The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-08-27
but that didn't keep me from comm

but that didn't keep me from comm
back again. l have been to nearly every
place in this town, and nobody don't
seem to want 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 NIL you mout want
real bar, and as am willin' to help
you out with yo' wants will let YOU
have this here one for SlO.n
Steve went out to the gate. He put
his elbows on wheel of the wagon,
and looking hard Mt the mountain man,
said:
II have been very kind to you.n
u haven't made that diskivery, but
! If you have been kind to me I'm much
.obleeged.
81 have been kind to you, and now
want to tell you what I'm goin to do;
I'm goin' to maui you.
And he did maui him. He snatched
the mountain man out 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. Tho
| mountain man climbed back to his seat
as soon as Steve granted him tha4
privilege. and gathering up his hickory,
| said After all, l reckon you know
yo own mind best-don't reckon you
really do want to buy bar. Good-by,
sah!"
Evening came and strangers who had
heard that desperate man would
wrestle with n ferocious bear gathered
at the place of encounter.
| "Now, ge1.lemen," said Steve, "the
| time has come for me to show you what
u white man can do. All my folks were
! BAR fighters and so far as heard from
not one of them was ever whipped
Some hunters have just brought in O
monstrous bar from down in the bot
toms, and all that want to see me fight
him just pay 25 cents and come ahead.
number of men paid their money
| and followed him into the back lot
Those who We're acquainted with the
indolent habits of the bear said nothing
partly through fear of incurring the
| cnmity of old Steve, but mainly to foster
a laugh at the expense Of the gullible
"tenderfeet."
| Steve conducted the spectators to the
tree where the bear was chained. The
brown Of evening, making mystery o1
the huge black mass of animal life and
hiding the patches of his coat, pro
claimed him savage monster.
"Gentlemen, said Steve, "befo' l &c
into this here fight want to tell you
| that don't deserve no sympathy, for
have brought 1t on myself Here goes. ;
He made lunge at the bear. The
monster threw himself in an upright
position against the tree and caught
Steve in his arms. For moment there
was silence and then loud yell split
the stiffness of the deepening twilight
The bear boxed Steve, he hugged him
| time and time again and then appeared
to be biting him.
"Take him away; he's KILN me,
the gladiator cried. Two men seized
! Steve's legs and drew him beyond the
bears reach, and the monster-and in.
| deed, he was one now-stretched his
| chain in his efforts to renew the en-.
| gagcment. Steve was taken into the
house. He was covered with blood and
| 1t was evident that number of his rib
I were broken.
"Have you anything to say?n some
one asked. "1t may be probable that
| you can't talk after awhile"
"All I've got to say is this" Steve
| groaned, u wish hadn't got so in,
terlnate with that blamed bar"
| Several men went out with lantern
| to look at the victor. They found moth
ing but u chain under the tree, but
! down further, in a fence corner, they
| found u worn and flea bitten beal
asleep. Had they continued thei,
search, however, they might have found
| down the road. q mountain man help
ing his bear into wagon; and they
might possibly have learned that the
mountain man. for purposes peculiarly
his own, had liberated the lazy bruir
and had temporarily chained his OWE
| bear to the tree.