The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-08-01
Set q Bear on Fire.

"Folks may not know it, but bears can
swim like ducks. I don't know whether
they can dive or not, but if they can, one
bear that remember made the mistake
of his life once by not diving, and that
not only, but in not swimming under
water from one bank of the stream he
was in to the other bank before he came
out again. The fate of that bear was a
fearful one, and warning to all of the
bear family to stick to terra 6rma, in the
oil regions.
ri was one of the first seekers after
riches that went up along the Cherry
Tree Run in Vehango county to put down
oil wella. Good paying territory had
been found and 9 number of wells put
down in the vicinity of Cherry Tree.
Trout fishing was excellent in Ethose
mountain streams then, oil not having
yet been produced along them in sufi.
cient quantities to mingle with the water
and spoil it for fishing. I was an enthu-
siastic trout fisherman, and one day in
June, early in the days of the rush to the
Oil Greek valley, friend of mine and l
went very near to the head waters Of one
of the small creeks that entered into the
Cherry Tree Run for big days fishing.
1t was getting along toward dark by the
time ne had fshed to the mouth of the
creek, and we were loaded down with
trout, and about as near tired out as two
vigorous young men could we'll be. In
fact, re were 30 near tuckered out that
we concluded to camp at the mouth Of
the creek for the night, although we we're
within three miles of the sbanty where
we were sinking we'll. We ate hearty
supper of trout, built big camp fire and
lay down on the ground by the side of it
to sleep. The fire threw q glare clear
across Cherry Tree Run, which was wide
and deep there.
II wasn't long in falling asleep. I
never knew what woke me up, but I
awoke some time 10 the night, suddenly
and wide. The camp fra was still burn.
ing brightly, and SIS lay there looking
at the broad pathway Of light 1t cast
across the Run, I saw the water where the
light rested upon it suddenly become
agitated, and ] soon became aware that
some big object was swimming the stream,
and coming directly where we we're lying.
II was spooky sort Of situation, and
to, toll the truth, was scared, so much
80 that I couldn't stir. lay there
scarcely daring to breathe, with my eyes
fixed immovably on the approaching OBJ
ject. It pulled deliberately across the
creek, and as it crawled out on the shore
I discovered that it was an enormous
bear. He didn't pause a second, but
slouched right on toward the fire, evi
dently prompted by genuine bear curios-
ity. The spot where we had camped
wasn't more than twenty feet from
either stream. The appearance of the
big bear and his advance upon our camp
broke. the spell under which l had been
lying, and I sprang to my feet, grabbed a
blazing stick from the fire, and hurled it
at the approaching animal, which was
then almost within an arms length of
me. The brand struck the bear. fl
had been frightened at the first appear.
ance of the animal in the Run, was
simply terrified when the burning stick
hit him, for like fash of gunpowder the
poor beast burst into fame from snout to
tail.
"With q howl that filled the wood with
frightful echoes and brought my sleeping
friend to his feet in terror, the blazing
bear tnrned and fed to the creek and
jumped into the water. If he had ex-
pected to find help there he vas wonder.
fully mistaken, for in an instant the
creek, from bank to bank and far above
and below us, became a line of leaping
fire, lighting up the gloom of the forest
for rods on either side, and forming one
of the most awful spectaeles / ever wit.
messed and such one as hope never to
witness again. Then came from that
roaring stream of fame one long, un-
earthly vail of agony. For second We
saw the blazing form of the wretched
bear writhing in torture in the burning
creek. Then We saw and heard him no
more. The terrible heat from the fire
drove us back into the woods, where we
remained for an hour or more, two terror
stricken, trembling spectators of that
sudden apparition of flame. Then it died
gradually away and became extinct,
leaving upon us such sense of gloom
and ghostliness that neither of us had
the courage to remain longer on the spot
and we lost no time in making our
way in the darkness to our shanty up the
creek.
We learned, on reaching there, that an
oil tank had sprung leak that evening,
and before it could be stopped great
quantity Of oil had run into the stream
and hoated down on its surface. The
unfortunate bear had struck this inAam-
mable stuff when be swan the creek, and
his fur had become saturated with it.
My freDrand had ignited it instantly,
and in jumping back into the creek, all
ablaze. the bear had set the whole oily
surface on FIRE and met his frightful fate.
-Mep York Sun.
The wheat crop of the Northwest is
something better than total failure
this year. This blight extends as far
North as Manitoba. The four new
States will be the principal sufferers, it
seems.