Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-22

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han onto the tree, an I didn't dare
pull myself up, ye see, blythe snakes
tail far fear it might break. Well,
fore long I got silver Of bark off the
lower side of the tree. an then the
way i tantalized that snake was a eau
ton. The critter bit my. .lef' ham
twict. It makes me laugh now
but it didn't then-to think how
he'd strike at that bark, an then when
I'd hold it just a little further off he'd
draw up his body and squirm leetle
further along the tree, an at every
squirm his tail would draw up little
mite bout half inch. All this time
I wuz thinkin' a great deal about lots
of things and her (pointing over his
shoulder at Mrs. -). Well, fore
long-but it seemed to me like it was
two hours, only Iknew it wasn't after
wards by the sun-the tail had drawed
up so fur that I could swing my lef'
ham onto the tree. Then We better
believe / wuz soon up onto the top of
the ledge. When I got my gun shot
the snake, and there's his skim
The next day was rainy, and my
host told me the full particulars of
how he killed two bears last spring.
1t appears that the bears were killed
toward the latter part OF February and
in rather a singular manner. He had
been out nearly all day tramping in
the wet snow, which was very heavy
there, but had at this time partly
melted, and he had seen no trace of
large game.'' AS it began to rain
about three o'clock in the afternoon he
determined to find as sheltered nook
as possible, eat his lunch, and then
make his way home. Just as he
had arrived at this conclusion,
he came upon large, hollow
sycamore log, or, rather, the greater
part of trunk, lying PROSTATE across
a little piece of level ground by the
side of the creek, the waters of which
had evidently undermined its roots
years before. He looked the surround
ings over and then unrolled his lunch,
crawled into the ample opening at the
upper or little end of the trunk, from
which the branches had been torn
away no doubt when the tree crashed
down and further rotted by years of
rain and sun. Lying prone upon the
bottom of the big wooden tube, his
rifle by his side, he not only enjoyed
the simple corn bread and ham with
which his better half had provided
him, but got very acceptable rest.
How long he had lain there when he
was aroused he says he doesn't exact
~ know. He thinks that on his tramp,
the hearty food, and the lulling patter
of the rain upon his shelter made him
sleepy, and he may have dozed a little.
Suddenly he felt the hollow old she'll
vibrate, heard a mufaed, scraping,
shuttling sound, and raising his head
quickly from where it had rested upon
his folded arms he saw the aperature at
the further end of the log suddenly
closed. There was subdued shifting
ard then a loud snort. He knew in an
instant that it was nothing less than a
bear, which had come in at what might
be called the front entrance of his
place OF refuge, and he judged it to be-
a bear OF very good size. The bear,
too, was evidently aware that the syca-
more had some other tenant and re-
manned ominousiy still. Slowly bring
ing his gun from alongside his body
to his shoulder he took careful aim by
the faint streak of light that showed
between the BEARS body and that con-
cave surface of the tree trunk and
fred. There was violent motion that
shook the old sycamore from end to
end, a loud ''woof, woof," and then all
was still.
The hunter, happy over his unex-
pected good luck, started to back
from his end of the log with an idea of
going around and drawing his victims
carcass from the other end, but just as
he made the first movement toward do
ing SO he heard commotion behind
him. Turning his head as far as pos
sible to one side he looked back and
his blood almost froze at seeing an
other bear within yard of the circu-
lar opening. Acting upon the impulse
he crept two or three feet further into
the log.
The bear came to the opening and
paused. The hunters mind was now
a swiftly-turning kaleidoscope of
thoughts. His gun was not loaded,
and in his cramped and narrow quar-
tiers he could not run charge home.
TO emerge feet foremost under the
very nose of large bear was suicidal.
IT the bear would only turn away-but
no; it was already pushing it's way into
the tunnel, which now became almost
totally dark. Could the now desperate
man creep forward, push the presume
bly, dead bear from the other end of the
log, and SO make his escape? Doubt
full. Still he crept forward, slowly,
painfully, endeavoring, though vainly,
in the meantime to load his rifle. He
could hear the bear behind him labori-