Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-31
Written for THE EVENING STAR.
BLACK JOE'S BEAR.
By WILLIAM Z. HORNADAY,
Author OF "Two Years In the Jungle"
Copyright, 1883. ]

By WILLIAM L. HORNADAY.
Author OF "Two Years in the Jungle"
copyright, 1851
The "curio" dealers In Jacksonville, Florida
gather into their establishments everything pro.
durable that will In any manner serve as an at.
traction to the Northern visitor. AS might be ex.
pected In a country which Is still Inhabited by 8
very respectable assortment Of wild animals the
1nc1pent menagerie is the curio dealers strongest
card They have "possums" and "coons," SOUR.
rels, rattesnakes and wildcats, alligators OF all
sizes, and the more ambitious dealers even aspire
to pantherS and bears. And 1t was bear that sc
astonished the natives one fine morning, and ere
ated an excitement that shook Main street to its
very foundation.
OF course, ii was common Florida black bear,
and alt hough not quite full grown his activity and
enterprise fuiy compensated for his youth and In.
keep large jewery and curiosity store, to which a
little menagerie in the back yard forms a sort OF
advertisement 10 Tell the TRUTH their coilection
OF wild animals was by no means a bad one for q
backwood's town. At the time to which refer, II
contained, besides a host OF small fry, pair OF
wildcats, big alligator, and about two bushels
OF SIN ii ones foot long, superb panther, some
"coons," and that black BEAR
The bear being Of greater bulk than the panther
or wildcats always excited the greatest fear In
the mind OF The visitor. Whoever came to the
menagerie always stopped In front Of the bear
wondering and fearing, and said: "My! IA hate
to meet him alone in the Coods" All visitors, from
the DlOated capitalist OF the North to the cadav-
erouS cracker OF the backwoodS, met on the COM
mon ground OF that great original remark-the
same that every mammal taxidermist hears about
thousand times year. Black Joe, who took
C re OF the animals, always took 1t as a personal
tribute TO himself and the success which marked
his management OF the stock. He began to expect
it of every visitor, and although he was satisfied
to have one member OF a party say 1t for all the
rest II it ever omitted entirely he took ofTense
at being delrauded OF his just due, and the way
he would stir up the animals with long pole
was a caution to catamounts TO make q
better showing Of teeth and claws next time.
Black yoes bear was not really savage, nor was
he exactly tame, either; 'Sorter betwtxt and be-
tween" as a cracker once expressed 1t. He was
tams enough TO keep chained TO stout pole In the
yard, but not tame enough by half TO ever let
loose. TO Joe he was tame enough, and even
ielily; but when that was said 1T was all said.
No one else dared take any liberties with him, or
even trust himself within the circumpolar regions
he had marked out at the end OF his chain. No one
but Joe ventured to pass the dead line, for Billys
well-developed teeth and claws always seemed to
be loaded and at full cock.
one day a cracker from up the river came into
town with an oX-teaIn and load of wood, and in
the course OF his post-commercia wanderings
about town he finally fetched up in WoodfOrd &
Co. backyard where the live animals were. He
was long, lank and sab-sided. He wore old gray
trousers tucked into old gray boots, ong-tailed
coat and long hair. In his hand he carried his
ox-gad, stout supplemented switch, about six
feet long, which soon developed into q storm
center or the first magnitude.
The cracker came TO halt in front Of Billy who
sat curled up with his back against his post at
peace with all the world, and looked at him with
that preoccupied, day after-tO morrow air COM
mon in people VINO nave few thoughts and seldom
use them. He said never a word in regard To
meeting him alone in the woods either at night or
any other time. Black Joe was swabbing out a
monkey-cage close by, and when he saw that the
great original remark was not likely to get in on
schedule time, he felt defrauded and scowled
darby on the unconscious cracker. AT last the
Ugly" ne asked Of Joe, pointing with his chin
"You bet he's ugly" said Joe emphatically.
