Semi-weekly south Kentuckian., 1888-03-20
CLASPED BY A BEAR.
Exclting Midnight Adventure ltelutcd b!
Railroad Man.

A man who is well thought of by the
railway fraternity il Hoyt Sherman,
general agent of the Union Pacific. of
Salt Lake. He was first brought into
prominence by an adventure which
he had on the road from Beaver
Canyon into the Yellowstone National
Park. Mr. Sherman was tourist agent
for the road, and when big party
went up to the park he would accom-
pany them. The distance from Beaver
Canyon is one hundred and twenty-five
miles, and three years ago, when he had
the adventure, the road was very primi-
tive. Rough and rocky, it wound its
way through deep canyons. whose walls
rose to magnificent heights, making
the scenery awful and grand, and then
over fertile plains, through mountain
Gus country into timbcred regions that
could not be eXcelled. There was some-
thing about this drive that thrilled and
delighted passengers and made them
want to cover the distance again. But
rs pleasant as they were, they were not
free from danger. 1t lurked every
where. In the assures of the
rocks were skulking mountain lions
watching the passing of the stage-coach
with cleaning eyes, while panthers,
more cowardly, yet fully as dangerous,
porched in the trees that overhung the
road on which the stage travelled, would
give their fierce cry and perchance leap
upon its top TO find that its occupants
were beyond reach. Then the silver
tipped bear and big black bruin, on his
stately round for meat, would cautious
ly pass that way. Sometimes at night
the tourists would camp for change.
1t was one night that they did this
that Mr.. Sherman had his adventure
one that is not new to him now. They
camped in clump of timber below the
mountains, and corralled the horses a
few rods of. 1t was about midnight
when Mr.. Sherman was awakened by
the neighing of horse. He got up to
reconnoiter and saw black object pass
near the corral. Tho moon was out in
all her splendor, though the trees shad-
owed the earth. Thinking that tho OBJ
ject was man, and that he meant to
steal the horse, he took his pistol from
bis pocket, and noticing that his clasp
knife was all right, he cautiously adj
vanced. He was looking about TO see
where the big blaok object had gone,
whom, rs though it had risen from the
ground, a big black bear stood in front
Of him.
First hc thoughb to run, but this
would be death, for ope stroke from its
powerful paw would lay him low. The
pistol was n small one, but he raised it
after his first surprise was over and
pulled tho trigger. 1t did not go off.
He Just remembered that he had neg
lected to reload the weapon that even
ing after discharging all the cartridges.
When the trigger snapped the bear
looked at the pistol euriously and then
at Sherman. The latter took his knife
out and slowly backed up until he was
protected by a tree. The bearfollowed
and caressingly began to hug him. Its
hot breath was upon his face, and no
grew faint. He rallied and drove the
knife to the hilt' bruin, who. now
fully enraged. rolled Sherman on the
ground. Now it was fight ordic. An
other plunge and the sharp edge Of the
steel went plowing up the bear, fairly
disembowcling him. The struggle soon
ended, and although Sherman was the
victor, he was not altogether unframed.
The tourists heard the noise, and were
in time to witness the end Of the battle
For week after three Englishmen did
nothing but curse their ill-luck for not
being the man that the bear attacked.
San Franeisco E1aminsr. Al