Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-08-27
that didn't ke! from cornf1


but hat didn't keS from comm
back again. / have beadFto nearly every
place in this town, and nobody don't
seem to wan a bar, and the fact has
begun TO crawl into my mind that the
bar market down here Is pretty dull.
Down yander jest now the thought
struck me that arter all you mout want
a real bar. and as ! am willin' to help
you ont with yo' wants l viii let you
have this here one for 80"
Steve went out To the gate. He put
his elbows on a wheel Of the wagon,
and looking hard at the mountain man,
said:
II have been very kind to you"
81 haven't made that diskivery, but
II You have been kind 10 me I'm much
oblceged."
Il have been kind to you, and now I
want to tell you what I'm goin' TO do;
I'm goin' 20 maui you
And he did maui him. 10 snatched
the mountain man ont of the wagon
and wallowed him In the road. And
during the performance the bear sat in
the wagon and looked on with an indif-
ference complete in every detail. The
mountain man climbed back 20 sis seat
as soon as Steve granted him that
privilege, and gathering up his hickory,
slid: After all, | reckon you know
go own mind best-don't reckon you
really do want TO buy a bar. Good-by,
sahl"
Evening came and strangers who had
heard that a desperate man would
wrestle with a -ferociOus bear gathered
at the place of encounter.
snow, gentlemen" said Steve, "the
time has come for me To show you what
a white man can do. All my folks were
b'ar fighters and 50 far as heard from
mo- n of them was ever whipped.
Some hunters have just brought in a
monstrous bar from down in the bot.
toms, and all that want TO see me fight
him just pay IS cents and come ahead.
A number Of men paid their money
and followed him into the back lot
Those who were acquainted with the
indolent habits Of the bear said nothing
partly through fear of mourning tn,
enmity of old Steve, but mainly TO foster
a laugh at the expense of the gulliblt
"tenderfeet.n
Steve conducted the spectators to the
tree whore the bear was chained. The
brown of evening, making a mystery OF
the huge black mass Of animal life and
hiding the patches Of his coat, pro.
claimed him a savage monster.
Gentlemen, " said Steve, "befo' / &c
into this here fight want to tell yoT
that don't deserve no sympathy, for
have brought it on myself. Here goes.
He made a lunge at the bear. The
monster threw himself in an upright
position against the tree and caught
Steve in his arms. For a moment there
was silence and then a loud yell split
the stiffness Of the deepening twilight
The bear boxed Steve. he Rugged him
time and time again and then appeared
10 be biting him.
take him away: he's KILN me,
the gladiator cried. Two men seizeC
Steve's legs and drew him beyond tn,
bears reach, and the monster-and in
deed. ne was one now-stretched hi
chain in his efforts 20 renew the en-
gagemcnt. Steve was taken into tn
house. He was covered with blood ant
it was evident that a number of his rib
were broken.
"Have you anything 10 say?" som
one asked. at may be probable tina
you can't talk after awhile
"All I've got TO say is this" Stew
groaned, Il wish l hadn't got SO in
termate with that blamed bar"
Several men wen out with a lante-l
10 look at the victor. They found moth
ing but a chain under the tree, bu
down further, in n fence corner, the,
found a worn and flea bitten bea
asleep. Had they continued thei
search. however they might have found
down the road, a mountain man help
ing his bear into a wagon: and the,
might possibly have learned that tn,
mountain man. for purposes peculiarl.
his WI had liberated the lazy hruil
and had temporarily chained his owl
bear 10 the tree.