The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-04
A WYOMING BEAR STORY.

At the nearest ranch on the western side
of the mountains, there lives German
who was the first pioneer to bring cattle
in among these valleys. Not long ago, this
old fellow built a new cabin for himself
at the foot Of a mountain. Before his
house was finished, he went out one day
and killed fine fat deer. Bringing the
carcass home at night, he hung it up
against the back of his house, and then
hanging a blanket over She doorway
which was still without door, he went
to bed. He slept soundly, but there
dimly seemed to him to be some disturb
ance about the house during the night;
and when he went out in the morning,
every bit of his fine deer was gone, and
the bear tracks up and down the noun
tain, showed what had become OF it. But
game was plentiful, and it was not long
before his deer was replaced by big
horned sheep, which is the most tender
and juicy meat that ever was eaten. This
time he was more careful, and lay awake
half the nigh, fearing that he should
lose his stock of fresh meat. When it
was very late and he was about to give
up watching, he at last heard sound at
the back of the house. Something was
at work on his wild mutton. There was
noise of scratching and tearing. 1t
seemed as If several bears were making
short work with his meat. He seized his
loaded rifle and jumped out of bed with
very scanty clothing on. Going to the
doorway and drawing aside the blanket,
he saw that the night was cloudy and as
dark as Egypt. He stopped and thought
for a moment that it would be impossible
to kill bear in such darkness, even if he
should be able to hit it, for these beasts
are so tough that they will carry dozen
bullets about in their bodies without
much inconvenience, if they are not
wounded in the heart or the brain. So
our friend laid down his rifle and took
instead a loaded shot gun, This is the
thing for ahem,' he said to himself; ''it
will pepper them all over, and scare them
so they will never come again."
Then, with gun in hand, silently climbed
the projecting logs at the nearest corner
of the cabin, and, creeping across the
roof, peeped over the edge above the
place where the sheep was hung. Some
thing appeared to be moving below in
10 III nir l,n
blazed away. The shot scattered and
evidently took effect; for there arose a
chorus of growls and howls and yells
that would have made the bravest mans
hair stand on end; there was scamper-
ing and shutting OF many feet up and
down, and around the cabin; even in
the thick darkness he could see many
great fat creatures running and smiling
angrily about to find who had attacked
them. He saw that he was besieged
on his own roof by at least dozen fu-
rious, hungry bears. "They didn't scare
worth cent" he said. 1t was not long
before they discovered whence the shot
had come, aud knowing very well that
there is strength in numbers, they deter
mined to have that man for supper, even
if they had to put off their supper till
breakfast time. So while some sat down
here and there, the others walked about,
grunting and growing over their injuries,
Bears can climb quite as well as men, and
old Frank stood with fear and trembling
in the middle of the roof, ready to receive
with the butt of his gun, the first nose
that ehould rise above the edge. If two
had happened to mount the roof ON op-
posite sides, there would have been a
small chance of life for the poor man.
But the bears thought that solid ground
was the safer place for them, so there
they staid; and up above sat old Frank
shivering, how long he never knew. 1t
seemed centuries. 1t was a sharp, frosty
autumn night, and, as ne had on very
little clothing, Frank was soon chilled
almost to his bones. But the bears coats
were warm enough. They we're more
hungry than they were cold, so they sat
and growled and waited for their prey TO
come down and be eaten. Soon a bit
terly cold wind began to blow. Every
joint in the poor mans body stiffenedi
\ but it seemed pleasenter to freeze to
I death than to be eaten up by those ugly
beasts, so he bore the discomfort as best
he could. The hours of the night seemed
to be endless, and the chill grew terriblei
but at last dull gray streak appeared