News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-18

Joseph McCue of Sullivan County, N.
y, Is little set in his opinions but
owns up like man when he finds that
he IS wrong. The other day he was
working in his turnip patch, which is
right across the road from his house.
There are not many neighbors in the
part of Sullivan county where Mr.. Nc
Cues farm is, which is the BeaverkilI
country, near the Ulster county line.
MIR. McCue had heard a quail whistling
IN his turnip patch, and had taken his
shotgun with him, thinking that maybe
me might get the quail for his supper.
AS the farmer worked he was finally
brought with his face toward the road,
and he caught a glimpse of something
passing along. Farmer McCue raised
himself up. As he looked toward the
road his eyes opened very wide. As
they opened Mr.. McCue exclaimed:
''By jee!''
What the farmer saw was a bear. and
it was slouching deliberately along in
the road, past the house. There was
nothing but bird shot in Farmer Nc
Cues gun. but he felt that he must get
that bear. He seized the gun and fred
looked up in a dePrecatory manner at
the farmer, and then passed on. The
farmer watched it until it disappeared
in a bend of the road. Then he exam
lned the hammers of his gun and blew
In the barrels. Satisfied that the gun
had gone off, he exclaimed:
'Missed him, by jee"'
Farmer McCue finished his work in
the turnip field and went to the
house.
IF had gone out loaded for bear, F."
said he TO his wife, Il couldn't have
seen my way, the quails would have been
SO thick. But there | was LAYING for
quail, and what do | flush but a bear as
big as a yearling colt! If that bear
Dothers me tomorrow, though, I'll be
sorry for him, and Ill load the old gun
now. Mother, count me out thirty seven
buckshot for each barrel"
You mean nine, Joseph" said Mrs.
McCue.
Thirty seven, mother, for each bar
rel"
''Nine buckshot, Joseph, is a big load
for any gun, and Will kill an ele-
phantr'
''Nine buckshot won't hurt a coon.
mother, and Pm after bear. Thirty
seven is what want, but it isn't enough.
I've notion to put in forty seven, to
make sure. No, I'll take thirty
seven; but thirty-seven amt enough. ;"
SO Farmer McCue put in a double
charge OF powder and tn rty seven buck
shot in each barrel. Mr.. McCue is a
good farmer, but his early education as
hunter was sadly neglected.
New let the bear trespass on me
again, by jee"' said Farmer Nc ue.
The next day he went to work again
in his turnip field. His gan, loaded for
bear, was with him. He had no idea
of seeing the bear, so that when in max |
ing turn in the field he came almost face
to face with it, evidently enjoying 1t
self among tie turnips. from the wa7 i !
was pulling hem up and mu2 aaing
them, the farmer was obliged to open |
his eyes wide again and exclaim, with
more vigor than before:
''By jeeI'
Farmer McCue was bound to Get the |
bear, however, and, backing off a few
feet to where his gun lay, he picked it
up, took good aim at the bear, and |
fired. Mrs. McCue heard the report at
the house. 1t made the windows rattle |
and reverberated among the hills like a
Fourth of July salute. The farmers
wife ran to the door and looked over
into the turnip field. There was a
thick cloud of smoke over by the stone
wall, where she had last seen her hus-
band at work.
Joseph must have killed the bear"
she said.
But there was no bear and no Joseph
to be seen. Mrs. McCue ran down into
the field. She had not gone far before
she saw the body of the bear stretched
out among the turnips. Looking further
she saw Farmer McCue also stretched
out among the turnips, as stiff as the
bear. Jast then Farmer Rose and his
son, neighbors, happened to be driving
by. Mrs. McCue hailed them. They
carried Mr.. McCue into the house. One
side of his face was as bla k as his hat
and swollen three times its natural size.
His right shoulder was dislocated, and
his arm was black and blue from the
shoulder to the elbow. 1t was a good
time before he could be brought to.
Then he opened his left eye, and, look
ing at his wife, said, firmly, but
feebIy:
Mother, thirty seven's enough!"
There was a hole through the bear,
big enough to run stove
pipe In. Farmer McCue, a little set in
his opinion as he is, but willing to own
up like man when he finds he is
wrong, is doing as well as could be ex-
pected.