The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-21
iBILBs BIG BLUNDER.
He Went Bear Hunting When SPUR
reIs Were Scarce.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
mo one was ever treated worse by a
bear in his life that Bill Hamilton OF
Usage county" said a friend of Mr..
Hamilton's, land I've often thought I
queer that somebody didn't write the
story of Bill and that bear Every time
go back to that part OF Missouri and
SEQ Bill stumping around, l feel Just
like putting it on record myself why he
has TO stump around, but somehow I've
never done it. This is about the way it
was: rr-V r-v.
There is a pretty wild strip of coun-
try among the border hills of Usage and
Cole counties, Missouri, and Bill Hamil-
ton used to live In about the widest
part Of it, where he had knocked out a
decent sort of farm. One fan he had
number OF young cattle running in the
timber, and every once in a while he'd
go out and cheer 'em up by sprinking
salt around the woods for 'em One
cattle sailing, he told his wife he guessed
he'd take his gun and knock over a few,
squirrels before he came back. SO he
took his gun and started, soon after din
ner, calculating to be back before supper
time. But Bill wasn't back by supper
time, nor he wasn't back by bedtime
ana breakfast time came, and he wasn't
back yet. And If any man ever had a
Hamilton had
After scattering salt about in the
woods for his cattle, Bill started In TO
hunt squirrels. If he had been hunter
he'd have known that squirrels don't
of day, and that bears have all times of
day for their roaming. Bill was no hun
ter, though, and so he kept up his quest
for squirrels. About the middle of the
afternoon he came suddenly face to face
with an immense bear. Now, if Bill had
just gone right on about his business, the
bear would have. gone about its bust
bears than he did about squirrels
9 If can't get SQUIRRELS said he, I'll
take bear"
80 ne whangs away with a charge of
squirrel shot and fills the bears face
and nose full of it. All the effect it had
on the big brute was. to make it crazy
mad, and it rushed for Bill like a cy-
clone. Bill hadn't counted on this. He
dropped his gun and took to his heels.
The bear was close to him. and Bill did
when he Shot at brlin. He saw a syca-
more tree that leaned at pretty good
angle. He made for that, and half ran,
half climbed II. He got to the top, thirty
or forty feet TO the ground, and found that
the tree was broken off there and was
hollow. Bill jammed one leg down in
ing from the tree, but, looking down.
saw the bear coming up the tree after
him Then Bill tried to pull his leg out
of the hole, but II wouldn't come out
1t was wedged in there some way above
the knee ana was evidently there to stav.
The Other leg hung loose down the slant
ing trunk:
long in getting within reach of that leg,
and in less than no time it had ripped
Bins boot OF, and went to chewing his
foot and ankle. All the weapons BIZ
mad was a good-sized jaclA-knife. He
snatched that out of his pocket and went
to jabbtnS away with 1t at the bears
two jabs when the bear gave one swipe
with HIS paw, and not only sent the knife
flying ont OF Bhl's hand, but sent three
of his fingers flying with it. And then
the bear resumed his chewing at Bills
foot
you can imagine what kind of stun
there must have been In Bill Hamilton
He couldn't draw his leg up. for the bear
held IL down with it's claws, which Il dug
deep in the flesh, too. And there he stuck
fast in that tree. and grinned and bore il
until the bear had bitten away the whole
of his foot and was gnawing away at his
ankle. OF course, Bill didn't expect to get
out of the scrape alive, and didn't have
any hope that there would be enough of
him left to bury, even II what was left
should ever be found. But suddenly a
thought came to him. He had couple OF
handfuls or so Of salt left In his pocket He
dabbed down and Got handful, and filled
the bears eye with II. With a shake OF his
head and howl that made everything
tremble. the bear dropped Bill and backed
out OF the tree. When he got 10 the bottom
he rolled and tVmbled, yelled with pain,
Trhen he evidently recovered from the Ell
fects on the salt and. uglier than ever
scudded up the tree again and grabbed
Birs leg. Biil was ready for him. ana
Down the bear went again, swapping and
snarling ana yelling terribly. That second
dose Mas ah he wanted. ana he went tear
ing away through the woods like a runa-
way locomotive.
"But Iin wasn't 80 sure that he hadn't
made q mistake lie ulqn't know buf
,lhst ~ ulfahf better have let fhr 49,.
stay nnd chew him up Tor BE- COULDN'T
ani on 81 he lren. ana. aunaTlnE morIaI