The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-01
A LIVELY TIME.
Novel Adventure in the Wilds OF
Pennsylvania.

Fisherman's Disagreeable Encounter
~ with Hungry Bear-How His Dog
Helped to Enliven the
John Hughes DAILY, Esq, of the
Ninth ward, caterer to the Criterion
Club of this city, has returned from a
few days outing among the trout
streams Of Monroe County, Pa, fetch
ing with him a few trout and some
most remarkable tales of adventure.
He especially delights in some remi-
nlscences OF bear that trespass over
the border of the extraordinary
You remember that fine collie dog,
Bruce, of mine?n remarked Mr.. Daily
at the club last night. ..Well, you'll
never see him again. If I am not
very much mistaken, he now lines the
stomach OF an interesting member of
the bear family that honored me with
an interview one day. I had been
fishing at the head waters
of the Big Bushkill, and,
having filled my creel with big
trout, was thinking about returning to
the farm house of my friend Finnegan,
with whom was spending my little
vacation. Bruce was with me and had
wandered off into the brush. I was
winding my line on my reel, when
heard the dog barking and snarling in
8 peculiar way, and / went into the
brush to see what he had run up
against. The sight that met my eyes
would doubtless have carried JOY to a
bear hunter, but it froze my blood, and
my blood was at fever heat at that. A
bear that seemed to me to be towering
up into the air at least ten feet, stood
on his launches and kept dashing at
Bruce as the dog circled about him.
When Bruce saw me he ran to me and
got right between my legs, from which
vantage ground he barked and snarled
with renewed vehemence This dis
play of cowardice on the part of my
dog appeared to embolden the bear,
for he came slashing right toward me
like a locomotive. It wasn't me he
seemed to want, though, for he
had evidently set his mind,
heart and stomach on Bruce, as
could see by the way Bruin glared at
the dog alone. A slight of that kind
was willing to overlook, as / was out
for pleasure and did not want any
feeling of selfishness or jealousy to
mar the harmony. But the bear had
his mouth open, all the same, and
while loved my dog / was not above
a suspicion that as the bear advanced
the dog would avoid those jaws by
taking to his heels, and that the bear
would do the next best thing and take
to my legs. So I anticipated the re-
treat of the dog and retreated hastily,
but in good order, myself. The talent
Bruce developed in sharing my re-
treat, but at the same time nlaintain-
ing his position between my legs,
might, at a time when I was less alb
sorbed in other things, have excited
my greatest admiration.
''Under existing circumstances it an
noyed me, especially as the heart Of
the bear was still set on the dog, and
I his legs We're extremely ready in fol-
3 lowing the promptings of that heart.
Consequently, 4 was compelled to
extend to Bruce the assurances Of
my esteemed consideration by fetch
ing him a kick that III separated
US as much as ten feet. The recoil of
the kick sent me sprawling on, the
ground, and the impetus it had given
the dog gave him a good start of the
bear, and he never looked around, but
tore wildly into the brush. The bear,
now impressed with the fact, / suppose,
that a PROSTATE fisherman in the hand
was worth any quantity in the bush,
@hushed the promptings Of his heart for
Bruce and set it beating wildly for me.
AT least interpreted the situation to
mean that when i glanced over my
shoulder and saw Bruin steering
straight for me. I didn't wait for his
arrival, but scrambled to my feet.
The bear wasn't more than four feet
away Scarcely knowing what i die,
Jerked the strap of my creel off my
shoulder and turned on the advancing
bear, and, swinging the creel, weighted
I with its twenty pounds or so of trout. i
brought it down on the head Of that
bear with all the force I was capable
Of It fell on that ponderous skull
with sickening thud. The bear
I stopped. The lid Of the creel flew
open, and in second the ground was
streWn with my crimson-sp spotted tro-
phies Of the rod and dy. I