The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-11-22
A GOOD BEAR STORY.
A TRANSFERS QUEER ADVENTURE
III INDIAN TERRITORY.

Buried In the snow-whcn She Came
Back For Feast, the Lar,lrr Was Empty,
and the Situation Was Reversed.
Early iii the fall Of 1850 our reg imen5
was ordered into the field against hos
tile Indians, and about the beginning OF
October we We're encamped on Poplar
creek, a tributary employing into the
Missouri from the north, about 80 miles
distant from Fort Buford.
Our instructions required us to re-
main here until further orders should be
received, and during these few days that
we lay idle III camp the men amused
themselves Ill various ways, but princi-
pally by organizing short hunting eXpe-
ditions into the surrounding country.
Our chief of teamsters was Henry
Morgan, a good all round shot and one
who had more than once brought down
big game by his skill He started OFF
alone one morning just us mild biz
card began to fly and openly declared
that when 10 returned he would bring
Al antelope or deer back with him,
and perhaps both.
We saw him disappear in the direc-
ton Of Mill creek with his rife over
his shoulder, but the narrative of his
subsequent movements is best told by
himself:
81 had gone perhaps three miles up
the creek, and had as yet seen no signs
of any wild animal, when all at once
from behind cottonwood log near Il
thick bunch Of ulidrTLrUsh 4 long cared
cottontail rabbit leuped nimbly into
sight, and the next moment my shot
laid him low.
Il hurried over to the spot and was
leaning over to examine the animal
when | fglt 4 crash Is il the whole can-
yon had exploded, and rs | tumbled
over III the Snow my fast departing
senses recognized Il huge silver tip bear,
whose powerful r&w had been the au-
thor Of my mischief.
Il lay there half stunned and badly
bruised, with just enough conscious
ness left to observe what was going Oh
around me.
1.-The old bear noscd and rolled ne
about, and finally succeeded IN pushing
and dragging ne about 20 feet: then she
pushed me down into q Washout OF the
creek bottom ard paved away until she
had me almost covered with snow,
brush and other trash. ] had now re-
covered ny senses, but as | could easily
breathe through the loose pile that COW
cred me thought it safest to lie still
and await the outcome.
Completing my funeral arrange
ments, the bear walked about and shifted
a few times suspiciously at the spot;
then by the sound of her satisfied snarls
and groWls growing fainter and less
distinct | knew that she was moving
Off,
''When I considered she was far
enough away, l scrambled out of the
hole, shook myself clear of the trash
and then locked around for my gun.
'"It was lying safe and little damaged
near the log where l killed the cotton
tail, but was somewhat scratched and
choked with SNOW.
81 first cleaned the piece ont, placed
it in good order and then went back 10
my involuntary grave, where l found
the tracks made by br,lin to be quiet
distinct and widely separated showing
that the beast had gone off down stream
somewhat in a hurry. l suspected the
Old monster would be back sooner or
later; SO, rearranging the cavity and re-
storing the brush and trash as naturally
as possible, retired to safe position
behind the cottonwood log, which had
been the scene Of my first disaster, and
sat down to wait.
Perhaps thee quarters Of an hour had
passed when far down the open saw
the old mother with her cubs trotting
merrily 1T her heels, making all haste
up stream toward my place of conceal
ment. kept rs still as death and scarce
~ breathed, but got my rifle into posi-
ton and ncryOusl y waited until the trio
should come within easy range.
''On she came, rolling from side to
side, and then | saw that her object
was the hole in which | had been so un-
tremendously buried.
''She hurried to the spot, growled
something at the cubs; then all three,
cubs and dam, began paving and scratch
ing the brush and trash aside and send
ing it III a perfect shower behind Them
Finally the hole was scooped out clean,
and then the old one. evidently compre-
bending that the promised dinner had
escaped, lay back her head and howled
her woes to heaven.
''This was my first opportunity, and
fred with careful aim, the lead striking
her i'll the lower part of the neck and
causing her to pitch heavily forward
By the time had placed bullet in the
fore shoulder OF the largest cub the
dam, with "a mighty howl, regained her
feet and savagely began to lick the
wound OF her bleeding offspring. | was
perfectly cool now, and realizing that
1t was d matter Of life or death with
nr | took another aim while the old
one was poised on her hind legs mop
ping her own wound and sent bullet
through her heart The younger cub
got away III the brush before was ready
for it, but the large one, who had already
been wounded, l finished with another
shot "-Philadelphi Times
A Bicycle Groom.
Ladies Oh horseback should always be
attended by groom, according to the
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