Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-12-09
A GOOD BEAR STORY.
A TRANSFERS QUEER ADVENTURE
 tN MEAN TERRITORY.


 Beck For s4 Feast, tho Lardcr Was Empty, and the Situation Was Reversed.
 Early in the fall of 1880 our regiment was ordered into the field against hos tile Indians, and about the beginning of October we were encamped on Poplar creek, tributary emptying into the Missouri from the north, about 60 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 WIG lay idle in camp the men amused themselves in various ways, but prinei- pally by organizing short hunting expe- ditions into the surrounding country.
 Our chiaf of teamsters was Henry Morgan, good all round shot and one who had more than once brought down big game by his skill. He started off alono ono morning just as q mild biz gard began to fly and openly declared that when ho returned he would bring an antelope or deer back with him, and perhaps both.
 We saw him disappear i'll the direc- tion of Mill creek with his rife over his shoulder but the narrative of his subsequent movements is best told by himself:
 ''I had gono perhaps three miles ID the creek, and had as yet seen no signs of any wild animal, when all at once from behind q cottonwood log near thick bunch of nndcrbrush long cared eottontail rabbit leaped nimbly into sight, and tho next moment my shot laid him low
 ''I hurried over to the spot and was leaning over to examine the animal when 1 felt crash IS if tho whole can- yon had exploded, and as 1 tulnbled over ill the snow my fast departing senses recognized Il huge silver tip bear, whose powerful paw had been the au- thor of my mischief.
 '.I lay there half stunned and badly bruised, with just enough conscious ness left to observe what was going on around me.
 "The old bear nosed and rolled me about, and finally succeeded in pushing and dragging mo about 20 feet then she pushed mo down into washout of tho creek bottom and paved away until she had me almost covered with snow, brush and other trash. l had now re- covered my senses, but as I could easily breathe through tho looso pile that GOV cred me 1 thought it safest to lie still and await tho outcome.
 Completing my funeral arrange ments, tho hear walked about and snitfed few times suspiciously at the spot; then by the sound of her satisfied snarls and groWls growing fainter and less distinct l lnew that she was moving off
 "When considered she was far enough away, scrambled out of tho hole, shook myself clear of the trash and then looked around for my gun.
 1t was lying safe and little damaged near the log where killed the cotton tail, but WAS somewhat scratched and choked with snow.
 T first cleaned the piece out, placed it i'll good order and then went back to my involuntary grave, where I found the tracks made by bruin to be quiet distinct and widely separated, showing that the beast had gone off down stream somewhat ill q hurry l suspected the old monster would be back sooner or later; so, rearranging tho cavity and re- storing the brush and trash as naturally as possible. retired to a safe position behind the cottonwood log, which had been the scene of my first disaster, and sat down to wait.
 Perhaps three-quarters of an hour had passed when far down tho open 1 saw the old mother with her cubs trotting merrily at her heels, making all haste mp stream toward my place of conceal ment lkept as still as death and scarce ly hreathed but got my riflo into posi- tion and neryously waited until the trio should como within easy range.
 'On she came, rolling from side to side, and then l 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 in perfect shower behind them Finally the hole was seooped out clean and then tho old one. evidently compre- hending that the promised dinner had escaped, lay back her head and howled her woes to heaven.
 tsFhis was my first opportunity, and 1 fired 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 ia the [ fore shoulder of the largest cub the dam, with q mighty howl, regained her feet and savagoly began to lick the wound ~f her bleeding offspring. I was
 Y, and realizing that
 of life or death with
 9er aim while tho old
 eel oil hef-nind legs mop.
 own wound and sent bullet .oagh her heart The younger cub got away in the brush before was ready for it, but the large one, who had already been wounded, l finished with another shot Philadelphia Times