The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-17
WILLIAMSON WAS SURPRISED.
Not Because He Killed Two Bears, ba

Because of u Subsequent Discovery.
II have had a good many surprises
from bears in my time. said Conrad
Williamson, of Gaines, Pa, "but l was
never quite so much surprised as l was
in little experience had in Clinton
county. l went to tho Pine creek
country to look after some lumber in
terests, and, as is my invariable GUS
i tom il / am there during the trout sea-
son, started in one day to have some
enjoyment on q branch of Pine creek.
I had lished perhaps half y mile when
was not q little startled, because
wasn't expecting such a sight just then,
! to see q big bear come coolly out of the
woods on the opposite side of the
creek, step in the water, and, giving
me q contemptuous sort of look, start
to wade diagonally across the stream,
heading for point not more than 100
feet above where | was standing, in
open mouthed astonislnnent.
CAS- socn rs | recovered from my
surprise the impudence of the bear
made me mad. 1t was just as if the
cheeky animal had looked me over and
said:
Il guess won't letany such looking
chap as you turn me out of my
couIseI'
Il had Il revolver in my pocket 1
pulled it out and began peppering
away at the bear as it slouched slowly
along toward the point it had started
fer. Out of the six shots the pistol
held put five Of them in the big mark,
because every time Que struck him he
gaze q start and a sharp squeal or snort
Ill the effect the bullets seemed to
have on linn, though, was to hurry up
his pace. lie reached the bank and
climbed out. lie stopped and looked
sayagely nj ne, and growled in man
ner that made me think that l was
about TO have little more business on
my hands than pulling trout ont Of the
water, but he thought better of it and
went on his way, disappearing shortly
in the woods
If | had had any more cartridges
with me [ would have been fool enough
to follow the bear and get myself in
trouble. Twas too much worked up, as
it was, 10 let the impudcnt old pig
stealer set away if could help, and 1
dropped my rod right there and hurried
up to the lnmher camp and got rifle
and plenty of ammunition. 1t was my
belief that the bear was heading for u
swamp Il mile or sc up the creek, and l
made short cut for the same place. I
reached the edge of the swamp, and,
seeing no sign of the bear, concluded
that had got there ahead of him. ]
was preparing to take position and
wait for him when heard grunt in
the direction of an old log road off to
the right, and there, with nothing but
his head to be seen above the surface
OF a deep mud hole. was the bear. He
raised his head little higher, and my
aim was so good that l found 1 had
put myself TO the necessity of Juggling
the bear out of the mud hole or leave
him in it, for he sank in the mud as
dead as a stone.
II walked M to make survey of the
big beast and his muddy grave. 1
stood trying TO plan = way TO raise him
without going for help. when heard n
movement in Inc bl'lsliat the roadside,
and looking UP saw the head of another
big bear, which was peering out at me
with a very evil expression on his face.
lie was on top of bank, ten feet
above the road The bear did not
move, but stood there staring ut me
iierceiy I didn't like the look, and
sent q bullet between the bears eyes.
He came tumbling down the bank like
a log down u rollway, and lay in the
road apparently as dead as the bear in
the mudhole; but while stood looking
at him lie got up and started for nc on
his hind feet. Ny rifle was empty l
backed away, putting in a cartridge as
I retreated But | didn't have to use
it. The bear only took three or four
steps, but he made the woods howl
while he was taking them. Then he
fell backward, fat on his back, and
that was the end of him.
Having two bears | was forced to
go for help to get them into camp.
When we got them there and dressed
them ! had the shock OF surprise I
spoke about. The first one killed, the
one in the mudhole, which supposed
was the bear I had seen in the creek
and put the five pistol balls in, had
only one bullet in him, and that was in
his brain. The one that | shot on the
bank, and regarded merely as an inter
loper was really the bear | was after.
It had rifle ball hole between its eyes
and five pistol balls distributed about
in its right side, the one which was to-
ward me in the creek. OF course / was
sorry for the other bear, because l had
no grudge against him whatever. But
it was too late to help the matter then.