The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-12
A GunniS0n Bear Story.

Every one who has had occasion dur
ing the past few days 10 pass Ed Sells
II Co.'S store has doubtless had hrs u
riosity aroused by the sight of a o
ster bear skin suspended from one OF
the door-posts. Doubtless it has oc-
CURED To many tina: this very nam.
moth skin might have behind il a very
mammoth story.
Instigated by the natural curiosity
which such a suspicion would incite.
the reporter boldly attacked the sub
iect and was ut length rewarded by
having pointed out to him the man
who brought in this trophy OF the
chase. Dressed in a duck suit, with
high hunting boots. a blue shirt. 4 soft
white hat; an athletic, well-knit form
surmounted by n head a painter would
envy, ewes of steel blue, the observed
was a fair sample of American man
hood. He refused TO allow his name 10
be used, but gave the facts as follows;
Some time in August 4 party of three
or four went out from Ruby on 4 hunt.
When they had reached \ point about
twenty miles west of Ruby, oil the res
ervation, they succeeded in killing
some half-dozen deer. Not being abe
to transport their game they buried 1t
and left, intending TO return later on.
About q month afterward two Of tho
party returned, and, much to their dis
oust, found the deer had been dug up
bv a bear, as they supposed. One OF
them. accompanied by two dogs, start
ed in pursuit of the bear on his trail.
Il followed" said this gentleman, up
mountains and then down again, like
the King of France; across guIches and
basins. where probably no white man
had ever been before. All the time the
trail grew more distinct, and the suspi-
cion that palpitated my heart became
more certain as everything ~betokencd
a very large animal ahead. | might tell
YOU how | scrambled over places al
most impossible, but 10 make a long
story short, came up To the marauder.
and 4 moment aftcrward wished | was
anywhere in the world except in front
of that grinning bear. Why. gentle
men" and he turned To- the crowd
standing around, THAT bear was ~
biz as the side of a house.
1T was on the side OF the mountain,
IlliltS HUN u illIlNa'I. Nv h~SaNitiito
was at hand. One of my dogs stopped
about one hundred yards from the ami
nal, and with tail erect and every hair
bristling, refused TO 90 forward. |
looked AT the bear AMI The bear looked
at me. | looked around and saw there
was no way out of it. Bruin also took
in the situation and growled. showing
the ugliest fly trap | eve saw.
..For a moment ho>tilities were sIIs-
pended, and both sides studied the ST.
uation. Then odd S.eep,' with a
ferocious snarl, sprang forward, but
the bear did not notice him. Tho
dog went nearer and nearer. until
with one swipc of his paw the bear
knocked him into eternity and down
the mountain side. Ny blood was ~,
and | let fly with my Winchester, but
il did not seem to do any good. The
bear started 1T me. | fired again
Still he came OH. | fired still another
shot, but couldn't stop the avalanche.
The whole mountain seemed coming,
and | know my hair stood on end.
Nearer and nearer he came and again
and again | shot, but without any eff
feet. | thought it was my last day.
My chips were ready to 60 in. but when
he was of about ten feet | fred my last
shot and, thank God, dropped him. l
made up my mind then that | hadn't
lost any more bears and wasn't going
to look for any. Gentlemen. that bear
weighed nine hundred pounds. Yes.
sir, nine hundred pounds. And his
skin, when green. weighed sixty
pounds. He measured from tip to tip,
eight feet
at is a fine bear skin, but when YOU
see me looking around for any live, I'M
tanned animal that looks like n bear
you can buy all the properties in
Conundrum Basin for fifty cents"
The gentleman in duck nervOusly
wiped the pe~rspiratior, which the re-
membrance had started, from his brow
and %nervously walked away Gnnnison
(COiO.) NeUS-D Democrat.