The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
SNO WBOUND WITH Il BEAR.
Five Jolly Drummers with Four Pistols and
y Bottle March Out to Slaughter It.

" 1boteto VAATSs WV ~ X
SCRANTON, Feb. 1S-Half n dozen Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western passenger trains
were snowbound in the Pocono Mountains dur
ing the recent BLOCKADE for twenty-four hours
or more, some Of them having been stalled in
the drifts between Pocono Summit and Toby
hanna Mills. There was n perfect blizzard on
the mountain. and the weary passengers. who
had been taking short maps through tho night.
were beginning to get blue and discouraged.
A Scranton man looked out OF a window and
saw something under the shelter OF q ledge OF
rocks that soon caused all of the passengers to
rush to his side Of the car and gaze out. The
snow flew in such frequent and binding clouds
between the train and the ledge that only occa-
sional glimpses Of the strange object could be
caught. and that fact made the curiosity of the
passengers all the keener. They soon learned
that the object that had attracted their alton
ton was a bear. 1t was paving and roofing in
the snow at tho base OF the ledge as though it
was trying to find something to eat, utterly
oblivious Of the fact that at least fifty pairs Of
human ey es were turned that way. A middle
aged lady in the dininG room car had an opera
glass. which she kindly passed from one. per-
son to ano,Iler in her own gar. going after a
glass. There, were a few passengers in the
and marched from one end Of the train to the
other talking about the bear.
was being s enacted il in the e smoking isIn' car !. where Where
seven up. Among the Occupants Of II this "a
Of choice old rye until there WAS nothing LETT to
sah@Rle th fsSm ne sna 81 5fe sSs ~f Seer II got E 10 sOv thei n esT.
One OF them suggested hat they should all
their revolvers. and the other three fell in with
their proposition in q hurry: The man with
tackle the bear with that. provided he. could
s msl ne poi spSpG nose SO 0r Hse " Would 10 PEAR take on th seG ie ena,
make a MISTAKE " and Shoot him IN the back.
Visitors and got ready to face the bitter north
them iiished revolvers out Of their hip pockets
or satchels. and each Of them put his weapon
II the hst Fi da%n ,iHhtp G &c Its Of e hIs 0%t ts F 5 D1lI led
q the fifth, whose Gloyed right hand had a
other passengers in the smoking car. who had
thrown up their games while this was going
For y short distance they all braved the bitter
storm like Russian warriors. the man, with the
others. fearing that the frightfnl gusts would
sweep tnem away, then put tnelr SnOulQerS To-
gother and marched four abreast Their leader
was by this time a number of rods ahead, Of
them. and the bear was still paving and nosing
around in tho thin snow. The bowling OF the
blast made so much noise among the limbs OF
t. clumpO OF trees on the top OF the ledge TINT
the bear did not notice tho stealthy approach
OF the man with the bottle. and the first thing
he knew something hit him on the head,
glanced of; struck a rock, and flew into a
Thousand pieces.
When the bear looked around to see what
the matter was. tho man without tho bottle
had come to q halt, and wero getting ready to
blaze away at the bear, The brute gave vent
to 4 startled ,owa snort i'm, and iH H. then hen f On b bullets Sts
launches rs quick as 9 flash. and then he
dropped, down. on all fours again, whirled
around half a dozen times In as many seconds.
ind bit at his left flank as though something
had stung him. Then he rolled over In. the
snow. and tho drummers made w their minds
hadn't; though, for Just as soon rs they had
started for tile spot where. he lay he jumped to
his ioet, kicked up his heels. and waddlod of IN
tho opposits direction, making tho snow fy
= Three Of, the drummers chased the bear.
enough once to soc that, they were following
him, and then, he took to his heels again. soon
disappearing from their view behind the corner
of nh anglo in the rocks. By this time their
ammunition had been used up. they were get
ting, pretty we'll chilled, and they concluded to
let Sno the !. ; bear np e and gst back ss,t to the bsd t pTIs0 Is
they themselves ,shivered like fury when they
Joined him. Until the train was moved through
the drifts nothing but tho bear incident was
talked about by tho tired passengers.