Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-11-15
BEAL'S ROASTING EARS.
Tho Use nm Ingonlou, and Talented Boar
Put Them To.

Tho Use m Ingoniou, and Talented Boar
Put Them To.
Out in the OdlSy woods tho wild an
imals frequently exhibit intelligence tc
remarkable degree. One OF the
largest planters, Mr.. j. X. Boal, In go
ing the rounds OF his Immense plnnta'
ton noticed that In fold bordering
the Pocasin swamp the best rails from
the fence had been distracted. Amy
rails decayed or detective were left
while only the newest and best rails
had been taken. This continued for
quite awhile. Tho planter supposed
that the negroes had boon taking
them. but could find no clue TO the
thieves. After awhile his hogs began
to disappear until at last when no wen,
to call them up none responded to the
cry. Next in the same field from
whence the rails had been distracted.
the growing corn crop began to suffer.
Bushels OF roasting ears disappeared,
and at last the tracks OF some large
animal werc discovered leading from
the corn field to the mysterious depths
OF the Pocasin. They were the tracks
Of huge bear So much damage was
being done to the crops that 1t was de-
termined to try to find the brute.
Accordingly, party was organized
and away they went following the trail
that became more and more indistinct
The Pocasin swamp is interspersed
with dry hammocks like oasis in a
desert On, on, through mire and
ooze, on through the little shaded
islands and back again TO swamp
ground. AT last they reached q large
high hammock rising almost like n hill
from the mysterious depths Of the
swamp. Here high and dry they were
astonished to discover a great pen, las
large" says the narrator OF this singu-
lar adventure. 'as largo rs n great
house" Upon examination 1t was
found that the pen had been built OF
the stolen fence rails. Within it were
the kidnapped hogs sleek and fat
Around it In every direction were tho
tracks OF the bear innumerable in
number. and the ground well trodden
down. Within the pen were some OF
the remains OF the roasting ears alb
stracted from Mr.. Beals field.
The hunting party were struck with
amazement and sat down around the
well-flled pen to try to unravel tho
mystery. There was but ono solution.
Every evidence pointed to this one
fact. The bear had stolen the
planters fence rails, had built
the pen upon the secluded ham
mock. had stolen his hogs and thon Sc
lecting his best shoats had penned
them up. and was fattening them up
for winter use upon Mr.. Beal's roasting
ears. The hogs were recovered, taken
to Albany and sold readily for from
seven to eight dollars cuch to local
butcher. 1t is said that the butchers
customers were so delighted with the
sweetness OF the pork and It's Juicy
richness they clanorod for moro OF the
same kind, but hogs fattened by bears
upon roasting ears were an uncommon
commodity, and the meat could not be
duplicated. An Albany saloon man
applied to the planter for one OF the
toothsome fat shoats. He wanted 10
barbecue 1t for his free-lunch counter.
But the supply was exhausted. aud
free-lunch fiends were deprived of this
unusual dainty.
On July 4, while Mr.. II. n. Savage
was spending the day hunting, he killed
In the Pocasin bear which turned the
scales ut exactly 4o0l pounds. 1t is
thought that this lie the bear which
tried its paw SO sklllfully in the BUSH
ness Of raising meat-Atlanta Consti-
tuition.