The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-12-17


bear tearing round the corner of a rock
| and coming at me with open mouth
and flaming eyes.
Now, there are grizzlies and grizzlies
Even this fearlessly savage beast unless
cornered or wounded, will generally
try to get out of a mans way, but an
| old She, robbed of her young, is one of
she most terrible animals in existence,
| and would charge regiment of sol
diers without moments hesitation.
The cnraged monster was not over
twenty yards from me, and, dropping
the cub, | turned and ran for dear life.
Glancing around in hope of finding
some place of refuge, ] could see none
close at hand not equally accessible to
the bear; but about sixty yards ahead
stood tall hemlocll sapling, and to-
ward this | dartcd at my best speed
In those days l was very swift of
foot, and with fair chance might have
made short dash like that quickly
enough to escape. But l was badly
handicapped by heavy, spiked boots
and a roci-encum bered course, while
my pursuer, thin from long nursing,
was in prime racing condition; and be-
fore had gone half way, found that
she was fast gaining on me.
The four-footed brute cared nothing
for the loose stones; but, should I STUN
bic, all would be over in a moment.
Hence | was obliged to pick my steps,
though my revengeful enemy came
each instant nearer and nearer until
less than fifteen feet interviewed be-
tween us. was apparently doomed;
for although the tree was now within
twenty-five yards, unless | could reach
it at least three seconds ahead of the
bear, she would pull me down in the
act of mounting.
The hoarse, grunting roar of the
eager brute had changed to a blood
curdling gSowl, and l fancied that |
could almost feel her hot breath on my
back, when a sudden remem brance of
some Old-time story struck me. Quick
as a Lightning flash l drew my belt
knife and with one stroke severed the
light strap OF the oil-skin satchel con-
tanning the remains of my lunch.
The bag fell to the ground, and, sure
enough, the bear stopped short and
tore it into shreds.
Then, totally ignoring the bread and
meat, she came on again with re-
doubled rage. But the precious three
seconds had been lost and gained, and
she was yet four lengths behind Inc
when | reached the tree and scrambled
up to the first branch, about twenty
feet from the grouud-thoug barely in
time to save myself, for the long bodied
beast reared straight beside the trunk
and came wi thin hairs breadth of
catching my foot as l assembled.
Most fortunately for me, adult
grizzlies do not climb, nor could even
"a common black bear have gone
up that sapling, the stem of which was
only nine inches in diameter. Though
safe for the present, l was by no means
in comfortable position, none of the
branches being large enough to sus-
tain my whole weight Consequently,
in order to support myself, l was
obliged to cling with one arm to its
body and very firmly, too, as the
IJbat1led monster rose several times on
her hind feet, shook the tree violently
and tore off great strips of bark with
! her powerful claws.
What if she should take a notion to
| dig it up by the roots? She could have
done so in fifteen minutes. Oh, how bit
terly / now regretted not taking Jim's
advice to bring my revolver alopg!
After awhile my jailer got tired of
trying to dislodge me, but instead of
going off she uttered a loud, peculiar
cry and the next moment the two cubs
came shutfling along and joined her
Then, while her babies refreshed
themselves, the grim mother sat com
posedly down at the foot of the tree
evidently preparing for regular block
ade.
If should live a thousand years 1
could never forget that awful night.
After dark the temperature fell to
the freezing point, and ] kept from
perishing only by repeatedly climbing
higher up the tree and then sliding
down TO my old position.
Even Sc could hardly keep my blood
circulating, and ! was so worn out by
fatigue and so deadly sleepy that l
was in momentary danger of dropping
into the hungry jaws below.
had hoped that the cold would in
duce the bear to retire TO the cave with
her cubs, in which case ! might take a
short run and gain a larger tree, but
the cunning beast seemed quite con-
tented with her present quarters, and
long after had ceased to distinguish
her brownish-gray form Oh the simi-
larly colored ground | could hear her
moving about and coddling her young
ones
At this time, the moon was two or
three days beyond the full, and it must
have been past midnight when il rose