The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-10

bar market down here 10 pretty dull.
Down yander jest now the thought
struck me that arter all you mout want
a real bar, and as / am willin to help
you ont with yo' wants | will let you
have this here one for $10."
Steve went ont to the gate. He put
his elbows on a wheel of the wagon,
and looking hard at the mountain man
said:
II have been very kind to you."
Il haven't made this djskivery, but
IL you have been kind to me I'm much
o~bleeged."
II have been kind to you, and now |
want to tell you what I am goin to do.
I'm goin to maui YOU"
And he did maui him. He snatched
the mountain man out of the wagon and
walloped him in the road. And during
the performance the bear sat in the
wagon and looked on with an indiffer-
ence complete in every detail. The
mountain man climbed back to his seat
as soon as Steve granted him that priv
ilege, and gathering up his hickory said:
After all, / reckon you know yo'
own mind best-don't reckon you real
ly do want to buy a bar. Goodby.
sah!''
Evening came, and strangers who had
heard that a desperate man would wres-
tie with a ferocious bear gathered at the
place of encounter.
Now, gentlemen, I" said Steve, ''the
time has come for me to show you what
a white man can do. ALI my folks were
bar fighters, and so far as heard from
not one Of them was ever whipped.
Some hunters have just brought in a
monstrous bar from down in the bot
toms, and all that want to see me fight
him just pay % cents and come ahead"
A number of men paid their money
and followed him into the back lot.
Those who were acquainted with the
indolent habits of the bear said moth
ing, partly through fear Of mourning
the enmity of old Steve, but mainly to
foster a laugh at the expense of the gull
lible ''tenderfeet."
Steve conducted the spectators to the
tree where the bear was chained. The
brown of evening. making a mystery OF
the huge black mass of animal life and
hiding the patches on his coat, pro-
claimed him a savage monster.
Gentlemen" said Steve, ''befo' !
go into this here fight | want to tell You
that | don't deserve no sympathy, for
I've brought it on myself. Here goes!''
He made a lunge at the bear. The
monster threw himself in an upright
position against the tree and caught
Steve in his arms. For a moment there
was silence, and then a loud yell split
the stiffness of the deepening twilight.
The bear boxed Steve, he Rugged him
time and time again and then appeared
to be biting him.
Take him away! He's killing mel
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 the effort to renew the engage
ment. Steve was taken into the house.
He was covered with blood, and il was
evident that a number of his ribs were
broken.
Have you anything to sa-s" some
Ione asked. lit may be probable that
lyou can't talk after awhile"
"All I've got to say is this" Steve
Igroaned. II wish l hadn't got SO in
termate with that blamed bar"
Several men went out with a lantern
30 look at the victor. They found moth
Ing but a chain under the tree, but
down farther, in a fence corner, they
found a worn and flea bitten bear asleep.
Had they continued their search, how
ever, they might have found down the
road a mountain man helping his bear
into a wagon, and they might possibly
have learned that the mountain man,
For purposes peculiarly his own. had
liberated the lazy bruin and had tenn
Iporarily chained his own bear to the
Itree.-Exchange.