The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-09-18
body around SO as to give the bearroom
TO pass him, which he did, plugging
headlong down the mountain about
}xrapfs, y.,.da


TO pass him, which he did, plunsing
headlong down the mountain about
twenty yards
Before Wood could, with his failing
strength, swing himself into the tree,
the second bear bounded up and seized
his right ankle. BY this time the
wounded bear returned, and as Wood
| fell she snapped at his face. He lodged,
and she caught his left shoulder.
Then came terrific struggle. The
nnaddcned animals tugged in opposite
directions at Woods ankle and shoul.
der, and he was in imminent danger OF
being torn to pieces. lie fought as best
ne could, but each cxertion he put
forth only intensified the rage Of the
bears
When he was almost fainting with
F, pain the bear that he'd not been wound
ed dropped his ankle and trotted slow
| ~ after his companions up the ravine.
Then the wounded bear let go her hold
/ Oh his shoulder. Wood sank back on
the groun,!, and lay perfectly quiet, as
though dead, hardy daring to breathe
The grizzly stood inajcstically over him.
watching for the slightest movement,
and snarling with rage. The pain that
racl1ed the mans frame was frightful,
and he risked his life in an effort to as
sumo an easier position. At the first
movement the grizzly, roaring furious
", rushed at him She showed her nose
close to his face and shifted at him, but
Wood was again motionlcss, and the
bear, raising her head gave vent to un-
earthly screams.
Wood, knowing that his life depended
on it, remained motionless, ard the
bear trotted after her companions up
TIE ravine
When he attempted to rise Wood
found that his right hip was dislocated
and his left shoulder was clcwed to the
bone, while his clothing had tcen strip
ped from his body and his flesh had
been chcwed in Il hundred places. Inch
by inch he painfully dragged himself
from the spot, until Sea bring and Will
son. accompanied by David A. Buck,
the latter Of whom had been left to
guard the camp, found him and carried
him to their quarters.
At this spot the party remained
twelve days, subsisting on the meat Of
the bear that had been killed They
were lost in the mountains, but finally
Wood despite his agony, insisted upon
being tied to 4 horse and accompany
ing his friends in search for path to
civilization. During the ten days that
followed every step of the horse that
Wood rode caused unspcalEable torture
to the rider. Tut Wood bore it like a
martyr, and an occasional groan was
all the complaint that escaped his lips.
Finally they fond a road ont of the
mountains ard reached tic farm of
Mrs. Mark West, thirty miles from
Sonoma, where Wood was cared for
and in six weeks was able to join his
friends in San Francisco.
The injuries inflicted by the grizzlies
made Wood Il cripple for life and event
ually were the cause OF his death. and
it was his son who told in the Russ
house Il few days ago of this fight with
the grizzlies San Francisco Examiner.
e : :3OME Vi GENIUS.
Story Of 3 Watermelon Man and an Easily
Quilted Public
He was an cntcrrris:ng watermelon
peddlcr on the west side aid trade had
evidently he,n dull. His vocifcrous elo-
oucncc and lcscrching bowls for pat
runage had not brought him that dcliri-
Gus demand for his luscious goods which
he had fondly hoped for. The after
noon was on tie wane, the crowds were
travelling suppcrw"rd and he had the
dismal prospect of carrying his stock
over night
Something had to be done or he would
be. He was struck with this idea and
an inspiration and in q second was
standing beside g. rear wheel stealthily
manipulating Il monkey wrench. A
few turns and the nut was screwed Off,
q few steps were taken by his Gothic
architectural horse, there was a sudden
lurch q drop and crash and the dislo-
Gated wagon wheel fell from the axle.
In an instant the usual crowd SUR
rounded the stranded wagon and with
well simulated distress the pcddler hur-
ried to pick up the few melons that had
rolled out Of the box.
"Wcll, gents" he remarked to his
sympathetic audience, Its hard luck
to be busted Just when trade is good.
Here am with 4 load Of melons and
they goes below cost. Me. l-l-,l-n-s,
m-c-l-l-u-n-s, w-at-c-r m-c-l-l-u-n-s; ten
cents, one dime for your pick; who's the
first gent as wants onc?'
1t took but q short time to dispose OF
the load and TIE ingcnius fallir after
replacing the whecl, winlled at the re.
porter and t:r;i:ed out of sight Chi.
cago News.