The morning news., 1892-03-17
A MULE WORTH OWNING.
his Muleship Killed His Grizzly Bear
ship and Resumed Grazing.

snip dOQ f6eSuu6Q drdHl0R.
From the Louisville Courier-Journdl.
bought large iron-gray pack mule to
carry my goods across the Sierra Nevadas.
christened him pete. The day after we
started we-Pete and I-came TO nice
grassy place. tethered Pete to tree, al-
10 wing him about twenty feet range, and
taking some ham hnd crackers out of nv
haversack, sat down on fallen tree to eat
them. While l munched the ham and
crackels Pete cropped the fresh grass, which
grew long and green. Suddenly he reared
up and snorted in a manner that very
plainly said, Look oukw
\ | sprang to my feet, and it was quite well
u did sd, for 1t saved me from the embrace
OF very large, very hungry and very fero-
cious grizzly bear, who was standing erect
and preparing to throw his arms around
me. rushed for the nearest tree and was
up it in the twinkling of an eye.
was safe for the time being, but, alas,
poor Pete! The bear went about things In
| very cool and complacent manner. |
could see by ths EXPIRE 3sion of his eyes that
he was taking Pete's measure, for he
| cooked his head over on Que side and as
sumed an appearance OF great wisdom, as
| you have seen critics look at O picture.
Pete's behavior, much as l had already
learned of that remarkable animal, sur
prised me. When / was safe his alarm dis
| appeared altogether. He dropped his head
| and began TO nibble the grass again. He
| went on with his grazing Just as if there
were no such thing as grizzly bear in the
world. He would MP off the succuent
green stems and chew with great steadlness
and regularity, and occasionally l c)uld
hear his contented snort as he struck an
unusually delicate bunch of grass.
The bear was as much astonished as was
Evidently he considered such conduct with
out parallel, for be looked harder than
ever at Pete, then scratched his bead and
tried to think out an answer to the prob
lem. But Pete calmly went on with his
grazing and looked neither to the right nor
to the left. while sat in my tree and held
my breath.
By and by the bear arose, made a grand
circuit around the tree in order to watch
Pete from every angle and point. Getting
no satisfaction out of that mode of proceed
ure he came over to my tree and looked up
at me for an answer. But l had none to
give him. Between ths bear and me we
began to think that Pete had lost his mind.
Perhaps fright at the appearance Of the
bear had so bereft him OF reason that be
continued to eat grass through the mere
force Of habit.
Soon the grizzly's appetite overcame mis-
curiosity, and he prepared for work. He
seemed to make critical examination
OF his destroying apparatus. He stretched
his front paws and slapped the muscles OF
each with the other. Evidently he was
satisfied that he was in good trim. for he
showed his great teeth with joy. He ap-
peared satisfied that he was fit to demolish
whole drove of mules.
These things done, the bear gave the sig
nal for action. He opened his mouth and
emitted a series of growls which made nv
flesh creep and my hair rise under my hat.
Pete went on grazing. His countenance
expressed no proof that he had heard the
growing of the grizzly. The latter dropped
on all fours, with his hungry mouth open
and his great teeth disclosed. Still Pete
made no sign that he either saw or heard
but confined his attention strictly to toe
business OF finding dinner. The bear also
having the latter in view, rapidly ap-
preached until he was in striking distance,
and then, rearing up, prepared to disem-
bowel Pete. and break his neck with one
blow. ...'-
Down came the outstretched paws. and at
that moment Pete seemed to become aware
for the first time of the presence OF the
grizzly. He sprang forward, the paws
struck only the air, and then / saw a gray
form double itself in q ball and bound up
ward. Out Of that ball flew two legs. which
shot back and forth with the rapidity and
force OF piston rods, going thump. thump
upOu Une booy OF Ine grizzly. Up and
down went the body and back and forth
went the two pile drivers. The bear was
struck all over, on his head on his shoulder,
on his side, on his paws. He fell in one
direction and then in another. He was
kicked into the air and pounded into the
elrth. The breath was driven out of him,
and life followed, and at length he lay upon
the ground shapeless mass. every bone In
his body broken, while Pete had quietly re-
turned to his interrupted grazing without
a hair injured.