Feliciana sentinel., 1892-06-25

men who attracted considerable atten-
ton from the habitues OF these places,
though apparently inclined TO avold IL.
They were two rather handsome pnt
weathcr-beaten men who had JUST re-
turned from Alaska, where they hao
been employed ny a syndicate OF caP'-
taltsts on "a prospecting tour OF some
sort. The larger one, who was conslo-
erably over six feet. and wouid welRn
two hundred and fifty pounds was OF
retiring, almost sullen disposltioh'
but wild and reckless when drinking
while the smaller one was more in
clined to be communicative III his cups.
They were both college graduates. ap-
parentiy, but seemed 10 nc oia'N
sheep"
One night a crowd of young fellows
had been drinking some, and the two
men mentioned having been pres
ent were invited to join them Inc
smaller one, known as Johnny, did,
but the one called Thomson declined
and walked out. In the course OF the
evening n good many stories were toid'
and when one of the boys wound up on
a small bear story it got Johnny started.
"Peorle as a rule know very little OF
the real characteristics OF the bear
said he Some are almost harmless
while some are simply terrible. nave
hunted the brown bear in Europe and
the black bear in this country, but
never saw one of either killed In my
life that wasn't a CO ward.
..Thc grizzly certainly isn't cow
ard" remarked one of the boys present.
NO" was the response, "but whlle
the grizzly is terrible BRUTE IL Will
not hunt up human being for the
mere pleasure of fighting and killing
him The most terrible animal OF
the tribe and the only one / regard as
the renuinc urs,ls ferox. is the long
necked polar bear of the north. Nearly
all other bears are primarily vegetari-
ans, although omuivorous. They love
vegetables when they can get them
But a polar bear loves only meat, an'
meat he will have. To see the giutton
GUS creatures hunting and eating hsh
from the freshest to the most offensive
and decaved carrion is enough to Civ
an idea of what they are.
..Oue singing cold day last winter a
our furthest northern point, we wer
waiting to be taken back to camp
some hundred miles or more south Q
u.s. The Esauimaux we had engage
had not arrived, SO while we were wall
inc for them with their dogs an
SledQeS,
improyised snow hut. Thomson had bee
Growing more impatient Every minut.
and had been drinking more brand
than thought desirable. And I bega
tofear he would punish the Esquimau
and cause some trouble when they "a
rived. Presently, just outside OF o,
hut. there came an immense white be;
posing around. AS long as we chose
stay in the hut we were perfectly SAT
bnt Thomson's anger now turned itse
loose upon the bear AS often as v
went out there stood the repulsi'
creature. and, after each tour OF inspe
tiou, Thomson would take anoth
drink and curse the bear. AT last
swore he was not going to stand 1t al
longer. but would go out there al
wiring its neck. With TINS ne grasp
his ,ong-bladed bowie knife and walk
o,,t. called to him and begged him
stop. but I might as well nave be-
talking to the wind.
II hurriedly put on my wraps, and
Tho time 7 got out, he was down clio
m the bear. You know what ma
nifcent s,,ecimen of physical manho
he is. Well, You ought to have Sc
him then. Every muscle was like
bar of steel, and stimulated by t
brandy he had been drinking, he w
~ the summit of physical manhoc
Seeinp me approaching with my II
he warned me to keep hands OFF,
,h;s was to be a duel and no unfair
yantare should be taken. l knew h
700 we'll to cross him, and besides
might hit him if l shot, so 1 SIM
waited and watched the duel.
Thomson tried in every way TO
.r,,,na behind the bear, but the b'
would turn and face him, no mat
how quick he was. lie saw this wG
lire hin, out, 60 be changed his Pi