Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-08-26
CAUGHT The Gus.

CAUGHT THE Gus. H@
4 Rsrk-Peeler's Adventure with . Huge
She Bear and Her Onsprins. v
Early one morning the other week
Richard Macomber, Gouldsboro bark
peeler, who was on his way to the bark
woods about four miles south of his
home sat down TO rest in barren
knoll overlooking swamp. AS he was
about to resume his journey he saw
bear come out of tall hollow stump
and waddle into the swamp. Ma
comber concluded that the old bear
had cub or two in the stump, and,
as he mas 'ong desired to raise and
tame young bear, he hurried down
to the stump as som as he thought the
old bear had got a good distance
away. When he reached the stump
he found it much taller than it looked
to DO from his position on the knoll.
Years ago the wind had twisted the
tree off about fifteen feet from the
ground, and Macomber, in order to
get to the top of the stump. cut down
small tree, got long pole from its
trunk. and then lifted the small end
of the pole to the top of the stump,
and braced the other end against the
ground. Then he climbed up the
pole and looked into the hole in the
stump.
His suspicious had been correct, for
at the bottom of the hole. where the
So -,
ter, cub bear was poking his nose
against the sides of the stump, and
moving around in state of apparent
uneasiness. Macombcr made up his
mind to get possession of the cub right
away, and so he let himself down into
the hole by bracing his arms and knees
against the sides of the young bears
circular prison. When he get to the
bottom the cub began to whimper and
whine, but Macomber seized him quick
ly, and at once attempted to climb out
of the stump. One of his arms had to
be used to hold the trembling cub, and
he soon found that getting out of the
stump was far more difficult than get
ting in. After Macomber had several
times undertaken to ascend with the
cub in one arm he put the little fellow
down, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether he would be able to climb out
with the aid of both arms. He found
that he could, and then he took some
strong pieces of cords from his pocket,
and was getting ready to fasten the
cub to his waist, when he heard a
scratching on the outside of the stump.
He listened, and the next moment
something darkened the entrance to
the hole.
He Immediately loosened his hold on
the whimpering cub and looked up.
As he did so something began to sniff
and snort and growl. 1t was the
mother bear, and she was backing
down into the hole in great haste. Ma
comber yelled at her to 60 back and
leave him alone with the cub, but she
paid no attention to his command until
he grabbed both of her hind feet, when
she uttered a roar and started toward
the entrance with Macomber hanging on
to her feet. He relinquished his grasp
just as she stuck her head out of the
hole, and braced himself for further
developments. The bear appeared to
be greatly frightened, and, without at
tempting to turn upon the invader of
her home, she clumsily moved over the
edge of the stump and backed down
the outside. Then Macombcr hurried
out and slid down the pole with alac-
rity.
J he mother bear met him at the
foot, her apparent fri light having been
turned into furious anger. She rushed
at him with growl of rage and
tumblcd him into heap before he had
a chance to flee, striking him down
two or three times as he was endeavOr-
ing to get up. Macomber finally got
on his feet, and, in his efforts to reach
his axe at the side of the stump, the
bear forced him into another lively de-
tense. One of her big paws struck
him terrific thump on the back as he
stretched out his arm to grab the axe,
making him fully realize the fact that
the bear would soon kill him unless he
could disable her. Macomber recov.
cred himself and grasped the axe
helve, and then he lodged to the oppO-
site side of the stump and dealt the
bear killing blow with the sharp
blade as she made for him. The blow
cut one side of her head open, and she
fell at his feet, bleeding and groaning.
Another blow finished her, and then
Macomber, after having rested little,
climbed into the stump again, fastened
the cub to his body. and got it safely
out. He reached his home Il little be-
fore noon, and was so highly elated
over the result of his exploit that he
didn't peel any bark until the follow
ing day.-Scranton (Pa.) Cor. N. Y
Sun.