The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-02-15
EFFECT OF A FRIGHT.
PoMPADoUR THAT CAME FROM BE-
ING CHASED BY A BEAR.


Traveller Among the Mountains of Mar
iposa, Cal. A Terrible Race Down II
Mountain side--A Rash shot.
George f. Leidig. the proprietor of
Grants Springs hotel. Mariposa county
who arrived here day or two ago says
that game of all kinds is very plentiful
in his vicinity and few miles away in
the high mountains.
II have known of some curious things
in reference TO the varied wild game of
Mariposa," he said, but never knew
of a stranger thing than happened to my
son George and Stage Driver Joe Ridge
way of the Yosemite line some time
since. George, you know. is engineer on
the Central Pacific railroad, on the divis-
ion between Wells and Carln.
well. he and Ridgeway thought they
would 20 up above Glacier point and
have look around. You know that to
get to Glacier point you must climb
about $500 feet and do it all in but little
more than couple of miles. It's hard
task. and when you get up there you
look sheer down, rs il were. from bal
loon upon the world. Before you are
spread the waterfalls of the Merced river.
the snow capped cones of the Sierras
and everything to make up garden of
wonders. Probably in tho world there
does not exist n grander sight.
ut is within the confines of the cele-
brated Mariposa grant. to which the
dauntless explorer, Colonel John q. FIRE.
mont, once had a title. but which he
finally lost after much litigation. This
was for many years known as the home
of largo numbers of grizzlies, the most
formidable to be found anywhere. Since
there were so many Of them, not all the
hunters that have gone into that region
have succeeded in wiping them out.
"When George and Joe had finally
succeeded in getting to the top and they
had gazed upon the panorama before
them. they started to the south on
shoulder of the mountain. They had
not proceeded far when there were in
dications of bears. Their great tracks
were visible in some places along the
trail, and they kept sharp eye out for
them. They thought without noticing
much that they were tho tracks of black
bears. There were some birds, and al
together tho boys were enjoying them
selves.
Just as they began to descend wind
ing knoll on the ridge they heard II
thrashing in the bushes as Of some one
whaling them with a long club. The
two had become separated. Ridgeway
was where he could get the best view,
and he suddenly caught sight of a big,
grayish black object lying on log. He
knew at once that 1t was grizzly. and
he let fly at him.
whether he hit him or not was never
found out, but Immediately there was
more thrashing and shrek from the
bear that made the tall pines ring Then
there began q journey of that bear to-
ward George. 1t was rapid, for a griz'
ely can run like n wild buffalo. nm.
wieldly rs he looks. Ridgeway could sec
that no had shifted George or caught q
glimpse of him through the bushes, and
he yelled to him to look out, as the griz
ely was after him. Then he took to hii
heels himself. George had scarcely got
the warning when the bear was almost
upon him. He turned and flew down
the mountain.
1T was terrible race. Now it would
look as though George would evade the
bear, and then it would appear that there
was no escaping his paws. George zig
gagged over stumps, fallen trees and
through bushes, the bear still after him
and finally fell down rocky declivity
where for time he lay half dead The
great brute had finally given up the
chase. luckily for the young man he was
after. and at length Ridgeway got tC
George and helped him to stand up.
Now. here a strange discovery was
made. to which | call your attention
You have heard Of peoples hair turning
white in night, us though man hat
lived lifetime in few hours.
when George got down to my place
his hair. which since his birth had beer
fiat on his head, stood up like stubble
as though it was waxed and combed up
More than that-it staid so for two week.
before he could get it down to where il
was formerly.
"The terrible race he had with the beal
had caused it. We all took notice of il
and talked about it during the whole
two weeks. | suppose this may seen
impossible to some. and they may moi
believe it, but tits entirely true. Nothing
any of US could do during the fortnight
would make the hair stay down.
George is as brave as anybody, bu,
he couldn't help knowing the awful dan
ger he was in, and when his hair rose
up the consciousness of the danger was
30 great and remained so long with him
that it took this length of time for it tc
get down again. Since then he is hav
ing no use for bears, especially grizzlies
and those familiar with the dangerous
race he had do not at all wonder at it.
San Francisco Examiner.