News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-04-17

| out himself Will always miss III Lie
telling and these omissions will always
stamp the story teller as fabricator
to the nearer who has stood up in front
of a wounded bear, his heart in his
mouth and his brain humidity calcula-
ting whether he or the bear will sup
that night.
On this occasion story followed story
till Jacks amazement gave way to
disgust at the nerve of the "tenderfoot'
contingent that was springing such
yarns on him. FINALLY Gen. Sheridan
turned to Jack with, "Jack, you can
tell good story when you want to )
give us one now"
"Well, general" replied the guide,
81 have heard so many of 'em this
evenin' that I don't believe 1 know a
single one. Anyway, l don't know
any bear stories like those I've heard"
"Come, jack" urged Sheridan, "the
story, my boy, the storyW
"You're in command, general, and
1 suppose I'll have to obey, but L
don't remember many stories just now.
However, last fall | found had to go
up to see some prospects at Cook CITY
on the Clarke's Fork. So as my pack
pony wasn't in the herd, just put the
pack-saddle on my ridin' pony and
started afoot, leadin' the pony. We
came past the mammoth hot springs,
crossed the Yellowstone at my bridge
and took the trail up Soda Greek.
Along about four in the afternoon we
got to Soda Butte Lake. The grass was
good there and the pony made up his
mind it was time to go into camp, SO
he kept pullin' back on the lariat till
l gave in and unpacked him. He
started to Craze and | shouldered my
rifle and wandered off down towards
the like thinkin' might get shot at
a goose or maybe a deer that would
furnish meat for supper and breakfast.
Ny rifle was a single-shot breech-
loadin' Sharp and a mighty good gun.
1 trotted along the trail among the
frs on the edge of the lake watchin'
the water pretty careful when suddenly
l heard an ugh! Ugh!!' right in front
of me, and there, in the trail, not
thirty feet away, was as big roach
back bear as ever saw. He was sittin'
up with his front paws hangin' down
and his red tongue, stained with sar-
vice-berries, runnin' out in the most ex-
asperatin' way. 1 watched him for a
breath or two and almost made up my
mind that hadn't lost any bear and
wasn't huntin' for any, but he sat SO
still that 1 couldn't resist the tempta-
tation. So hauled up the old rifle
and took steady pull on his neck ex-
poctin' to break his spinal column.
Well, general, just as pulled the trig-
ger he moved and knew had missed
him. The way / broke for big fir
tree wasn't slow tell you. l dropped
the gun as l grabbed the tree and
wasn't second too soon, for he came
up with rush and snaked the heel
off my boot in no time as swung my
self into safety.
81 got up out of his way and watch
ed him while he howled and tore the
bark off the tree. l saw then that the
bullet had just scratched tie skin on
the side of his neck. He would rub it
with his paw, then jump for the tree
and below while he tore the bark of
in chunks. Then he'd go to the other
side of the tree and repeat the perform
ance. Presently he saw my rifle. He
picked it up and looked it all over.
Then he fixed his beady little eyes on
me and seemed studyin' somethin'.
Then he cooked the gun, threw it to
his shoulder and took good aim at
me before he pulled the trigger.
"Of course the gun snapped, as the
same shell was in it that l had just fired
at him. He pulled the gun down
again, looked it all over, then threw
down the lever and breech block.
This threw out the old shell and he
held out his paw to me for new SHE'LL"
That was the last bear story told on
the trip.