The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-08-10
A DRUNKEN BEAR.
Bruin Acquired an Appetite FOR the
Flowing Bowl
A Grizzly That Got Taste OF Triple end
Liked It Delirium Trcmons Put
IN End to His Dissipated
Career.

Way back in the bOs was tempora-
rily handling the lines for the Sacrar
mento Overland State Company, and 1t
was over lots OF land, / tell you, for my
route ran through the roughest section
of the Sierra Nevadas. One night about
sunset was swinging along the rocky
trail at a pretty good pace, as wanted
TO reach Rabbit creek before dark,
where we changed horses and got sup
per, says the Kansas City Star.
I had three passengers, all men, and
for freight carried a barrel OF gin
strapped on behind the stage. There
was gin for "Red Nike" who ran free
and easy at the mining camp at Rabbit
Creek. Suddenly my attention was
called by one Of the passengers to
novel race which was going on down
the side of the mountain between a
miner and grizzly bear, with the man
about one hundred feet ahead running
like deer. But the bear was gaining
rapidly and It seemed that he had him
sure, when suddenly the miner turned
and darted off in another direction.
The grizzly was slow in stopping, but
when he did get Strengthened the way
he annihilated distance was caution
TO catamounts.
Several times the miner played this
trick, and on each occasion gained con-
siderable ground in one direction, but 1t
could be seen he was rapidly firing, and
unless something happened the bear
was dead sure to get him. We were
wondering what we could do to help
the poor fellow when suddenly the
leaders smelled the grizzly. They
snorted and pranced and started off on
dead run. Iput on the brake, and 1t
was all l could do to stop them and
wouldn't have succeeded only the trail
was up grade.
Well, when the horses made their
Jump the barrel of gin broke loose
from it's fastenings and went tearing
down the mountain side toward the
man and bear, who were coming along
on dead run. The man saw the bar
rel coming and avoided 1t but not SO the
grizzly. He stood up on his hind legs
and, reaching out his fore paws, grabbed
it. The way that barrel rolled him
down the mountain would make
e coyote laugh.
q The impromptu journey was brought
TO a sudden ending by an immense
bowlder, against which the bear and
barrel rolled. The shock separated
them, and, strange to say, the barrel
stood right side up with the head
r broken in and only a small portion OF
n the contents was spilled. To say the
y bear was surprised would be putting II
!, light.
y He thought he had his quarry anc
u when he discovered it was only bar
IT rel his face took on an expression OF in
s. tense disgust. However, as is natura
,e for a bear, he began to lick his shagg.
"a coat, which had been sprinkled wit
= some of the gin The taste was az
!, - parently agreeable, as he kept on at
10 sorbing the liquor with his rougl
al tongue until the flavor disappeared
al Then he went over and smelled OF tn
In barrel The inspection was undoubtet
nv ly highly satisfactory, as he inserted HI
ie snout and took a sup, then he took
w good long draught, and in less than hal
" y, an hour that bear was as drunk us
lord
u; We watched the proceedings with u
10; terest, and after we were satisfied u
he bear had Jag on, we went down, ae
sy. him up with ropes, dragged him up Il
HE hill and threw him inside the stage
-, We drove on TO Rabbit Creek and so
=. -, the drunken grizzly TO "Red Nike 4
Ill 500, and he chained him up In the 90
In ner Of his saloon and kept him as . cu'
ro- osity to draw trade.
res Well, he did draw trade. "Mik
gave him quart Of whisky day, Al
after awhile he became so docile tn
his chain was removed. After that 4
,ar. may years he would sleep around t
dor barroom and when one OF the bo
-, would come and ask the house 10 dril
iiu' the grizzly would walk up to the bI
stand on his hind legs, and walt TO
leir served with tincupful Of whisky.
Tor. was source OF great income, but, U
axe fortunately, being attacked with
the lirium tremens one day, he killed I
bartender and miner with one BIZ
OF his powerful paw, and It requiI
III twenty Winchesters and about one hi
oy dred pounds of lead TO cure him OF
by uncomfortable passion for intoxican