The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-04
rWo BEAR STORIES.
Entertaining Party-Unploasnnt Experi-
once OF q Lumbcrman.

y
once OF q Lumbcrman.
Zone full n bear carried off two Of my
pigs four nights apart" said on old
farmer to n writer in the New York
Tribune. 81 found where he had de-
voured them in ravinc less than TWEEN
ty rods from my house, and set n trap
for him. Then l fastened some wire to
the trap, and strung the wire over
bushes to the house, attaching the other
end to n little bell over the kitchen
door. That night we had an apple bee,
and told all the young folks that if tho
bell jinglcd while they were there wc
would oil march to the ravinc and take
n look at the bear before / shot him.
Watching for tho bell to tinlslc madc
lots of fun during the evening, and u
little before midnight it did tinl1lc right
lively, and it kept tinkling until we
had lighted dozen lanterns and started
out to sec tho bear. There were four
teen buxom and jolly girls in the party,
and as many strong young men, and
there wasn't one in the crowd that was n
bit afraid of bear. When we got to
the ravine tho bear WINS tearing sap
lings up by the roots and thrashing
around as though he were us big us On
elephant. but his right fore paw was
fast, and though he beloved and tore
no couldn't free himself. Then by the
light of the lanterns l watched my
chance and fired bullet into hiS head
Mt the butt of the ear, and the bear
lScelcd over and died He weighed four
hundred and thirty-three pounds, and
was the biggest bear I ever killed. 1
NM I, 10 oil -, t,,ko 4 -
twcnty-siX winters before it wore out.
"Somc people make fun of you when
you tell them that black bears often
tackle men, but have known them to
do so q number of times. One October
night James Rathbonc ca:no to my
house covered with blood, and said that
q bear had pitched on him in the middle
of the road between here and Pocono
summit. Rathbone was lunbcrman.
who lived near Canadensis. That after
noon he had finished contract for tho
iTobyhnnnn lumber company, and the
company had paid him eighty dollars in
five and ten-dollar gold pieces. Rath-
bono put the money in squirrclslxin
purse, and put the purse in his coat
pocket. lie hadn't been homo in two
months, and as soon as he got his pay
he started through the woods. The
night was muggy, and he carried the
coat on his left arm. This side of POGO
no summit . bear followed him, knocked
him down in the mud, tore the back of
his coat and shirt Off and scratched his
meek, face and arms SO severely that he
lost Il good deal of blood before he
reached my house. He also lost his coat
and his money. That is the story he
told me, and found out that it was tho
truth in every particular. l and my
son took the dog and two guns, and im-
mcdiatcly went to the place in dug
way where Rathbone said that he had
been attacked. We found his coat torn
into strips, and after Il good deal #
searching we dug his purse out of the
mud. Tho same amount WAS in it that
Eathbonc said he had, and before mid
night the dog led us to where the bear
was hidden under big hcmlocls log. 1t
was large female bear, and we had to
shoot four bullets into her before we
killed her. l gave her skin to Rath-
bone, and guess he has it yet"