Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-01-04
A GOOD BEAR STORY.
A TRANSFERS QUEER ADVENTURE
IN INDIAN TERRITORY.

in INDIAN IERRl ORY.
Knocked Over by Silver Tip Dam and
Buried In the Snow-When She Came
Back For Feast, the Larder 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 OIL Poplar
creek, a 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
we lay idle in camp the men amused
themselves i'll various ways, but princi-
pally by organizing short hunting expe-
dltlons 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 as a mild big
gard began to fly and openly declared
that when he returned he would bring
an antelope or deer back with him,
and perhaps both.
We saw him disappear in the direo-
ton of Mill creek with his rifle 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 a cottonwood log near a
thick bunch of underbrush long cared
cottontail rabbit leaped nimbly into
sight, and the next moment my shot
laid Him low.
81 hurried over to to tho spot and was
! leaning over to examine the animal
when l felt crash as il the whole can
yon had exploded, and as l tumbled
over in the snow my fast departing
senses recognized a huge silver tip bear,
whose powerful paw 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 on
around me.
''The old bear nosed and rolled me
about, and finally succeeded in pushing
and dragging me about 20 feet; then she
pushed me down into washout of the
creek bottom and paved away until she
had me almost covered with snow,
brush and other trash. had now re-
covered my senses, but as could easily
breathe through the loose pile that COW
cred me I 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 I knew that she was moving
off.
"When I considered she was far
enough away, scrambled out of the
hole, shook myself clear of the trash
and then looked around for my gun.
sit was lying safe and little damaged
near the log where killed the cotton
tail, but was somewhat scratched and
choked with snow.
II first cleaned the piece out, placed
it in 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 in hurry. I suspected the
old monster would be back sooner OF
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 hae
been the scene of my first disaster, an
sat down to wait.
'fPerhaps ee-quarters of an hour ha
passed when far down the open Sc
the old mother with her cubs trotti'
merrily at her heels, making all has
up stream toward my place of conceal
ment. kept as still as death and scarce
II breathed, but got my rife into posi-
ton and nervously waited until the trio
should come within easy range.
Son she came, rolling from side t.
side, and then / saw that her objec
was the hole in which l had been SO Ill
tremendously buried.
"She hurried to the spot, growlet
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 scooped out clean
and then the old one. evidently conpr,
hending that the promised dinner had
escaped, lay back her head and howlet
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 anc
causing her to pitch heavily forward
By the time had placed a bullet i'll thu
fore shoulder Of the largest cub th
dam, with mighty howl, regained hc'
feet and savagely began to lick tn,
wound of her bleeding offspring. was
perfectly cool now, and realizing that
it was a matter Of life or death with
me l 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 in the brush before was ready
for it, but the large one, who had already
been wounded, l finished with another
shot, ''-Philadelphia Times.
A Bicycle Groom
Ladies on horseback should always be
attended by a groom, according to the
rules Of society. Now the gentleman
who is supposed to lead New York So
ciety pronounces that every lady cyclist