The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-12-15

A Harrisburg correspondent to tho
New York Sun writes: Squire Peter
Morley. ~ Kettle Creek. owns merino
ram hat can justly lay claim to dis
tinction that no member Of the sheep
family was eyercnfitlcd Ia before. The
ram IS a big one. and, while possessing
formidable appearance, never until
few days ago developed any inclina-
ton toward pugnacity. This ram Is
the patriarchal head of somewhat
prctentious flock Of sheep, of which
their owner is justly proud.
Squire Morley hal no idea that his
flock or any member Of il had fallen
beneath the coyetous gaze Of any mar
auding bear or other wild animal. but
AS there were r,Imors more or less
alarming 10 sheep-owners that the pas
lures Of another partof the county had
been inspected by bruin. found good.
and treated accordingly. the Squire
thought is would do no harm TO set a
watch over his pasture and keep IL
there until the arrival of the time
when bears succumb TO boreal sur
ronndings AND hole up.
A young son of the 'Squire's was as
signed to the task Of keeping an eye
on the fold. with instructions 10 de-
stroy with shotgun charged with
bnckshot any audacious bear that
might cndeayor To select from that
fold material for his dinner. Slbse-
quent proceedings indicated that il
young Mr.. Morley had entertained tho
slightest idea that there was even
remote chance of bear appearing in
the pasture he would have cheerfully
acquiesced in the selection of some
other guard for the ancestral flock.
The young shepherd had stood guard
at the pasture for "a week. and no bear
appeared. Consequently he uttered no
complaint against the job. On Satur-
day he was sleepily reclining at the
foot of "A stone wall that surrounds the
field. when he suddenly became wide
awake. He saw good-sizcd bear
Jump over the fence not far away
from him and slouch deliberately to-
ward where group of sheep were graz
ing. Squire Morley was at work in
field not more than 800 yards away.
The young shepherd, ignoring the gun
that lay by his side. cleared the wall Mt
a bound and sped to give the alarm to
his father, shouting Justify at every
'Bcarsl bearsl bearsm
Squire Morley heard the cries, long
before the guard of the fold reached
him aud hurried 10 the rescue of his
flock. When he reached the pasture
wall the group of sheep had discover
ed the presence of the bear and had
fled bleating in fright 60 the further
side of the ticld-all of them except the
head of the fold. the merino ram. He
stood his ground and eyed bruin
Overwhelmingly. The bear evidently did
not want a tough ol6ram for his din
ner, and was passing on bf him To Sc
lect Il more ioothsome morscl from the
flock. when the ram shot forward like
the missile from catlpult He bucked
the bear amidships, and bruin went
down before the force of the blow AS il
ii had been stroke of lightning.
The bear got up. but surprise was
pictured all over him. He stood still
and gazed in amazement at the sheep
which bad presumed To throw down
the gage Of battle with him. The ram
was there for business, and hurled
himself again, head lowered, upon the
woud-be spoiler of his flock This
time he landed between the bears eyes,
and this time bruins fall was more
positive than IL had been before, and
he lay ON the ground a moment before
he recovered sufficiently TO understand
exactly what had happened. He got
up again. but had no time to make up
his mind what To do before the rams
thick skull was hurled against him
again, and down went tho bear the
third time.
These three attacks of tho ram on
the bear had been made SO quickly
that Squire Morley had not time to
gather up the gun where his son had
left 1t and get within gun shot After
the third knock-down the bear got up,
and. turning tail on the ram. started
tn full retreat. But the ram caught
him in the neck the next shot, aud the
bear dropped and lay there. He had
not succeeded in getting up when
Squire Morley reached the spot. but
the ram was waiting for him TO como
to time. The Squire wasn't sure
the bear was dead. and Go re-
move all doubt he put a load Of buck
shot into its head.
But the victory was the rams. and
the Squire thinks no other guard for .