Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-30
BRUINS MISTAKE.

BRUINS MISTAKE.
He Tackled BIG Lumbermanand Was Knock
ed cut After Few Short Rounds.
New York Sun.
s'Sam Slater had the all-fredest muscle
an the biggest arm of any man in the
upper Lehigh lumber region" said Hank
Baldwin the other day, IAN when he rast-
led with any of the boys, they had to go
down. If Sam had been trained for
prize-fghter he'd been one of the best,
fur as it was he could strike a blow that
would floor a beef critter, an he could
knock the panel out of any door ever
see with his fist. Everybody around the
camp wanted to let Sam alone when he
had one of his sour spells, 'caus when his
dander was up, his fists was the handiest
thing he had with him.
What was going to tell about Sam,
though, happened about this time of the
year over in the lumber country. Men
Sam had job gittip' out lot of logs,
an we stayed over in the woods week at
time, eGtin' an sleepin' in ashanty near
the work. When we went to eat our din
ners one day, we seen a bear skulkin' an
sniffin' around behind the shanty as
if he was lookin' for suthin' 80 eat. The
minute Sam seen him he says:
"Hold on, now, Hank. We will have
some fun with that Teller if he don't run
away.
Then he yelled at the bear to git his
his attention, but the bear didn't run
wuth a snap. He looked hungry an
cross, an the sound of Sans voice
'peare6 to make him mad, cause he
slouched right over toward us, gratin' his
teeth fur suthin' to eat. Neither of us had
anything to hit the bear with, an Just as
1 grabbed a club an was ready to whack
him on the topknot, Sam shouted:
''Keep back Hank! I'll lay him out
in great shape if you will only leave him
to me-"
So hoped onto a stump an waited
to see what Sam was gcin' to to. When
the bear got within three or four yards
of Sam, Sam made motions at him with
his fists, as if invitin' him to step up an
defend himself. The bear licked his
chops an got madden, an madden, an as
he came near, Sam backed away as if he
was 'fraid of the bear. That made the
bear anxious to see what kind of stuff
| Sam was made Of, an, when Sam kept
backin round and round In a small circle,
| the cussed brute followed him, seemin' to
grow more and mere determined to git
his grabhook on Sam. But Sam kept
his eyes on Mr.. Bear every second, doin'
all he could to git his temper up to the
| highest pitch. Sam let the bear get onto
him almost five or six times, but, jest as
the bear thought he was gOin' to get
chance to give Sam good squeeze, Sam
| jumped back quick, an the bear was mad
der'n ever fur bein' fooled.
nIS ID%1 Il EID IoO,
fnr that time so he stopped and faced him.
| The bear got encouraged at this, an
pranced right up to Sam an was goin' to
| give him a good square hug fur his moth
er, when Sam hauled off few inches an
give the bear a gentle tap right on the
point of the nose. 1t was a light blow fur
! Sam, but it sort O. made the bear wonder
what kind of Teller Sam was anyway.
! The bear want satisfied with what he got
and so marched up again an put out his
arms to embrace Sam. AS soon as he got
near 'nough, Sam let drive agin, an when
his big hard fist landed on the BEARS nose
the tarnal beast staggered backward an
come down on all tours with a roar that
made the woods ring.
| Then he started fur Sam once more, an
the way he moved an looked made me
feel that he was goin' to eat Sam all up,
but Sam didn't bulge an inch He was
smilin' all the time for it was just the
kind of fun he liked. The bear got an
other clip on the nose that made the tears
run down his checks, but he came up on
all tours a few seconds later, an was goin'
to bite one of Sans legs off, but Sam
jumped to one side an didn't let him do
it.
Purity soon he made fur Sam agin' He
was waddlin' long on his hind legs an
frothin' at the mouth, an jest as soon as
he got within arms length of Sam, Sam
hauled off, an knocked him head over
heels. He tumbled over lot of logs, an
he didn't stop revolvin, till he'd landed in
a heap of brush twelve foot away. Then
Sam laughed as if his sides would bust
That blow would have knocked horse
down, but Sam didn't pear to think he hit
the bear hard.
The bear didn't undertake to go fur
Sam agin. When he came to himself he
foundered out of the brush heap, an then
turned tail an mogged off toward the
swamp. [ wanted to chase him and
end his troubles, but Sam said he'd been
punished 'nough fur trying to steal our
vittles out Of the shanty, an so we let him
60"