"Don't We go nearim, or he'll ketch holt OF We,
Qu1chern double-geared lightnin."
The stOlld native showed signs of being inter-
ested The bear certainly did look very thirsty
for human gore as he sat there playing with his
chain. The ne, cracker thought that just as IKE as
ing TO Skeer him. LeastwayS he'd See
He reached out with his ox-gad, and with gen.
well-shaped nose. Instantly the bear sprang up
ana came TO "attenLiOn," and 'front face" The
cracker backed on step or two then reached for
1t near TO the bear that 1t switched the end OF
his nose. With savage growl Billy sprang for
ward TO the end OF his chain, which brought him
up with Jerk and made him madden still
"Let dat beas' alOne!" said Joe, In tone OF au.
thorty. LEI e gets loose, Ell claw ye all TO
pieces, shO. An mos wiSht he would, too" he
added to himself. II do hate 10 see blamed fool
poster animal"
But the cracker paid no heed, for he was inter-
eSted. 81 jess want to how mad bar can
git" was the thought that slowly crystallIed in
MS mind.
Again he shook his stick in the bears face in a
most tantaliZing way and switched the end OF his
nose with IL. The animal Was fairly beside him.
self with rage. He backed up against the post.
gathered himself for spring, and lunged forward
with all his force In wel-panned effort to break
loose. Every link or the chain seemed to crack
under the powerful jerk, but it held firmly, and
Billy CRASHED his teeth in baffied rage.
"Lookey heugh, boss!" cried Joe, 'let-dat-
beas'-otone! He'll bust dat chain putty soon, and
Ell he DO yo' hide won't be wuth two cents!"
Woo Loci pdI v fpfar cta1a ~
paid no heed. Again he vibrated the end Of his
STICK Just within reach OF the bears muzze, which
was lar more annoying to the animal than good
honest blows would have been. He snapped vi.
ciouSly at the stick again and again. but the SUD
pie, s~lft-lnovlng end always eluded him. He
snarled and growled, and If bear ever swore he
| did then. He clawed the air in the direction OF
his tormentor, he repeatedly struck at the stick
and actually howled. His eyes bazed, and every
on its own account.
once more he backed up against the post
mighty jerk. His tormentor instinctiveiy backed
on little farther, and, from little distance de-
| nantly shook the instrument of torture at him
With whining howl that surely must have been
prayer the bear again backed up close against htl
post and gathered himself for the greatest effor1
OF MS ire. He stifrened bis neck to the very
| sCHest, ana sprang forward as II shot out Of
and a link snapped In twol
ns e1s
shot straight forward upon his tormentor.
| by gosh! Hes loser yelled the cracker as hs
dropped his ox-gad, wheeled about and dashed ou
OF the yard. The bear started for him Is hard q,
| he could 90.
snow YEN ketch the devilw shouted black 10
after them; butt will never be known for Ger
| tain whether the observation was addressed q
the bear or the man For an instant Joe was glaa
the Dear had got loose, and he heartily wishe(
| MIN success IN his endeavor to overhaul his tor
mentor ana insert new set OF teeth for him ire
OF charge But the bear must be recaptured O
once, or some one would shoot 1t, and It would b
peter for him II he could be caught before he hur
anybody SO he grabbed up . broom handle AM
dashed after the runawayS
Inc quarry led the race up Main street. and
cenany was 9 sight TO see. People who hap
pened 70 be on that street were startled by will
9proar ct IFS lower end. and on looking quickly Il
that olrectlon saw q wtld-eyed cracker pawinl
gravel for dear life out In the middle OF the thor
al oiac aI object gaoPpng close oshn
frightened sheep. Women screamed and stoo
Sill men ran into stores and banged doors behin
Them, and many jumped into the wagons tina
were standing along the street.
"A bear! o bearW and "Bear loosew were tn
cries that arose on al sides and q moment late
up came the procession. The cracker had lost hi