Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-10-21
Rode the Bear to Death

| Amos Masop, r. .ck ct Creek, Ps Wooos'
mep, hrs a shirgle tbsUiy mile back IL
the wo ds from his horss. Last Monday
Mason's boys gathered grsin bag full CT
ches'nuis on Peck's Hill, thFes miles from
ute;e their IA her wls making shingles
Mr. Mason had gone bome when Ihs boys
go. back to the shanty. Il was af.er night
iaIl, ard the lads were nearly tired cut, &c
they placed the bag 10 the shants and went
home, intending 10 take the NUS to the
house come time The next day.
at daybresk On Tuesday morning Mr.
Mason found the shanty door open. He
thought the boys had ca-elessly left 1t go
the eight before, and be stepped iuside the
the moment he reached 1t. In the further
corper of the sbsnty hear stood crunchiDg
cbeetunts with his tell toward the door. He
had ripped the bag open, and he was so
busy filing biz stomach with nuts that ne
dida't hear MIR. Mason's footsteps. The
ohestnuts 10y all over The floor In the cor
ner, sud The bear IVES cracking hem as fest
SO possible.
MIR. Mason ins autly became so angry
over the way tbe bear was destroying The
fruits OF his sons bard labor that the bougbt
Of danger never eutered bis head. He Inn
medietely determined not to let Tie bear
leave the shsuty alive, end be made uD his
| m Ind st once how be was going 10 Kill him
He bad drawing knife in bis hand ths. he
had saarpened the night before, and that
was The only weapon within reach. Il was
nearly as ehsrp ss r&Zor, and Without
| waiting another moment the pIucky woods
| man closed the door softly, fastened it, and
ran at the bear.
His steps startled The hungry brute, and
giving vent 10 enort OF fright ths foar
whirled and made for the door. Jost ss the
bes, turned Mr.. Mason eaped on his back,
ocked his toes under the BEARS Gely, grip
ped his knees against his ribs, and went to
slsehing the BEARS nose with The drawing
knife. at the fret stroke he cut of chunk
| OF the baer's snout, and the blood spurted
agsinat the door la stream. When the
bear saw that the door was closed be began
TO run around the little shanty, snorting
| blood, believing, and trying hard to shake
Mr.. Meson from his back.
Mr. Mason had grip on the beDr'a body
that the nfuriated brute couldn't loosen,
and be kept shaving slices from the bears
snout and forehead as they made the circuit
| OF the shanty. He soon cIt the BEARS care
eff, and the blood spurted in bic eyes end
nearly blinded him for moment.
Then the bear made lupge for the only
window In the ehsnty, four feet from the
| floor. he knocked the sash out at one clip
of bis paws, aDd while he vas struggling to
climb through, Mr.. Mason swung the draw
| ing hnife uadsr his throat, grabbed the 9TH
or end like fl ssh, and pulled and sawed
With both hands I'll! the blade cut clear
through the b-sr's wiudpipe and juguar
veins. The bear dropped as thougo nul'
let had pierced his heart, and Mr.. Mason
WEE on his feet In ao instant ct the bear g
SIDE TIE big chestnut thief sooD gave his
! last kick, and before noan Mr.. Mason and
his bogs dragged MIN out, hung him to q
| tree, end skinned him. He had eaten three
| quarters of the nu.s, and weighed 3l9
pounds.