Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-05-24
FISHERMaN'S EXPLOIT.


One day last week, while Gale Boardman,
of Spring Brock, near Scranton, Pa, was on
his way home from trout stream back in
the mountains, he came across a young
bear in the forest near big swamp. The
cub was nosing around among the weeds
aud low bushes, and did not notice that
Boardman was near him. After having
skrmished abont q little and ascertained
that the mother bear was not in sight,
Boardman adjusted his basketful of trout,
STRAPPED his tackle to his shoulders, gIabbed
the youn.stcr in his arrIs, and hastened his
steps toward the nearest point TO the clear
ing. The cub had been seized SO suddenly
that he did nothing at first but tremble from
fright, but before Boardman had got more
than twenty rods from The swamp he began
to whine and Whimper and beg his mother
to come to his assistance in way that made
Boardman feel uncomfortable. But he
kept right along as though the little
bear was as silent rs the grave, now
patting him tenderly on his head with
his right hand, and then speaking kindly
to him in order 10 quiet his fears. The
frightened cub refused to be paciied, how
ever, by this sort Of treatment, and Board
y
nome with him, was beginning to feel that
he had bigger job on his hands than he ut
lirs. supposed, when happy thought struck
him.
He had teen away from home for two
iays, and he remembered that in the lunch
basket attached TO his belt there was some
honey which he had taken along to spread
on his bread Without slackening his pace
Bourdman held the whining cub with his
left arm while with his right hand he reached
around aud got the honey out Of the basket.
When ho stuck the honey nndcr the cubs
nose the elect was magical. Tho hairy lit
lie captive smiled at the sweet morsel,
ceased whinpering al once, and began to
smack his chaps with great satisfaction.
Boardman wanted to make the honey last as
long as possible, and, as soon the cub had
got good taste oft, he Withdrew his hand to
see how the little fellow would act. The cub
Immediately became uneasy, and set up a
pileolls moan. Then the fisherman gave
him another taste OF the sweetness, and he
seemed to forget all ahout hi: mother at
once. Boardman repeated this a. brief in
tervais during the next half mile Of his jour
ney, and he found that me only way he
could keep the cuO quiet ";;s To let him
suck the honey constantly.
ludl part bl lI' !JlS~. lHlSuSu "ulCIl
Boardman was then trampiDg WAS uneven
and rocky. He had 10 Climb over fallen
trees and pick his way through thick under
brush, and the weight of the cub aud his
lon" iaunt had m;:,e him tired and thirsty.
So he sat down on - log ami rested for u few
minutes. While he sat there the cub licked
the last drop Of honey from his hand and
began to cry for more. Boardman then got
a piece of meat out of his basket, held it un-
der the cubs nose, and started on. The lit
tie bear was unable to chew the meat, but
he sucked it vigorously and kept still.
In the course of another half hour Board
man reached the head of Il ravne where q
spring of cold water hubbled out ofthe rocky
hillside. He placed the cub in a hollow
stump near by, aud took the chunk of meat
away from it tor lear it might choke itself
to death. The young bear had another fit
of whining as soon as this was done hut he
couldn't get out of the hollow stump very
we'll after Boardmun had placed a log on top
OF it. Then Boardman went TO the spring,
cot down on his hands aud knees, aud began
to slake his thirst.
While he was still in that attitude he
heard u commotion in the neghborhood Of
the stump that startled him. He arose
quickly and saw full-grown hear making
a great rumpus around the spot where the
little bear was prisoner. This was state
of things which he had feared from the time
that he had captured the cub, and he was
not very we'll prepared for it. His revolver
had only one cartridge in it, and he was
afraid that if he missed the old bear when
he fired at her he would either be compelled
to engage in lively tussel with her or to
get away without the cub.
When Boardman walked down toward
the stump, the old bear was on top oft,
coaxing the cub to come out. The cub was
still moaning to be free, and trying his best
to reach his mother, but his efforts we're
useless, as the log held him down. Then
the mother bear undertook to pull the log
off with her paws, and would doubtless
have succeeded in . little while had not
Boa, a,dman crept up to within a few feet of
her and lodged bullet in her left jaw. She
roared with pain as she rolled from the
stump, and was on her feet in an instant.
Then she made for Boardnan with all her
might. h had drawn long bladed knife
in the meantime, and as she was about to
strike him down he plunged the sharp wea-
pom into her threat, twisted it around, and
then jumped back quickly. Two minutes
later she was dead. Boardman then took
the crying cub from the hollow stump and
started for home, reaching there g little
after dark.
NOTICE.