The morning call., 1891-09-08
PICKED BERRIES WITH A BEAR.
Ezra Hotchkin Had TusseI, Also, Which
He VIII Remember Long.

Ezra Hotchkin Had a TusseI, Also, Which
He VIII Remember Long.
Ezra Hotchkin Of the LoyalsOck Creek
region and a large bear picked black
berries for ten minutes within eight feet
of one another In Ups chopping one day
this month. Hotchkin and the bear were
on opposite sides of big log over which the
bushes grew rank and tall, and neither
was aware of the others presence. The
berries hung in great clusters, and while
Hotchkin was rapidly filling his pail the
bear pulled the ripe fruit off by the clawful
and put them in his mouth. The bear found
out that HOtchkin was behind the tall bushes
just over the log ten or twelve seconds be-
fore Hotchkin made the discovery that there
was four footed berrypicker in the field.
Arnold Mallory accompanied HOtchkIn to
the chOpping, and he saw the bear picking
berries directly opposite Hotchkin. at least
ten minutes before HOtchkin became aware
of the bears presence. Mallory was on line
with the log, where he could see
on both sides of it, when lie got
bear was sitting on his launches and poking
berries into his mouth with both paws.
and Mallory said he became so deeply inter
esIed in his movements that he squatted
down in the bushes and stayed there,
watching the bear from his hiding-place He
for fear that the berry-picker would take
fright and ran away before he had seen him
all he cared to. The bear changed positions
a number of times, and moved along the
row of bushes just aboutas fast as Hotcnkin
did, picking them clean as he went.
Suddenly the bear arose on his hind
feet as high as he could, threw his nose
skyward, looked around two or three times,
and then gave sniff. The next in
slant he made lunge through the
square on Hotehkin. knocking him down.
That was the first inkling H0tchkin
had of the bear presence. He yelled ut the
top of his lungs and fought the bear off with
his boots as he lay struggling in the under
brush. but. instead of being scared. the bear
sprang at him again, struck him Ill the
waist, and tore his trousers.
By this time Mallory was on the spot with
a club, with which he beat the bear over
the head and nose till the savage brute was
forced to back away for several feet.
Hotchkin got club, too, as soon as he had
the bear over the paws, trying with
all his might to break them. The bear
took his punishment without n growl, re-
newed the attack with more energy than be-
fore and drove the men over the log. He
tried 10 follow them, and they turned and
beat him back. Failing to reach them, the
bear became furious. He thrashed and
roared every time they dubbed him, but
he wouldn't turn tail, and after awhile he
leaped over.
Both men jumped to the other side of the
log before the bear had got q chance
10 clnch them, and while Hotchkin
kept the bear at bay Mallory ripped Hotch-
kin's tin pail 10 pieces, got sharp piece
of tin and went at the bear with it. In less
than minute ne cut the bears tongue till
the blood spurted in a stream, and
then he slit one corner of his mouth With
the sharp edge OF the tin. Even then the
bear was full of fight. He rushed over the
log. beloved, and threw blood all over
them, and the men ran to where Mallory
had left his pail. The game old brute
chased them until the loss Of blocd made
him fall in his tracks, and in a faw min
utes more he bled to death.-Serantou cor
respondence n. Y. Sun.