The Bessemer indicator., 1893-09-23
BATTLES WITH BRUIN.
THE HERO OF NUMEROUS
FIERCE ENCOUNTERS.
Incident In the Lif, oi a Man who Mas
Huntrr-Ernin brought to Bay-A
Very Exciting DInce-TIercc Hand-to-
Paw ConGict.


Alfred Page, New England's most
famous hear hunter. died at Went
Worth, n. IL. recently, aged 60 years,
and although the hero Of many IL
hard fought scrimmage, he left this
world from natural causes, his death
resulting from cold and n stroke OF
paralysis This great Nilnrod was
born in Dublin. n H.. and the asso-
Citations of the granite state proved
too strong Tor him to sever during
his lifetime. In his early b0yhood
the fascinations of tho chase OBJ
tanned such a strong hold upon him,
that, although nuttering indure-
monts were prorcrcd to follow ugri-
cultural or mechanical pursuits, the
woods and streams claimed him as Is
willing deyotce.
His reputation - crack shot and
daring hunter rapidly spread through
out the country. and tho appearancd
Jf any large wild animal OF dangerous
character was Immediately followed
by message to him, when he woul
repair TO the spot ana as a genei al
thing the life of the ''varmint' paid
the penalty Of his intrusion Bruin
was his favoritc meat, and he would
follow the trail day and night, in
fair weather and foul, missing many
meal i'll his earnest pursuit of
eyIhe.
On on occasion way back in the
fotties, age was taking hunting
trip up on Carr's mountain, Ehici
was u f;voritc resort OF his With
hlm was Il young man of little ex-
poricnoc in tho woods, Ono night
they mnde their camp on the siuo Oh
tn" mountain in spot that was
covered with beeches. Page knew
how fond bears were of the beech
nuts and kept his eye out FOR h4sr
signs. He fruud = place where there
were unmistakGDle marks oil one of
these animals having been around,
anl began to think how he ruuld
'slp the old follow. knowing that
4. GOdld nc OF no use to set his traps
on the hillside. he thought perhaps
nc might coax the animal down to Il
littl, brook that ran near by. so he
took two large traps and sat thsl.i in
the brook some distance apart and
baitod them,
For two days nothing was touched.
but 1n tho third tho upper trap was
missing. Page and his COMPANION
followed the tracks dottn atreati ma
occasionally found tracks of blood
and signs of struggle where the
bear had got the heavy trap caught
in The roots and behind stones.
Turning little mound sharply they
came plump upon Mister Bruin
6aJt+ht In sorie Bushes, Juggling,
clawing and growing in It way tAG.
showed whatever came in his way
would have to suffer. As the two
hun lers came up, the bear made a
Hullon turn around the bushes and
care face TO fpce with them. much
to his surprise Both fired al him,
but just then he succeeded In tearing
his paw out of the trap and made FOR
them forocionsly, Pages companion
turned ana ran, but the hunter,
though Young man at that time,
had faced bears often enough to hold
his ground.
( 4 second shot hit tho brute and he
we' down, but, as il proved, Ao maS
far from dead Page thought he
mi! Int as well make it Il sure thing,
anc was loading up again for final
shtt, when the bear shambled to hIs
feet and went for him. Clubbing his
gu J, the hunter hit the animal again
AMI again without, however, dr
ing much damage beyond shatter-
ing his rifle stock and angcring his
opponent Only the taIlcst kind of
dodging kept him from the infuri-
al ed animals claws. Fortunately for
HIN his hunting dog, which had
heard the fuss ust at that moment.
chmo tearing through the bushes and
pluckily set his teeth in one of the
bears hind legs, The bear turned
and snapped at him, but the dog be
ing game and 1.-the simply let go one
leg and grabbed the other.
Then ensued as lively dance as
Old Carr's mountain ever saw. All
the time hunters and hunted were
working their way down stream
toward the other tap, which no one
thought of. III was brought to their
attention quick enough. for in one OF
the measures in the furious cotillion
dog and ear were dancing the latter
suddenly set his foot square in the
jaws which snapped and held him.
Page now saw his chance. and ran
back to where his companion had
dropped his rifle in his hasty fight,
seized it, reloaded and put a bullet
into bruins brain just as he had sue
eeeded in tearing trap No. . from its
lastenings, and wa coming up for
round No. with anything bat good
Intentions. That settled Page for
taking green woodsmen out with
nim. He and his dog kept company
alone after that, whenever decds of
drsinc slaughter were in the wind.