The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-11-30
THANKSGIVING BEAR.
4 Story Of the Season From the
Michigan Weeds.

1t was to fight fire and not bear that
John Nelson started for the woods
bounding his clearing ON the west side,
the day before Thanksgiving. The
weather was clear and dry, though
sharp, and no snow had fallen. John
had no turkey for the next day. and not
believing the fire of much importance
he took his gun along, thinking he
might sight q bird or two. John hook.
ed his horse to his blackboard and
drove up the road TINT would taxa
him within two or three hundred yards
Of the burning bush, where, by back
firing Judiciously, he thought he could
remove all danger from the advancing
flames. He hnd to drive about q mile
ind q hnlf before he came to the mar
row piece Of woods lying between the
road md the burning timber, and which
he intended to cross to reach the latter
to fight the fire. Just at he reached
that narrow strip he saw two little
bear cubs tumble out Of the bushes
at That side Of the road and continue
the rough-and-tumble play they Ind
begun In the woolA
AT the sight Of the cubs Nelson stop
ped his horse. The black and shaggy
bears looked 80 cute that Nelson could
not resist the temptation to capture
them alive. He got out of his wagon,
leaving his rifle leaning against the seat.
But the cubs didn't want to be cap-
turcd, and. Mt the approach Of Nelson,
ran into the woods ON the side Of the
road opposite the one they had Just ap-
pearetl on MS fast as their int little fega
would carry them. Nelson followed,
|fbut the cubs got two or three rods
|sinto the woods before he overlook
them. He grabbed one Of them, md
was about to seize the other when he
heard a savage growl in the bushes
ahead OF him, and the next instant the
mother Of the cubs came crashing along
toward him. She was not forty feet
away when Nelson dropped the cubs
and made .d0uble.guick time for the
road, the bear only q few jumps behind
him.
There IRE not many horses that will
not become terr0r.stricken at the prOx.
Unity of a bear, and the mere scent OF
bruln will throw some horses In a panic
Nelson's horse wis one Of the tlmorou1
kind, and its owner reached the road
Just in time to see the frightened ami.
NAL tearing down the road, and the
bucElmard .carcening and jolting over
the II. Il, way in manner that LEFT
little hope for 1t lasting long. But
Nelson had no time to bemoan the
| running away of his horse, for the saw.
age ind angry old bear was close be.
hind him, getting nearer ut every jump
Nelson cleared the road almost at y
bound, for he knew he could not ont
run the hear II he kept in the road,
and, taking the first tree he came to,
was mp its branches out Of the reach
lof the bear before he knew 1t, and
without any clear idea Of how lie got
there.
The tree was not more than eight
inches through. md consequently too
small for the benr to climb. That In
creased her fury. Ordinarily shc bear
with cubs IL satisfied with encompass
| Ing the safety Of her offspring l,y put.
ting to flight the foe that endangered
! them, md loses no time In putting dis.
! lance between her and her family and
! the threatening foe. But this one was
not inclined that way. Her temper
:! was evidently naturally ugly; the inter:
| ference with her cubs had Increased
that uglincss ten.fOld; the freeing OF