be near the mouth OF
the creek where first met the bear,
so ] struck out diagonallv toward the
creek. My progress was very slow,
| the ground being covered with brush
Fand fallen timber. / had TO rest on
every log l came TO, then throw my
well foot over and lift the injured over
with my hands. This exertion caused
the blood TO flow more freely. tied
my suspenders round my leg, but was
/ too weak to draw them tight enough to
stop the blood from flowing. ! could
1 60 only few steps at a time; my shoes
/ were full of blood, my trousers
thoroughly saturated. At last reached
| the creek, but few hundred yards
/ from where | started. hoped TO lind
an easy descent to the water; here
! the bank was too high, so | trudged
on. a burning thirst came upon me,
but as yet no place to get down the
/ banks. My progress becoming slower,
my wounds beginning TO be terribly
sore, could not stand nor crawl, so ]
rolled down the bank Where | lay
the banks were high. As | neared the
bottom | discovered perpendicular
| drop of six feet. could not get back,
and must 90 on, so let 60. The shock
was fearful, and | remained exhausted
| for some time before could roll to the
water only few feet of. When
reached the water | lay on my face and
drank. After drinking and bathing
my head / was sufficiently revived to
/ consider the problem of moving on.
/ To retrace my steps was impossible, so
/ was compelled to slide from rock TO
rock down the creek. At last / found
a shelving stone in the bank upon which
| crept out, and finally reached the top
of the bank, thoroughly exhausted.
4 Here / stretched myself out, thinking
/ 10 spend there my last night on earth.
/ My only salvation was in being discov-
cred by my friends, and that quickly.
/ While in this condition / heard some
/ one breaking stones. raised my head,
! called, but no answer. heard il again;
again called. Hearing IL again, l
| raised myself upon my arms, and, fifty
| feet from and twenty-five feet below
me / saw r. called, but the roaring
water drowned my voice. / threw
all the sticks and stones could
reach at him, but they fell far
short of him. Soon he came
directly under me and looked up.
raised my bloody hands; he saw mo and
was saved. This consciousness caused
me to lose my remaining strength, and
fell, Young l. whose brother was
| killed by a bear year ago, soon joined
/ T., having already seen my bloody trail
in the creek and upon the logs They
| came TO me and brought water in their
| hats. / drank great quantities of II.
! They endeavored 20 move me by each
| getting under my arms; / could not
stand IT, T. then took me upon his
| back this was worse SO one went to
/ the camp, quarter of q mile of, and
I brought huge oyercoat; in this they
/ placed me. buttoned il up, and running
| long green pole beneath the buttons,
carried me to camp, During the night
my wounds were hathed in cold water,
and Il. started for Red Cliff at dawn
next day, reaching there at ten p. m.
He sent a physician TO me, who reached
me the following day, and at once began
a good days sewing upon me. You
know the rest. am improving gradu
ally. | don't think IL was very large
bear, but when she was biting and shak-
ing mo ] judged by her strength that
her health was good. Hoping that you
may never meet her. but only have to
deal with the less hurtful ones OF Wall