Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-05
A ,s-YEAR-oLp BEAR KILLER.
George Mealy Bagged Three in Few
Hours, and Did 1t Easily.

nelQ on mealy lafLn, InIee nlles IOh
here, last Monday. George Mealy, 1S-
year-old boy, discovered them, and, with
out saying a word to anybody, hurried
home and got his fathers gun. Hasten
ing back to the turnip field, he found
that the bears had walked over to the
far side of the field, adjoining piece Of
woods. The boy hunter stole round
through the woods and got to that side
of the field to see the big bear and one
of the small ones entering the woods out |
of gunshot.
The other small bear had fingered some
distance behind. Young Mealy creptup
few rods closer and lodged charge of
buckshot in the bears vitals, killing it
almost instantly. He dragged the bear
home and surprised the family, no
other member of which was aware that
there was a bear within ten miles of
them. 1t was in the forenoon when the
boy discovered and killed the bear. The
killing filled him with ardor, and along
in the afternoon he sneaked the gun out
of the house and made his way to the
turnip patch. He had hopes that the
two other bears might have returned to
renew their meal on the turnips There
were no bears to be seen, but Master
Mealy had plenty of time, and he hid
himself in the edge Of the woods, near
the spot where the two had disappeared,
on the chance that they might come
back.
The BOY had been in his hiding place
only a few minutes when his heart al
most Jumped out of his mouth at sight
of the big bears head that was thrust
between the rails of the fence, scarcely
ten feet from where he lay. Immedi-
ately after the big bears head appeared,
the little ones head was stuck through
the fence a few feet further along.
Neither bear presented favorable shot
to the young hunter, who lay as quiet
as he could under the circumstances.
Presently both bears climbed the fence
and stood still, taking survey of the
field. The big bear was nearest the boy,
standing broadside to him. He aimed
at the animals side, near the shoulder,
and fired. The bear fell, got up with
difficulty and whirled swiftly around
for several times, blood squirting in
stream from the wound in her side.
Then she fell in a heap on the ground
and never moved again.
| The small bear ran to and fro in a
; frightened manner while the bear was
whirling about, and when she fell it
started rapidly across the turnip field
directly toward Mealy's house. Young
Mealy, satisfied that the big bear was
done for, started for the house as fast as
his legs could carry him. BY the course
he took he reached the house before the
fleeing bear had made an appearance
anywhere. The boy dashed into the
house, grabbed some ammunition and
loaded his gun, while his mother looked
on in alarm. The only thing the boy
said as he tore out of the house was:
"More bears!"
As he dashed out of the yard he saw
the bear come out of the field fifty yards
below the house, cross the road, and make
for growth of willows along the ereel
that runs in the rear of the house
Judging that the bear would be more
likely to emerge from the willows at the
upper end rather than at the lower, be
cause thick growth of woods on tina
side of the farm would be brought nearer
to him by doing SO, the boy flew across
the lot and reached the creek above tn,
willows. The bear had not appeared
but a splashing in the creek showed tina
he was on his way out. He came in sigh
only few yards from where Mealy wa
standing.
The boys aim was as true in this cas-
as as it had been in the other two, and on
or, shot was all that was required to add tn
off third bear to his days bag. The intrepi
uI young bear killer dragged the bear up t.
Ell the house, where his mother, who ha
me- been watching the chase unable to spea
~ ~ or move, stood pale and trembling in tn
es yard. Her boy stretched the bear on til
be- ground before her, and, mopping hi
head and face with his sleeve, said:
"There! If t'other one is wanted, som
one will have to go after it with tn
stone drag"
1t wasn't until q hired man, who ha
come to the house for something, ha
gone down to the turnip field and di
covered the big bear doubled up with
hole in her side he could stick his fist i
that the family believed that the
Georges prowess had gone so far {
three bears. The three bears weighe
$50 pounds. (Pa.) Cor. Ne
York Sun.