The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-18
A catskiII Bear Story.
Clears in the Catskills?"

Bears in the Catskills?"
Well, there certainly arenone PROV
ling about the Overlook Mountain
house, nor the Hotel Haaterskill, nor
even in the vicinity OF that romantic
crag called Rip Van Winkels rock. In
fact, during the weeks ramble which
we took-my friend and Lannon's the
backwoods and glens of Slide Mount
ain and the Indian Head, we failed to |
discover traces of either bear or wild
cat.
To say that we saw "neither hide
nor hair Of them, as the phrase is,
would not be true. There is a great.
tawny, glass-eyed, stuffed wildcat at
Meade's on the Overlook; and in
farmers house at Big Indian we saw
black BEARS skin, the original wearer
of which had been killed by the pres
ent owner, only a few winters ago.
But we found bear stories plenty
OF them. Whenever we met a native
or old settler OF the region. westraight-
way asked him for a, bear story; and |
he seldom disappointed US. We soon
had quite q collection, the gem OF
which is the one lam going to tell you
now. 1t has never before been told in
print, I am sure; for we had it from
the lips Of the nero hims elan Italian
.laborer who, having originally come
into Catskills to work on one Of the
railroads, had finally made his home
here.
Seated on a raft at the edge of the
poad where we were fishing he related
his story in broken English, which /
will endeavor to mend-not in the
hope OF making it funnier, but simply
to render it more ineligible.
His name was Nanni Short for Clio
vanni) Rocco. 1t seems that in Italy
where Nanni WAS born and grew up,
he had been kind of Snowman. He
used to travel among the Apennine
villages with a performing bear, which
he had taught to wrestle so skillfully
that the huge animal, tightly muzzled
and with claws blunted, would
"throw' all corners who ventured to
measure their strength with him. Then
| his master would try a bout and al
WAYS come off victorious; but this was
due to q secret understanding with
the bear, who, at given signal, would
fall to the ground and pretend to be
overcome. This was done so natur-
!; ally and SO regularly, thai after while
Nanni came to believe himself ren..lly
more than a match for the beast; and
the faith ul creature never undeceived
| him.
The fame ofNanni and his wrestling
! bear spread far and wide. One day an
agent came along and engaged him for
a. foreign tour, to extend as far as
America. his began, very successEpl-
"; and no doubt Ma mi y " c c;;iiu nave
made his fortune in America, had not
MS indispensable ..partner, the BEAR
slckened and died shortly after their
f'il1V3'. n New York, 49,,
His master mourned him like
child. Such another animal WIS MOI
| to be found for love or money, =, nc
poor Nanni's occupation was gone.
Disheartened and without resources.
ne finally engaged himself with a. num-
Der OF his fellow-countrymen, to work
on the railroads. This employment.
IN the course of time, brought him to
the Catskill mountains.
When the line of the Ulster and
Delaware railroad was first surveyed.
the region through which it passes
had much more the air Of a forest
primeval than it possesses to-day.
The principal "old settlers then
were the bears and panthers and
wildcats, with here and there rattle
snake. There was good sport in the
mountains, at that period.
One day a good-sized bear, CLOSELY
pursued by two hunters, came tearing
through the underbrush, close by the
place where Nanni and his compan.
ions were at work. 1t was q wild
spot, overlooking that stupendous
ravlne where the snowy veil of the
Kaaterskill Falls hangs gracefully
down the black wall of wet rocks.
Head him OFF, cried the hunters.
But the Italian laborers were too
frightened to dispute the passage of
the painting animal. The mere sight
OF them, however, caused him to slack.
en- his pace and look about him, his
req tongue hanging out of his open
mouth, aud his mischievous little ewes
flashing with rage and defiance.
before him were the Italians. behind
him the hunters. On one side was the
precipice, and opposite stood Nan.
inland he was not the man to run
away.
If he trembled, it was from excite. |
ment and emotlon-not from fear.
The sight OF the free, full.grown bear
at bay, and rearing threatenlngy up.
on his hind-legs, caused a flood Of re-
collections to rush through Nanni's
mind. Inspired by the thought OF his
triumphant wrestling days, he had
but one idea, and that was to get q
good ''side hold" OF the bear, throw
him on his back and capture him.
stop-a! stopa!" he screamed, mo-
tioning back the hunters, who had
raised their guns to fire. "I'll catch-a
him for you'll
10 the speechless amazen1ent Of his
comrades, he rushed forward and
grappled with the lnftiriated bear.
throwing one arm around the plump.
hairy body. and with the other hand
clutchlng the shaggy throat.
The struggle was terrific while it.
lasted, and by no means one.sided.
Bruin snapped with his laws ana