Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-02-09
8AGGlNG A BEAR.
A PiueRy woman's Capture OF wounded
Grizzly,

nrst man met whom | knew was nv
old friend Capt Ned Richmond, dressed
in fringed bucksbn from top TO toe.
Ned had been hunting large game for
a living for the last twenty years. and
no one knows the haunts OF bear,
mountain lion, elk, moose and deer
better than he.
After our first greeting was over Ned
remarked; ~ am glad you came In at
this particular time, as have largo
bear located about eighteen miles north
OF here, and | have set two traps for
him at springs where there are fresh
signs OF his watering, think the
chances are good for finding him IN
one of the traps in the morning, aud Il
you will 60 out with me early and take
your camera with you | think can
safely promise you real. live bear TO
photograph"
Now, of all the things have most de.
sired ono was the opportunity TO photo
graph live bear in its native element
and ] eagerly accepted Ned's invitation
to accompany him to his camp In the
morning. Agreeable to his promise,
the giant rode up to the hotel ut an
early hour, leading an extra pony for
me to ride. was soon In the saddle
with my camera and Winchester safely
strapped ON. We were joined by Ncd's
wife, who has accompanied him on
many a bear hunt aud Is an uncrring
rifle shot, rs will be- proven further on.
We arrived at Mods camp about
noon, and after light lunch mounted
nj
side through thicltets OF oak bush to
where the traps were set The first we
visited had not been molcstcd and we
changed our course to visit the other.
We had gone but o short distance when
"Old Spos," the hound, gave tongue,
followed closely by the sharp, quick
yelps ~ his side partner Club" the
shepherdcdog.
Ned turned TO his wife and said:
Nell, you had better stay here for nm
hour, and II we don't come back In
that time you had best ride to camp"
Turning to me said: "Thosc dogs have
jumped bear and we must follow
them quick, come on" at the same
time turning his horse aud riding like
mad through tho qualting aspen tim
bcr and up the steep, mountain side
! followed closely until Ned came to n
halt aud dismountcd, saying: I'VE will
have TO leave the horses and follow en-
loot; the ponies can't climb this noun.
tain as fast ms We can
with rifle in hand we followed tho
dogs. which had turned TO the right
aud taken up a draw" leading to the
| top Of the mountain, which In places
appeared In be almost perpendicular.
/ To the right Of the draw waa oliir ~
rocks, beneath which was crock
slidc,' caused by the brcabl~- 81, -,
the cllfl, which had -, -. "' u w.
mD''''''A - with such force that II
-.ept everything with IL to the bot.
tom, leaving broad path devoid Of tree
or bush its entire length.
Ned soon left me far in the rear, M
he was used to climbing the mountains,
aud his light, muscular body Ind ne
superiluous flesh, while my two hum
dred pounds of nvordupnis taxed my
unhardcncd muscles too severely /,
in advance, when saw him
suddenly stop, raise his rin,
to his shoulder, and fire CHANGING
quickly In the direction his gun wal
pointed saw far up ON the top Of tn,
cliff above the rock slide II large bear
running toward the heavy pine timber
beyond. As soon rs the report Of Ncd''
rife rang out the bear frll and rolled
Oft the clilf aud came tumbling down
the steep rock slide 10 the bottom
where he was hidden from view, hav
ing fallen some distance below and I,
our right.
Ned rushed down Ia where ! was
crying as he came: "Ihe bear Is mo-
killed, IL is only wounded; aud, my
God. he is going straight 10 where Nell
Is waiting for us. We must get NOR,
lead into him before he gets there"
lie dashed down the mountain sid,
at furious rate, / following as rapidly
rs possible, but not being 80 well use,
TO that kind Of exercise IL was impossi
bic for me to keep pace with the MIN
BILE, muscular hunter, who was pu ting
forth every effort in his power to over
take the wounded bear, or head him of
before he should reach the Little Vega
Mntft Ntll WIS WulllnHs nntbnheloui
Of the danger 80 fearfully near
A wounded bear IL vicious brut,
and has been known 10 kill the unfor
tunatc hunter after receiving a deatl
wound Stories OF wounded bears kill
ing the hunter came wildly TO my InlnC
and | redoubled my excrtions To follow
Ned and render such assistance as
might be able 10 do, when there
came the sharp report Of a rifle directly
ahead Of us We knew IL was Ncll'
rife, and the blood seemed 30 stoI
coursing through my veins rs we rushe,
through the qual'ing aspen thiclSct int
the Little Vega. Fully expecting q
see "a CHASTITY sight, which my over
wrought Imagination had pictured,
came mp a.trembing, but instead there
stood Nell leaning upon the muzzle o
her rifle aud beside her lay the dca,
body Of the bear, pierced through In,
brain by her bullet Nell 'cXplainc,
that as soon u she heard Ncd's rid
She saw the bear tumble down th,
rock, side directly toward whcr,
she was standing, and thinking
perhaps he was not killed sh
made ready TO give him warm rcccp
ton. A. soon as the bear reached III,
bottom hc gathered himself up in be
wildcred sort Of way not more THAI
twenty PAGES from where she stood anG
Ia plain view. The pluclSy woman
raised her rife, taking a quick but nc
curatc aim at his head, and pulled ia,
trigger, sending the leadcn messenger
crashing through the brain, ana caus
ing instant death. while skinning th'
brnr we found Tint Ned's bmllct hal