Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-01-31
BOTH GOOD RUNNERS.
Bat the Bear Could Heat the Boy Covering
Straight Course.

L
Straight Course.
General Plaisted, Ex-Governor OF
Maine, tells how he once caught bear
1t was of course good many years ago.
for the General was ut that time only
fifteen years old, and his father was
clearing farm on the hillside Of New
Hampshire.
"You may be sure" said the General,
shat that part Of New Hampshire has
changed good deal since those days
At that time our farm consisted OF
goodly stretch Of land, q lot Of stumps
where we had been making clearings,
q log house which we built ourselves,
and q small smoke-house. This was
about oil there was to the farm, with
the exception OF few sheep which we
had. There were not more than half q
dozen families in the ne ghborhood.
~ was called down from the hill one
day by great shouting and noises OF
confusion. / arrived just in time to see
q monstrous bear pulling himself to-
ward the woods and dragging along the
quarter OF sheep He Lad gone to the
smoke-house, where the quarter hung,
had smashed tho house and seized the
sheep. The cries frightened him away.
~ was young them" continued the
General, with smile, land more en-
th'dsiastic over bears than should be
now. Fbsides, and my younger BROTH
ers were possessed Of good. old-fash'
toned mountain boys appetites, and,
to tell you the truth, mutton was some
thing OF luxury. 1t made me mad to
see that bear taking of our sheep, and,
seiz ng pitchfork, started after him.
1.-The bear had good start on me.
and / did not overtake him until he had
reached the last stump Of the clearing
on that hill. AS came painting up to
him, brandishing my pitchfork, the big
fellow turned and snarled at me-
1.-THE value Of that quarter Of sheep |
diminished suddenly, you may be sure
1t did not seem worth saving, after all
did not like that bear, but soon dis
covered that he did not like me. In
fact he stood upon no ceremony. but
started for me Us If he would like to
give me hug OF welcome. BY one OF |
those strange revolutions Of circum-
stances 1t was l who was now being
chased. That bear was better runner
than !, and gave up a stra ght course.
took to the stumps Thore weren't
half enough stumps to suit me. We
went around them. over them, lodged
them and played tag around them.
never saw any thing like the agility of
that bear.
while the bear and were rivaling
the wind as travellers, horns were blow. |
ing at the house and every one was
shouting. Soon the settlers in the |
neighborhood began to appear, armed
with axes, pitchforks, shovels, clubs
any thing that could serve as weapon
They came running up the slope shout
ing and yelling at the bear to brighten
him away while the horns sounded dis
mally below. But the bear was too
busy to pay any attention to them. he
seemed to be getting really interested
in the chase, and was growing and
snarling furiously.
Il watched my chance and then made
o dash for the rescuing party, Mr.. Bear
close upon my heels. Occas onally cir
cled a stump. the bear following suit
and then there was din in my ears
Pitchforks and axes went into the bear
from all sides He made good fight
but numbers conquered him.
II had an unusually good appetite for
supper that night and those bear steaks
were delicious don't think ever en-
joyed meal more. The steaks were so
juicy and tender. you know. And then
as ate l couldn't help congratulating
myself that it was who was doing the
eating. 1t came very near being differ