Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-03-29
AN ILLUMINATED BEAR.
tOm the san FrancIsoo EsamIner.


down to San Francisco yesterday and reg.
istered at one of the hotels. An Examiner
man met him in the corridor and asked
him if there was any game up in his coun-
try. 81 know there is one smashing big
grizzly somewhere around Mono lake, -
replied Mr.. McGreRor Jim Watts,
Manuel Lopez, Sing Wong, and myself
went over there in October with a camp
ing outfit to have about four weeks fun,
and we crowded it all into one week and
lots to spare.
"Wa pitched onr tents on the bank of n
stream and got Fixed up in shape, and re-
gret to say that, owing 20 the pernicious
connsels and examples Of Watts, we did no
hunting, but sat up all night playing po-
kpr and slept every day until noon. Sing
did all the work, of course, except taking
care Of the horses, which a Chinaman
can't do. Manuel did that, and allowed
him the kitty for 1t.
Zone night we had 6no game going
and were playing for "a Jackpot which had
gone around four times. had an opening
haDd, Manuel had something good, and
Watts wanted only one card. Just as we
we're calling for cards Sing jumped up
with yell from his blankets at the back
Of the tent and stampeded right over our
game, knocking the oil can, on which we
were playing, wrong end up and scatter
ing the beans all around. Manuel pulled
his revolver and was about to take shot
ut Sing, when we heard u Rrowl, and turn
ing our heads saw the gray muzzIe of a
grizzley poked through the back of the
tent into the syrup dish
Manuel was mad. and saying: Damn
You, spoila sucha pot like him! Carajo!
he popped at the bears head. Then we
all got up and went out of that tent. l
was in a hurry and took the tent pole
along with me, and Jim tipped over the
kerosene lamp en- route. The bear came
in rather hastily at the back and knocked
down the other tent pole. That brought
the whole thing down about his ears. and
IN two seconds there was more fun than a
barrel Of monkeys in that camp.
The lamp broke and exploded when it
fell, and evidently the plug had fallen out
of the oil can, for every thing was In a
blaze in no time. Old Brin. for we discov-
cred afterwards by the club foot track that
he was the disturber, got tangled up in
the burning tent, and in rolling about he
sopped up good deal of the loose oil.
While he was slamming things aroInd
like Il full grown earthquake and making
Rome howl in that neck O. woods we stood
around plugging revolver bullets into the
general imbroRlio of things, which did not
improve his temper.
'lt was probably less than minute be-
fore he came ont Of the wreck, blazing
like Fourth Of July celebration. His
oil soaked hair was Sdre in patches and
pieces of burning canvas hung about him.
OF all the bowling and roaring ever
heard-and mind you I've heard Sam Da-
Wis of Carson try to sing-that WIS the
worst. That old bear just stormed around
that camp, clawing at the fire, tearing the
burning canvas with his teeth, and betting
everything that came in his way. When
he would swing paw and hit the trunk
Of tree a swat the bark would fly.
Manuel and shlnned up two tall trees
like squirrels, and Sing crawled into hol-
low log and kept qniet, but Jim Watts
stood there like chunip and watched the
circus. We couldn't shoot the bear be-
cause we had left our rifles in the burning
tent and r0volvers were Of no account
against beast in such tantrums. Watts
did pepper him though, aRd got into trou-
Lle !or doing it. HIS bullets just attracted
old Brin's attention as he swung around
the circle and he made a rush for Watts.
Watts didn't hnve time to pick out a
route OF retreat. He Just had to scoot,
and how he did scoot He headed for the
bank Of the creek, which wis about ten
feet higher than the water, with the illu-
minated bear in hot pursuit. There was
no chance TO dodge or turn and Watts
took the leap. He struck feet first about
twenty feet from tine bank and went down
ker-chuR Watts came up TO breathe just
as old Brin piled over the bank and fell
into the water with splash and a sizzle.
Watts dived, swan up stream under water
aud crawled silently out in dark place.
Old Bun kept straight across and landed
on the opposite bank. His plunge had ex-
tinguished him and he was blazing only
with wrath, and he tore away through the
brush growing and making the bark hy.
WATTS came back to camp, ard when
we had gathered around the burning ruins
of oar outfit he showed up bobtail flush
which he had held in his.left hand all the
time and said; Say, wasn't that dandy
hand to draw to in a jack pot t9' A"
Rustler: The tin hoEn gamblers seem
be fiochug into CoTillos. Ia spite of the
nRquestionasle svocAtiOn of these gentry,
thsir presence al any polnt is accepted by
many as sign Of lively times. where
the carrion ln0ney) lies, The 0uzzArd
III.