The times., 1890-10-31
A Bear Story,

u"yhsnt. III Iact tney never tnlnk OF danger.
they know every foot of the road and could
travel IT blindfoided. IL was early i'm the
fall OF '5S, just after the Border Ruffan
troubles, that l was practicing in the then
village OF Cehtreville, Iowa, and had night
call down on the Charlton river bottom.
There was three miles open prairie and two
miles up the river. and not house OH the
route, so the messenger said. The night
was not very dark, so l saddled my horse
and p0cketed my medicine case, not forget
ting my Colts revolver, in the use of which
/ was expert. (The doctor is of on the date
OF revOlvers.) found no difficulty i'm keep
ing the trail, especially after the moon came
up, which was shortly after L started.
HuTying over the prairie was soon gallop-
ing slowly through the timber land that
bordered the river, and keeping an eye out
for light, when the barking of dog called
my attention to low sbanty just few rods
ahead. There was no light save what came
from smouldering fire i'm one end of the
pole shanty. Riding up to the open door l
inquire If there was a sick man there. A
thin, cOffee-cOlOred female came to the door
followed by dozen tOw-headed youngsters
who clung to her dress and peered around
from behind her like lot of scared kittens.
She was smoking short clay pipe, which
she removed long enough to say "Yas," and
as | went in, after hitching my horse, tie
kids hid under the bed and behind boxes
and things until there wasn't one to be seen
The patient had been having cholera mOrbus
and as l stepped i'm he raised up i'm bed and
turned face on me that was study, his
gaunt frame seemed to rattle as he spoke.
and his eyes, which looked like q couple of
Waterbury watches, were set deep in his
drawn and haggard face, which seemed
more sallow and shrunken as seen by the
flickering light on the stone hearth. There
was no candle in the shanty, not even q
''slut" as the saucer, rag and soap-grease
used to he called, which served the purpose
of light when everything else failed-so I
got down Oh the ground, there was no floor,
by the side of the fire, put out my medicines
and giving some careful directions to the
mournful looking woman, | mounted and
rode away, glad to shut out the sight of such
squallor and misery. My horse seemed to
catch the sentiment, also, and was soon fly
ing over the trail which we had previously
travelled, the moon was shining brightly by
this time and had nearly reached the point
where the trail led up the bluff onto the
prairie, when my horse suddenly bOlted and
flung me over his head, j landed on the
soft leaves and grass without injury, save tC.
my feelings, for BILLY" had never served
me that trick before; knowing there was 8
cause for it sprang to my feet, and taking
my revolver in hand begun to reconnoiter-
NOt'a sound disturbed the death-like still
ness of the night save what Billy made a.
he pranced back on the trail, snorting with
fright. | knew he would not leave me, sO
/ stood in the moonlight and waited FOR de-
1t wasn't long before a little
woody coated animal about the size of 81
whiffet dog came ont of the underbrush and
waddled directly toward me. / recognizet
it at once as bears cub, and stopping
down / picked the little fellow up by the
scruff of the neck and held it up to the
for inspection. This seemed tt
be distasteful to it, for Immediately il
opened its mouth and let loose one of the
most mournful walls imaginable, the sounG
of which was still in the air when, with -
roar that nearly uncapped my head,
black bear jumped over % Iog am2
stood OH its launches not three PAGES H.
front of me. Here was a fix, to he sure
There stood, with pistol I'm one hanG
and cub i'm the other. What to do
didn't know. but in the absence of anything
else tossed the cub into its mothers arms
She caught with deXtrOuS movement ami
after inspecting u moment she let it slide
down by her side. All this time she never
took her eyes off from me, and while 1
returned her gaze ideas were flying like.
lightning through my mind. For wonder
was perfectly cool and collected. II i.
was only daylight, so that l could aim will.
accuracy, i thought might down her will.
a well directed shot from my pistol. IL
had a rod the start l believed that l coulG
Dutrun her, for / was quite a sprinter, and
fear would have lent me the legs of jack, I
lxI.s a. l..A A.l-.
eyes OFF hers for q second, even. There the
luge brute stood! her nose elevated, her
elbows at right angles ana her fiippers hang
ng as you have seen young ladies' hands al
party when they didn't know what to dc
With them; meanwhile she gave vent to q
Ow, bubbling growl, and worked her WAY
slowly towards me.
Something must be done Immediately
f / stood still l was dead man. So, also,
{ | attempted to run. My only recourse
vas to shoot and il / failed to kill hev
the result would he the same. Sht
vas almost within reach of me. / coulG
eel her hot breath on the cool night air.
Wy determination was made. Slowly rails
ny my pistol without taking my eyes OF
rom hers, brought the weapon on line
With her nose, and then dropping the muz-
lie to correspond with the throat and base
" the brain, i fired.
The sharp ring of the pistol shot seemed
o he mingled with a roar of rage and pain.
md went down in the embrace of the bear.
Cor some reason she didn't bite me, and l.
vas trying to get my arm loose SO that
ould give her another shot, when her hot
'lood spouted over my face and neck anG
With q shudder she rolled over on her back
lead. Leaping to my feet l shook myself :
ut, mOpped the blood off me as well as |
ould with my handkerchief, and having
atisfied myself that my bullet had done it,
york as j intended, went up on the blur
nd whistled for Billy. He answered mt
gith Whitney and soon came circliDG
round me, for he smelled the blood. A
tile coaxing, however, soon induced hin.
D allow me TO mount, and giving him the.
Elm he gladly let himself out for home, ano
4 few minutes was at my Office and soon
ad a team started to bring i'm the bear.
Nothing was seen of the cub. The Ole
ear weighed when dressed 347 pounds and
ne meat was distributed around town to all
tho felt like eating bear meat. The hide
ave still in my possession, and though
drunken by repeated wettings and worn by
2 years of service. there is enough of it lett
J satisfy any one as to the truth of this
atement. @.