The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-07-28
TEASING A BLACK BEAR.
An Exciting Chase in Jacksonville,
Florida.
acker Who Thought lie Would like
To Find out Exactly How Mad
Bear Could Get-A Success
ful Experiment.

or course IL was a common Florida
black bear, and, although not quito
full grown, his activity and enterprise
fully compensated for his youth and
incNpcricncc.
The bear being Of greater bulk than
the panther or wildcats, always ex-
cited the greatest fear i'm the mind
Of the visitor. Whoever camc TO the
mcnagcric always stepped In front OF
the bear, wondering and fearing, and
said; My! I'd hate TO meet him alone
in the woods" All visitors, from the
bloatcd capitalist OF the North 10 the
cadavcrOus cracker Of the back
woods, met on the common ground
OF that great original remark tho
same that every mammal taxi
dcrmist hears about a thousand times
a year. Black Joe, who took care
of the animals, always took it as II
personal tribute TO himself and the
success which marked his management
OF the stock. He began to expect il OF
every visitor, am. although he was
satisfied TO have one member Of a party
say it for all tho rest, If IL was ever
omitted entirely hc took ofTense at
being dcfraudcd OF his just due, and
the way he would stir up the animals
with long pole was "A caution to cata-
mounts 10 make a better showing OF
teeth and claws next time.
Black JOc's bear was not really saw
age, nor was he exactly tame, either
'sortcr bctwixt and between rs
cracker once expressed IT, He was
tame enough TO keep chained TO "A
stout pole in the yard, but not tame
enough by half TO ever let loose. TO
doc he was tame enough, and even
friendly, but when that was said it was
all said. No one else dared take any
liberties with him, or even trust him
self within the circumpolar regions he
had marked out 7t the end OF his
chain No one but Joe vcuturcd 10
pass the dead line for Billy's we'll
developed teeth and claws always
seemed 20 be loaded and at full cock.
One day "a cracker from up the river
came into town with an OK team and a
load Of wood, and i'm the course Of his
post-cOmmCrC~l wandcrings about
town he finally fetched up in the back
yard, whore the live animals were. He
was long, lauk and slab-sidcd. He
wore old gray trousers tucked into old
gray boots, long-tailcd coat, and
lpY,s I.fu l., l;. l..,.I H.. ,......,...1 1. q.
oX-gad, "a stout supplc-endcd switch,
about six feet long. which soon dovcl-
opcd into storm center Of the first
magnitude.
The cracker came 20 halt In front
OF Billy, who sat curlcd up with his
back against his post, at peace with
all tho world, and looked at him with
tnat prcoccupiod day-aftcr-to-morrow
air common in people who have few
thoughts and seldom use them. He
said never a word in regard 10 meeting
him alone in the woods either at night
or any other time. Black Joe was
swabbing out "a mOnkcy-cage close by.
and when hc saw that the great original
remark wa. not likely 10 get in on
schedule time hc felt dciraud"i and
scowlcd darkly ON the unconscious
g .ckcr. At last tho sphinx spoke.
"Ugly?' he asked OF Joe, pointing with
bis chin at the bear.
You bot hos ugly" said joe. en-
phatically. Don't yc go near i'm or
he'll ketch holt Of go quickcrn double
gcarcd lightuin"
The sto.id native showed signs 81
being interested. The bear certainly
did not look very thirsty FOR human
gore - he sat there playing with his
chain. The cracker thought that Just
%. like ~ not 10 warcn't loaded. and
that feller was just trying ~ skccr him.
Lca-fway- he'd see.
IIe reached out with hi- oz-gad. and
with "a gentle flick brought the tip Of
81 nearly across Bi'ly's woll--hapcd
nose. Instantly Tho bsar -praug up
and came % attention" and front
face Tho cracker backed On "a step
or two. then reached forward with Dis
cad and yibra'ed The supple end Of it
so near tlc bear that 30 switched the
end of biz nose With % savage grOwl
Billy -prang forward 20 tho end 81 bis
chain. which brought him up with "a
jerk and made him maddor fiIi.
let dat b.as alonc'" said Joe. iu "A
tone of authority. III % gats loose.
ell claw So all % pieces -hO. An
mos wi-ht De would. zoo. he added ~
himself II DO hate ~ s-e "a blamed
fJO' poster animal"
But tho cracker paid uD ha,d. for he