Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-26
ONE MORE BEAR STORY.
A Statesman Wanted the Dog.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
The Hon. c. W. Williamson, of Saladas-
burg, is one of the members of the Penn
sylvania legislature from Lyooming
county. There are two members from
One of them is large-waist-
ed old gentleman, with a not very extend
ed acquaintance with the inside of books.
He has never rubbed against the world
much, and being tri6e new IL legislation
the boys had a good deal of fun with him
last winter.
Pop" said the Hon. Geo. MCGOWAN.
president of the Philadelphia American
Club, to this ornament from Lycomipg,
what penalty do they infict on suicide
up in Lycoming?'
In dead earnestness the innocent old
legislator replied:
They give 'em three months, b'lieye,
but, gol dang 'emi I'm in favor of two
yearsr'
But this member wasn't the Hon. c. W.
Williamson, of Saladasburg. That states
man vas up to snuff, and if there ever is
any ''snake" in bill it won't bite him.
He mipgles statecraft with lumber, agri.
culture and a country store. and finds his
recreation in chasing the deer in the wild
wood and hunting coons. He has son
Charles. Charles is Is, and is a stub
and-twist specimen of the true back
woods boy.
"Charley," said the Hon G. W. William
son, the other day, "from the way the
weather looks L believe there's deer
over back of the mountain. Seems to
me as if it was buck"
"WeH, pop replied Charley, '1et's
take the dog and go fetch the deer in"
"Why, that's so!' said the statesman, as
if the suggestion was a sudden revelation
to him. eve can do that. can't WEI"
So he took down his gun, called the
dog, and he and Charley started for the
mountain, three miles away. Charley
carried no gun, it being his duty to han
die the dog and drive for deer, while his
father stood on the ridge at runway and
and put lead in the deer when it bounded
by. But Charley had a big hunting knife
in sheath at his side. The knife was
to cut the deer's throat with after the ami.
NAL had been weighted down with lead
by the statesman hunter, and to dress the
deer with when it was hung up. When
they reached the mountain Charley
father stationed himself on a runway,
and sent Charley off to the right of the
ridge to start the deer from its hiding
place.
"Start buck, Charley, or a big doe,''
said the statesman with the gun. "Don t
waste time on any fawns."
Charley went off with the dog, and he
hadn't gone more than hundred yards
when the dog struck trail, and away he
went. Charley followed, and in less than
ten rods came up to the dog. 1t might
have been g. deer track the dog had struck,
but if it was 1t had led plumb mp against
6-foot bear, and the 6-foot bear had his
back against rock and his eye on the
dog. The latter, emboldened by the
presence of his master, pitched into the
bear. The bear welcomed him to his en-
brace, gave him a couple of squeezes, and
tossed him off with such vim and preci
sion that his limp and almost desicated
carcass just missed Charley's lead. The
dog was extremely dead.
"S-a-a-y!" said Charley, as if remon-
strating with the bear, shat was pops
best dog, and he'll be madder'n thunder!'
Just then the voice OF the statesman
on the runway, mellowed by distance but
very distinct, came down through the
woods. 1t said:
Hay, Charley! Come up with that dog,
quick"
"Well," said Charley, addressing the
bear, if he expects me to carry that dog
up this ridge he's mistaken. But won't
he be mad!"
All this time the bear stood with his
back to the rock, his eyes snappin and
l. Ir Hhor II I<oI
ed at the unjointed body of his dog, and
then surveyed the proportions of its I'M
terrified unjointer. The latter got tired
of waiting, and moved forward to clear
the woods of Charles. Charles unsheath-
ed his big hunting knife and braced him
self.
Ebay, Charley" came the voice down the
ridge and this time there was Impotence
III it. "Why don't you come up with that
internal dog?"
II hain't got time to explain that to
pop just now," said Charley, in a conf,
Dental tone, to the bear, "and I hain't
goin' to scare you by hollerin' back to
him"
The bear did not seem to care whether
Charley had time for explanation or not,
and wasn't on the scare. He reached out
for Charley with one right paw. Charley
lunged forward and socked his knife deep
in bruins neck. Bruin countered on
Charlsy's chest, and sent him sprawling
on the ground. The blood spurted from
the hole made by the knife in the bears
neck. AS Charley fell the voice of the
hunter was again heard on the hill.
Hay, CharleyP' it said. Why in thun-
der don't you come up with that dog?"
Charley was to busy to answer just
then, for he had all he could do to get to
his feet before the bear climbed on him.
The boy and the bear had lively tussle,
hut it was a short one. The first stab
the bear received was fatal, and two other
thrusts equally good let out still more
blood, but when the bear fell in it's death
struggle Charley was tired out. He lean
ed up against tree to get his wind.
Then he heard his father coming down
off the ridge, crashing through the bursh
like wild steer.
"He's mad" painted Charley.
clay, Charleyr the Hon. G.. W. Will
Hanson shouted, as he came down the
hill. "What in thunder's the matter
Where's that dog? Why don't you come
up with him? a buck bigger'n heifer
went by me, and here 1 hain't got any
dog! Why don't you come up with that
dog?"
Then the state sman hove in sight of
his boy, leaning against the tree and
grabbing for wind. He didn't see the
bear that lay few yards the other side.
Cnarley's father came up all atanding.
"What in the name of Nimrod's the
matter with your" he grasped.
Charley pointed to the bear.
''Great Scott" howled tie statesman,
and he made for the nearest tree.
He's-he's-dead," said Charley. $50
is-the dog. That's the-reason-1
didn't como up with him."
Then the statesman looked the bear