Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-13
,~r>11rrNG BEAR CHASE.
r.,,ir Laid Low by a f2-Year-Olc
VI D., Who welded IA Hay knIfe.

Crrin Laid Low Wy
Vi n r1's who welded IA Hay Knife.
soo,xroN. PA. Nov. while Farmer
80, Cole and Silas Olmstead, his hired
M - nora burning, brush and stumps IN
sook lot on Coles farm, in Chiffon town.
US,n late on Monday afternoon, james
s c.i, the farmers twelve-year-old son,
wv. 'orod bafore them all out of breath,
sPP ia them that bear had broken into
hLu sog Yard. killed one of the pigs ana
Iue N Nan making for the woods with the
W. Farmer Cole and the hlred man
w. p,o:ytad luu tilt for the hog YARD at least
S.-iong from where they were. Olmstead
~ ~ tnere first, but seeing no nogs IN
r. yard. aud bearing a commoCloh over
~ the orchard snort distance away ne
IN oround the bog pen and saw bear
IAa n of vita the old sow and her
,ra foII9wing close at his heeIs. The pig
PIN the hear had captured was not
VIZ aud every now and then it gave a
uou",t of distress that maddened the
s4othar hog and caused her TO squeal and
INT out OF sympathy for her suffering
ssnungster. The pigs seemed TO know
t!bst something had gone wrong, Tor they
trorted along behind their mother squeal-
-. thew ran. No attention whatever
5id the bear pay to the noisy animals be-
hind him, He olung to the squeallng pig,
wbose cries became less frequent as the
hear t-udge0 along toward The woods at
the top OF his speed.
OIr,stead yelled to the women IN the
house. and pretty soon Mrs. Cole ana her
.brae grown daughteTs rushed out to see
uISst tne matter was. No one knew ex-
octIv what to do, for wild bear had not
Seen seen in the settlement in many a
yesr But Olmstead Immediately seized
q oIub from q wOodple and told the lar
NOR and his family TO come on. Farmer
Loio Mrs. Cole, James and the three
daughters then grabbed whatever was the
most convenient weapon to seize upon
and started through the orchard.
At the back Of the orchard they found
the old sow and her litter squealing by the
fence, over which the bear had climbed
and cot away from them. He was then
about half wav across a small field, but
he still bad good distance to go before
he could reach the woods. Olmstead
leaned over the fence ahead Of the others,
threw down his club, seized long rail
rom the top of the fence, and dashed for
ward again. Farmer Cole and his family
followed their plucky leader. w hen they
had got within few yards OF the bold
wg thief, Olmstead told Farmer Cole
10 take hold of one end of
the rail. He did so, and then Ohm
e.esd took hold OF the other end,
telling Farmer Cole at the same time that
they would run ahead OF the bear and
trip him up with the rail. So Olmstead
and the farmer ran ahead, and when they
were a few feet in trent of him they
lowered the rail and ran back. The'bear
was tripped up by the rail-, but he hung
on to the pig like squirrel to a nut,
struggled to his feet right away. and
started toward the woods again, without
showing the least inclination to be ugly.
While this was going on Mrs. Cole and
the young women halted at safe dis
lance, but James ran up and had lots OF
fun seeing the bear try his best to get
away from his pursuers.
Farmer Cole and the hired man again
ran ahead with the rall, got it under the
bears chm, applied their whole weight
and strength 10 a backward movement,
and tumbled the bear over on his back 10
a jitfy. The animals involuntary gym
nastic feat frightened Mrs. Cole and her
daughters and they ran toward the house.
Then the black beast made another eff
fort 10 get away with the pig, which W as
dead by this time, but the men tripped
him up again, and then he let 90 of the
pig ana got mHd. w men he Jumped up
this time be made break for Farmer
Cole, but the men were on the alert, and
swinging their rail swiftly around, got in
front OF the bear and topped him over
once more. This made him very fiery, and
he roared savagely as mis- big body struck
the ground.
When James started with the process
slou he grabbed hay knife that was
s'lcking between the ciapboards of the
hog pen, and he still had it in his right
hand. His father and tue hired man
tumhleu the now ferOCious bear over on
bis broad BACK again, aud then j ames ran
up, and before the bear had chance to
rise, thrust the sharp point OF the knife
INTO his throat and jumped away. Then
tue bear struggled to his feet. roaring
win pain. He totlered around ior a min
ule or two and then lay down and died.
Farmer Cole gave James $50 gold piece
aS reward for his bravery, and he is
having the bears skin made into sleigh
IoUe as a wedding present for his Oldest
oaugnter, who IS to bemarried on Christ
mas.