The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-29
A BEAR HUNT.


1t WASH a regular bear hunt; that is,
l didn't do nearly as much hunting as
the bear did. did not start out intend
ing to hunt. He did. l went to get the
butter, when But | am getting ahead
OF my story. 1t was when was about
thirteen years old that my father took
my brother and myself camping with
him in the Adirondacks. We pitched
orlr tent at the head of Little Upper
Lake. There was spring of fine cold
water not far back in the woods. So,
after making our beds out of pine
boughs, building fire and setting up
the table, we went down to the spring
and put our butter-which was in tin
pail fitted with water-tight coyer-in
it to keep cool
All went well for the first few days.
Father and brother viii (who was tif-
teen) shot deer so that we had plenty
of venison. The guide caught guam
tity of trout, and we were enjoying our
selves so thoroughly that we began to
dread the time when we should have to
return home.
Cant we stay longer than two
weeksP' asked father one morning.
Gwen stay until the butter gives
oSt," he replied, laughing.
The nearest place to get butter was
twenty miles away, and as it was disap-
pearing rapidly, owing to the appetites
of growing boys, father had already
warned us of the necessity of economy
in that direction. We were, after that,
very sparing in our use of butter, and it
seemed to bid fair to last longer than
the promised two weeks. AS the guide
was preparing supper one evening,
father said: OWN, wish you would
go down to the spring and get some
water; and, Charlie, you 90, too, and
bring up some butter" 1t was sim
pie request, but thereby hangs the tale
of my first and only bear hunt.
We started off, and soon came to the
spring. The path led around it into a
thicket of huckleberry bushes. Will
proposed that we should pick some for
supper. We plunged into the thicket
and were soon busy picking the deli
cious fruit We had not been occupied
in this manner very long when we
heard a crashing in the bushes near the
spring. and as we looked back we saw
great black bear. He was not fifty
feet away from us, and was gazing into
the spring with complacent air.
He's looking at himself" said
VIII.
See him grim" I replied, divided
between fear and curiosity.
Thinks he's handsome whispered
Will.
Bruin looked over in our direction
with an annoyed expression, and we
decided to suspend our remarks as to
his personal appearance until some more
convenient time-when he was further
away, in fact. He continued to peer in
tently into the spring, and we were be-
ginning to get impatient, when, to our
horror, ne slowly extended his paw,
and without much trouble fished up our
butter pail. He calmly seated himself
on the ground, and taking the pail be-
tween his hind-paws, regarded it re-
tiectively for a few moments. He
seemed lost in thought. Then he
smiled blandly, and slowly passed one
of his strong fore-claws around the rim
of the pail He repeated the operation,
while Will and looked on in despair.
MAY be he can't get the top off"
whispered viii.
He had hardly spoken when, with a
slight rattle. the cover fell to the
ground. Will groaned. The bear
paused, looked puzzled smelled the
butter suspiciously, and sat looking at
it with the air of scientific investi-
gator. ...
"He thinks that it is oleomargarine,"
whispered viii.
But no. If Bruin did for moment
doubt the integrity of our butter, his
doubts had vanished; for with one sweep
of his great tongue he transferred about
two pounds of it into his mouth. VIII
groaned. Bruin paused, and to our ex-
cited imaginations looked in our direc-
ton, as if he would have liked some boy
to eat with his butter.
We remained perfectly quiet while he
finished the contents of the pail. He
licked out the last particle, and then
carefully turned the pail over and licked
off the bottom and sides. After he had
satisfied himself that there was no more,
he rose and looked into the spring He
seemed discontinued for a moment, but
the recollection of his supper frightened
him up, and casting loving glance at
the empty pail, he trotted off, " the best
creased bar in the north woods" as
our guide afterward remarked.
When he had gone a safe distance,
VIII and sadly picked up the pail and
walked back to camp. Father was get
ting uneasy, and had started to meet us.
When we told him our adventure he ran
back to camp, and getting the guide,
dogs and his rifle, started in pursuit of
the thief
A little later we heard shot, and be-
fore long father returned, bringing the
bears skin and some choice pieces of
his flesh for supper Lack of butter
compelled us to break up camp next