Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-12-16
|. -: IN n A BEARS CAVE,
A Hunting Adventure in the Wilds
"a ..ms of Hungary. ~.

~ ~ ta T---s d tzs&
The Russian maneuvcrs were over
and the army was thankful, for the sea-
son had been one of the worst the old
est of us could remember The caval'
=. ry had had the hardest time. Sta.
tioneaias outpoSts we had bivouacSed
in mud and water inches deep, rain and
shailstorms laal l-soalSed and stitfened us
4 for days at time, some of our best
Horses had gone lame, and the cook
ing had been atrociQus. | don't know
when we had all been SO glad to get
back to our depots and TO the comforts
of home. -. 81
But when reached my rooms one of
the first letters | picked up was from
my old hunting companion, Count EHz,
and dcontained aninSitationt to join him
for a two weeks hunt in his >avorite
haunt, the Carpathian mountains.
Como down as soon as you get this"
the letter ran. 81 have seen the tracks
of one of the biggest bears that ever
walked and shall wait for you to Join
me in giving it the coup de grace. )
Deer and boars were nevermore plenti-
full nor in better condit on. Come down
and be thawed out by our glorious Hun
garian SUM-"
| could not resist; balls and theaters
could 80, and astonishcd my servant,
honest old August, who was polishing
up my parade clothes, by telling him
to drop everything and pack my hunt.
ing traps "A visit to The colonel was
next in order and without much trouble
got three weeks leave.
left town in n rainstorm, but when
we steamed into Vienna next morning
the Sky was clear and the air ,balmy
and exhilarating, Thirtyfour hours
later, by means of rail, boat and stage
was eating supper with my genial
friend Eltz, under the shadows of the
Carpathians.
v Favored by the fine fall weather, we
@had splendid sport, bringing seven deer
and three wild boars and quantities of
smaller game during the first week.
Sunday we rested and Eltz proposed
we should start out next day for the
bears lair
ut will take two days to reach it's
retreat" he said, "but we need make
no preparations, as we can spend the
y night at my forester's."
During our tramp next day we saw
many Of the forest inhabitants, start
ling here and there deer OF lynx, ana
once nearly stumbling over wild sow
with litter of little brstlers The
little fellows tore headlong through
the underground, but the SOW showed
fight, and not wishing to kill her we
had to retreat. In the afternoon we
spied q fine young vixen, sitting be-
fore hollow oak stump and watching
with evident pride the gatnbols of four
young cubs, They were playing with
young leveret their mother had
brought home alive. We had hardly
time to admire the antics OF the grace
full little creatures when the mother
gave short, sharp bark, snapped ",
the leveret and in wink the whole
family was safe underground.
We reached the forester's house, or
rather, hut, before sunset. Two
great boarhounds sprang up at our APP
proach and came barking and bound
ing toward us. They were old friends
: of Eltz's and nearly threw him down
by their clumsy welcome. Their
master was not ut home, but we made
ourselves comfortable, lighting fire
and filing our pipes with some good
natural leaf that hung over the mantel.
Erhardt came in before dark. He had
y, some news for us, for he had seen
the big bear we were after that
very morning. He had crcpt up
to within few yards of it
as it was feasting in whortlcberrv
patch about three miles north Of us.
lie declared it was stranger to those
parts, having probably been driven
away from the lower plains Erhardt
never voluntarily took part in any
hunting expedition, and Eltz, respect
ing his feelings, never asked him to.
He had an observing mind aud his
stories of animal traits were extremely
interesting
On u heap of deer and bear skins
Eta and slept like tops Early next
morning Erhardt awakened me 10 give
me word of caution. There never
was better huntsman than the Herr
Graf" hc said, but his success has
made hum foolhardy. Don't hesitate to
use your rifle if he gets INTO close quar-.
ters with that big bear. l hal rather
sec my right hand cut off than hair oi
his head injured" promised to see to
it that his master should not run toe
great risks il l coald prevent it, aud
e the honest fellow gave me his hand
by the tune we were dressed lie had q
good break iast ready, and half an houl
later we w, re beading for the whogtle
berry patch.